“The title and the idea that it’s ‘my show’ was always just a trick of the light,” Nathan Fillion said of ABC’s The Rookie during the show’s first-ever panel at San Diego Comic-Con. Heading into the show’s seventh season, when the procedural cop drama began in 2018, Fillion’s character John Nolan was the oldest rookie at the LAPD, a title he’s certainly grown out of by this point. “This has always been an ensemble cast. I’m very pleased to say that the show can rest squarely on any member of the cast’s shoulders at any time.”
(Disney/Alan Hess)
During a panel on Saturday, July 27th, Nathan Fillion was joined by his costars Alyssa Diaz, Richard T. Jones, Melissa O'Neil, Eric Winter, Jenna Dewan, Mekia Cox, Shawn Ashmore, and Lisseth Chavez. Last season rewarded fans who had “shipped” John Nolan and Bailey Nune by letting the two lovebirds get married, a union that has thus far been surprisingly stable for a drama. “As important as it is to have dramatic relationships that break apart, I think it's also important to show what a healthy, functioning relationship is like,” explained Fillion, who also serves as an executive producer on the show.
“[Showrunner Alexi Hawley] said to me, ‘Go out there and dance like you're at a wedding,’” recalled Jenna Dewan about that fan-favorite moment from last season. “We just made a moment of it. I played some old-school '90s music and rap music, which gets me going, and I ended up pulling everybody out. We kind of danced one-on-one, then as a big group dance, and it was just really fun.” As for what’s next for the Nolan/Nune household, previous episodes have shown them struggling with adoption. “That is not something I can reveal here,” Jenna said when asked about the possibility of the duo becoming parents this season. “But I will say that part of what was fun about last season was getting married and seeing the steps that happen in a relationship. We got to go through different emotional levels of what that would mean for each other and what we each need and want. I think that will continue to evolve, and it will be interesting to see where it goes.”
“Alyssa [Diaz] didn’t tell me this until Season 3, but I got brought in as a potential love interest,” revealed Shawn Ashmore, who has been with The Rookie since the beginning, but in a recurring role until the third season. His character, Wesley Evers, has been another part of the relationship dynamic that keeps fans coming back for more. “I felt that we hit it off immediately, and that’s what I love about the Lopez/Wesley relationship is it was born from this antagonistic romance. They get fired up because they argue, but they fall in love.” Off camera, Shawn Ashmore and Alyssa Diaz get along great. “We both like the same stuff and talk about weird things, time travel, and quantum physics. It’s been very natural. A lot of that is the writing, and it created this interesting bond and this dynamic where they’re combative but it leads to a deeper part of the relationship.” Alyssa Diaz added, “Shawn is my favorite TV husband.”
One of the relationships on The Rookie that fans love most is the one with an actual couple’s name – Chenford. “We created the name because we were partners in Season 1,” Eric Winter revealed, who plays Tim Bradford, whose rookie in Season 1 was Lucy Chen. “We came up with fun names for our rookies, and ‘Chenford’ became its own thing.” Although the pair had been teamed up professionally, the actors revealed that romance between their characters wasn’t the original plan. “Their dynamic wasn’t anticipated to turn into something so significant,” Melissa O’Neil shared, who plays Lucy. “It’s been exciting to explore and see how invested fans are in their relationship.” With Comic-Con famous for fans in cosplay, Melissa and Tim were excited to see fans cosplaying as their characters’ doppelgangers, Juicy and Dim.
(Disney/Stewart Cook)
Spoiler alert for those who haven’t finished Season 6 – Chenford is now Chen and Bradford. “Brad’s been a mess,” Eric shared of his character’s decision to break up with Lucy. “He’s been sweeping things under the rug for so long. Lucy truly makes him very happy, but he’s been faking a lot of his own happiness while dealing with past issues. It all finally caught up to him. He doesn’t want to let her down like he’s let himself down. It’s a big thing he has to handle personally before he can give her his best.” So what fans really want to know is if Tim Bradford can heal himself and get Lucy back before it’s too lait. Is he doing the work? “That’s a spoiler, but yes, in different ways,” Eric shared.
Of course, The Rookie is a procedural cop drama, so not all of the characters should be expected to have heartwarmingly romantic storylines. But fans should also understand that the actors aren’t always that similar to their characters. “I’m the one who has to be wrangled,” revealed Richard T. Jones, who plays Sergeant Wade Grey, a taskmaster for the team. “It's very difficult because it's outside of who I really am. I have to put on the persona of Sergeant Gray to come in and wrestle these guys. When we're all together, trust me, it's like a Kindergarten.”
Mekia Cox plays Nyla Harper, who was formerly in charge of two rookies, John Nolan and Aaron Thorsen. “Harper came from doing a lot of undercover work, so she came from an area where she couldn’t trust anyone,” Mekia shared about her character’s evolution since she was introduced in Season 2. “She had a hard exterior. Training this one here (pointing to Nathan Fillion) and getting to know the rest of the people, she gained more trust and realized these are her friends and family. I don’t think she really had that before. She really cares deeply for each one. She might not say it, but she definitely feels it. And becoming a mom definitely softened her. She's a mother of two now and has some stepkids as well. I think that makes her a little more soft.”
As Nathan Fillion mentioned, the show’s title – The Rookie – was a bit of a bait-and-switch. But there is still a “rookie” amongst the team, Celina Juarez, played by Lisseth Chavez. “Everyone has been amazing,” Lisseth said of the way the cast and crew welcomed her to the team. “I feel like everyone has taught me something or they welcomed me with open arms. From the first episode, I felt right at home when I met everyone in the roll call room. It was great.”
While the panel didn’t reveal much about what fans can expect in Season 7, Nathan Fillion did give an update about the characters fans fell in love with from The Rookie: Feds. “We’re trying to create a universe where we can all exist and cross over,” he hinted. “There will be more crossover elements.”
Season 7 of The Rookie will premiere mid-season on ABC in early 2025. Episodes are available to stream the day after they air on Hulu.