Will Simone Clark spell trouble for John and Bailey?
Who’s a better crime-solver John Nolan or Rick Castle?
And what lies ahead for these two titular rookies?
Niecy Nash; Nathan Fillion.ABC/Raymond Liu (2)
Where will you be on the night of Sunday, September 25, 2022 at 10 p.m.?
So, we had some questions for the stars Nathan FillionandNiecy Nash.
Or rather, they had some questions for each other.
Niecy Nash and Nathan Fillion.
Like John, Simone is an older rookie, bringing her own way of doing things to the FBI.
But first, quick, somebody get Nash a light to shine in Fillion’s eyes!
What was your first thought?
Eric Winter and Melissa O’Neil on ‘The Rookie’.Raymond Liu/ABC
And then what was your thought when you found out it was me?
We must be doing well if we’re going to get a spin-off show."
That’s the up.
Nathan Fillion on ‘The Rookie’.Raymond Liu/ABC
Then there’s a down.
You go, “Wait a minute.
Does that mean they’re going to take one of our characters?
KB Holland and Eric Winter on ‘The Rookie’.Raymond Liu/ABC
They’re going to break up this little troop of ours?
Are they going to break someone off and they’re going to spin that person off into another show?
Who do we lose?”
Niecy Nash on ‘The Rookie: Feds’.ABC/Raymond Liu
But then I found out that we’re not going to lose anybody.
We’re going to introduce a new character.
And then we’re going to spin them off into their own show.
And I thought, “That’s a great idea.”
And then, I found out it was going to be you.
NASH:The people don’t know.
Tell the people how you feel about it.
FILLION:I really enjoy Niecy.
I get along really well with Niecy.
And I like working with Niecy because Niecy does all the hard work.
NASH:Will I have to give you the 20 bucks now, or later?
FILLION: Simone is unpredictable at best.
But what could we predict?
What can we expect from her?
NASH:We can always count on Simone to dance by the beat of her own drum.
We can always count on her to trust her instinct and to always bet on herself.
FILLION:Is this going to be problematic in the FBI?
NASH:There’s two ways of doing things.
There’s the FBI way and then there’s the Simone Clark way.
And they’re not the same.
You get a similar result at the end.
She is textbook for, “There is more than one way to skin a cat.”
NASH: John Nolan gets tobecome a training agentthis season.
Talk to me about how you felt about that.
And what is that going to look like?
FILLION:Yes, John is going to be a training officer.
It’s the next logical development in his career.
He wants to be a training officer because he wants to give back.
He feels that’s the best place he can do it.
They’re really concerned about whether or not he’s a rookie.
It’s more of a metaphor, I guess.
It’s the beginning of a new chapter in his life.
FILLION:He’s a rookie training officer.
It works for me.
NASH:Back at the bottom.
Not the bottom, but the beginning.
Will Simone face similar challenges inRookie: Feds?
NASH:The short answer to that question is, I don’t know.
I really don’t know.
I know that she was on her own personal beat-the-clock journey.
You know what I mean?
The ageism part of it hasn’t really been addressed as of yet.
But I know that she wouldn’t fear it.
FILLION:I don’t think Simone Clark has fears.
NASH:Not very many.
FILLION:Maybe still trepidatious with her dad.
FILLION:The least amount of control?
NASH:Yeah, that’s a perfect way to say it.
That’s the one place she has the least amount of control.
And it’s not even that she has control in the department that she works in.
It’s just that she has help.
There’s a beautiful team of people around her.
She has her training agent.
But when it comes to her and her father, that’s a whole other thing to unpack.
I’m just asking because inquiring minds want to know.
FILLION:I want to know, is this anEntertainment Weeklyquestion or is this a Niecy Nash question?
NASH:It doesn’t matter.
Do you have the answer?
FILLION:Things are going really well for John and Bailey right now.
Things are going very smoothly.
That’s one part of his life right now that doesn’t have a lot of turbulence.
So, something has got to happen.
NASH: like, “Oh, hello.”
FILLION:Come cry on your shoulder.
FILLION: Well, I have a question here that says Simone thinks everyone she meets is into her.
But I think more accurately, Simone cansenseeveryone she meets is into her.
How will that play out forThe Rookie: Fedsthis season?
NASH:Well, Simone is a lover.
FILLION:It’s got to be a tough life to appeal to so many people.
NASH:That’s where Simone and I intersect.
Somebody has to do it.
But how will it play out?
My guess is that someone is going to end up with the upper hand.
FILLION:Someone is going to throw her for a loop.
NASH:Yeah, because right now, all of her lovers are manageable.
She’s an equal opportunity lover.
FILLION:But suddenly the ground underneath her is?
NASH:I don’t know.
I just have a feeling.
Because I want to see Simone in those situations where she’s not entirely in control.
NASH: How hard is it for both John and you, Nathan, shipping Chenford?
FILLION:Oh my gosh.
I don’t do that all the time.
Add on the edit, the music, there is so much happening there.
It gets a little steamy at times.
You’re going, “How are they going to explain this to everybody?”
You start getting riled up.
I have a really good time with that.
I don’t think John cares.
He hasn’t really noticed what’s going on on the side.
These two have been pretty sneaky.
Maybe people close to them are starting to notice some stuff, but John is so clueless right now.
How do you and the cast over there really feel about it?
Because maybe y’all are just on your best behavior when you come over to our house.
FILLION:It’s kind of like a field trip.
NASH:Let me tell you something.
They didn’t ask me if I want to go."
FILLION:That was Richard [T. Jones], wasn’t it?
FILLION:You did.
You started onThe Rookie.
NASH:I wasn’t a big deal yet when I was over there the last time.
FILLION:It’s pretty special over here though.
Your sets are incredible.
And now we know.
NASH:We have to do a crossover episode where maybe you get to come on our private jet.
FILLION: Who is Simone’s best advocate and greatest challenge?
NASH:Her best advocate is probably Brendon [Kevin Zegers] because they went to the Academy together.
They always encourage each other, always support each other, are always there for each other.
FILLION:He’s trying to fit her into a mold.
But that’s not her style.
It’s not her personality.
But I will tell you something that most people watching the series would never guess.
She’s our wild card.
She’s our wild baby.
It’s like, “Oh, Britt, where’s the party?
And we are going to follow you right to it when we are off camera.”
We have someone coming back right off the top.
Which is something I love to do because it lends reality to the universe.
Another thing that I think having a spin-off does is it broadens and expands the universe.
I get that feeling of realism.
And when you bring back characters, I get that feeling of, “They live in that world.
That’s where they are.
If you want to see them, that’s where you got to go.”
NASH:Well, we don’t have anybody to bring back because we just getting up and going.
You’re a crossover.
But I am so excited about some of the guest cast that we have coming.
I can’t tip my hand and say the who, what, and the when.
But I’m so excited.
FILLION:I have a question for you.
NASH:I want answers!
[Slams hands on table]
FILLON:That was so… interrogating.
NASH:I know.
I did good, right?
FILLION: Sometimes we are called upon to do a little stunt stuff, a little action.
What’s been the most difficult stunt you’ve had to do so far?
FILLION:It’s hot.
NASH:That felt like a stunt.
FILLION:It’s hard to pretend you’re not sweating.
NASH:It’s hard.
But I would say my hardest stunt was running in a wedding dress.
But that was the stunt.
Oh, and do it in a wedding dress.
And not a wedding dress and sneakers, a wedding dress
FILLION:And heels.
NASH: with real wedding heels.
FILLION:Because that’s how they fit you to it.
If they put you in sneakers, the dress would be too low to the ground.
NASH:There you go.
You work in costumes too?
FILLION:I do a little sewing on the side.
NASH: Well, what was your hardest stunt?
Sometimes, my right knee just gets a little [messed up], and then that’s it.
NASH:But you don’t run cute.
I saw you run before.
FILLION:Yeah, I run like I’m on fire.
I don’t love running.
I’m built for comfort, not for speed.
NASH:You’re a man after my own heart.
Trying to hit a mark in a car, it’s tough.
NASH: I want to know who’s better at solving crime John Nolan or Rick Castle?
FILLION:Good question.
Rick Castle, he has really bizarre, terrible theories.
His theories are always so far out there, but he eventually gets the guy always.
And then John Nolan, he just has more crime versus murders.
I’m going to say just by sheer number, John.
But I’m going to say Rick Castle probably has solved far more murders though.
NASH:And who’s cuter?
FILLION:Simone Clark.
Those are two powerful personalities.
NASH:It’s hard.
I would pick Simone.
If something went down, I would feel a little more protected even though Desna is a bad girl.
You know what I mean?
But if I’m rolling with her, anything is likely to happen.
FILLION:Someone is getting arrested.
NASH:And it might be me.
FILLION:I can see that.
NASH: Okay, this is going to be a rapid-fire round.
Hold onto your hats.
Don’t overthink it.
Say the first thing that comes to mind.
FILLION:Both casts wind up onFamily Feud,and we have to compete against each other.
NASH:I thought you were going to say at a strip club, but I like your idea.
FILLION: Who is the most focused and intense on your set?
NASH:James Lesure.
He’s very focused.
NASH: Both of our shows are dramas with moments of levity.
Who on your set breaks the most?
But you know what?
Here’s the thing.
It’s also true of Richard in real life.
He’s just an easy laugh.
If you hear it, you will know it’s him laughing.
FILLION: Who do you ship your character with the most?
Who would you like to see your character in a romantic relationship with the most on your show?
NASH:None of them.
I want all my lovers to be outside the work.
I don’t want to complicate things.
At some point, it might create a lovely, delicious drama.
But at the outset, I can’t think of anyone… but they all think aboutmelike that.
FILLION:Of course they do.
They all have diaries with your name written over and over in hearts and stuff.
NASH:Somebody’s got to do it.
NASH: Have you ever improvised a line that made it in?
If so, can you name it?
And sometimes yes, it actually ends up in the show.
And it was something someone did.
And it did make it to the show.
NASH:I love that.
FILLION: What’s your favorite episode so far?
It’s okay if you want to say the ones with me that you starred in onThe Rookie.
NASH:Those are actually my least favorite.
No, my favorite by far is I have a big fondness for our Thanksgiving episode.
NASH:Because some family is family you’re born into, and some family is family you choose.
And I love seeing that play out.
NASH: What is your least favorite episode so far?
FILLION:Oh my gosh.
And not because it was a bad episode.
It was a fantastic episode.
But there was an episode where I was being hunted by a serial killer.
And we did it in a flour factory.
It was four days of stunts and running and rolling around in dirt and flour.
They didn’t clean it when they were finished with it, so we just used it as is.
And there was a lot of flour around it.
And it gets in every crack and crevice and in places where you don’t think flour should be.
And now you got a paste, and then it turns into a cast.
Now you got to get to a doctor to pull your cast off.
FILLION: If you could cross over to any third show of your choosing, what would it be?
Maybe there’s some federal things happening and I’m like, “Girl.”
I got the whole storyline.
She thinks because we look alike that I’m going to help her out and cut her a break.
FILLION:But that’s not true.
NASH:I’m like, “Girl, c’mon.
Put your hands in these bracelets.
We’re taking you to jail.”
FILLION:I would say for me,House of the Dragon.
John Nolan looking around the castle going, “I don’t think I should be here.”
She’s a police officer.
Is she a dirty cop?
Or just a bad one?
NASH:Just a bad one.
FILLION: Who is your dream guest star?
NASH:I would have to say Oprah.
FILLION:Do you have a role in mind for her?
Is she playing herself?
NASH:No, she would definitely be a character.
I want her to be a criminal though.
She plays a lot of safe characters and martyrs and those sorts of things.
I want to take her to the dark side.
Come over to the dark side, Oprah!
I’ve had a couple of people on here fromFirefly.
I played his wife.
I would definitely want Jim Dangle, who has the little shorts onReno 911!to come.
FILLION:One of my earliest projects wasSaving Private Ryan.
I did a very small scene withTom Hanks.
I’d love to call him up and say, “Hey, man.
I did a scene with you.
When are you going to come do one with me?”
NASH:He’s probably not doing nothing.
He’s probably sitting around.
FILLION:He’s between Oscars right now.
FILLION:Remember me?
NASH:He probably doesn’t, so don’t lead with that.
