The Rookie creator and showrunner Alexi Hawley gives a candid response whether Niecy Nash will return to the series. The Emmy-winning Nash led the short-lived spinoff The Rookie: Feds, in the role of Simone Clark. The story followed Simone as the oldest rookie in the FBI Academy, offering a few tweaks to the premise of the original series. But because of complications related to the writers and actors strike, and less-than-expected ratings, The Rookie: Feds was cancelled after one season.
In an interview with Screen Rant’s Rachel Foertsch to discuss the premiere of The Rookie season 7, Hawley was asked about the fact that The Rookie has been bringing in supporting characters from the spinoff and whether that could include Nash. The creator and showrunner acknowledges that Nash was busy with other projects. However, he remains hopeful that she will be able to return as Simone. Read the quote below:
We would obviously love to have Niecy [Nash] back in our universe. Niecy is a very busy woman, and so I guess I can say that we’re not necessarily going to see her again in the near term, but hold out hope that she’s got a window for us.
What Nash’s Return To The Rookie Would Mean
She’s Shared The Screen With Lead Nathan Fillion
Even though Nash led The Rookie spinoff, she first appeared in a few episodes of the original to set up her own series. She also appeared in two episodes of The Rookie season 5. Simone has not been seen on The Rookie since. But as recently as The Rookie season 7 premiere, the ABC drama has welcomed back Feds character Garza (Felix Solis). So the connection between the two shows is alive and well.
There are two things that may stand in the way of an appearance by Nash. The actor, as Hawley says, is attached to other series. She’s coming off a highly-praised turn in the crime thriller Grotesquerie and will next star in the legal drama All’s Fair from Ryan Murphy. The latter show is currently in production. Another thing to keep in mind is that there’s a new spinoff of The Rookie in the works. If it moves along in the development process, the focus could turn to that instead.
But if the circumstances line up, an appearance by Nash could help bring closure to The Rookie: Feds after its cancellation and allow the attention to turn to the second attempt at a spinoff properly. As the lead star of Feds, Nash is key to that closure and she is a stellar cast member to have in even a small capacity
Our Take On Nash’s Potential Return To The Rookie
Hopefully, It Can Happen
Although it doesn’t sound like Simone will be back in the near future, Nash is an excellent performer with varied performances. If there’s a window to bring her back, and the right storyline for Simone, Hawley and his team should make the effort to integrate her with The Rookie cast.
