‘The Rookie’ Season 7: Mekia Cox Reveals Her Character’s Biggest Wish and Family Secrets

The Rookie just kicked off its seventh season, and it’s already back in full form. After a shortened Season 6, Season 7 promises many potential storylines to look forward to, especially after the major criminal escape at the end of the season. Not only is the diabolical Monica (Bridget Regan) on the loose (though currently in Argentina), but the Mid-Wilshire division is going to be facing off against the escaped Oscar Hutchinson (Matthew Glave) and Jason Wyler (Steve Kazee). It’s a lot for the police offices to contend with, and it looks like there will be a lot on the plate for Mekia Cox’s Nyla Harper, who, in recent seasons, has teamed up with Alyssa Diaz’s Angela Lopez to form a detective partnership that’s also grown into a close friendship.

We spoke with Mekia Cox about The Rookie Season 7, first discussing the past and the show’s longevity and then also looking into the future. Cox detailed what she was the most proud of when it came to her character and also revealed one of her most physically demanding days of shooting in the past and in uniform. Cox teased some details about her character’s relationship with her husband James Murray (Arjay Smith) as well as a potential storyline involving Harper’s family directly. Finally, she discussed her ideal cameo for The Rookie and her go-to musical episode song (kind of). Watch the full interview with Cox in our video player above, or read the transcript below.

What Moments Are Mekia Cox the Most Proud of When It Comes to ‘The Rookie’?

“She is and always will be a badass.”

COLLIDER: We are here to talk about The Rookie Season 7. It’s been a long road, and we’ve made it here. Instead of looking forward, I first want to look back and take a look at Nyla’s past. Looking at her story from the beginning to now, what are you most proud of either as an actor or for her character, her growth? What is something that stands out to you, where you’re like, “I’m really I’m proud of this?”

MEKIA COX: I mean, listen, she is and always will be a badass. However, we have seen her open up a lot over these last few years. I think she’s grown into a good mom. I think she’s grown into a good friend. I think she will always be a good detective. To watch her become who she’s become now, even though she is a badass, she does have a little bit of this softer side because she has become a mom, she has that maternal instinct, and she is around people who she can trust now. I don’t think she had that before, so it’s nice to see her open up a little bit more.

Speaking of her becoming a new mom, first of all, the scene where she gives labor was the wildest thing ever. I did not expect him to run upstairs and she’s holding the baby with a gun in her hand. It will forever be seared into my memory.

COX: Honestly, that is one of my most favorite things that I’ve done.

How Will Nyla Harper’s Relationship Change With James in Season 7 of ‘The Rookie’?

“They butt heads a little bit, and you’ll see that.”

But she’s now got a newborn. How is that going to affect her life moving forward, especially with her relationship with James? I feel like they’re going to be butting heads a lot this season, just from what I’ve heard. Can you elaborate on that?

COX: I think Nyla and James really do love each other, but their relationship is hard, and like every relationship, it has its ups and downs. So, you, as an audience, get a little peek into what their life is like this season. They are trying hard to work together in terms of what’s going on here in the department, as well as for their kids, but they butt heads. They butt heads a little bit, and you’ll see that.

Mekia Cox Teases an Upcoming Storyline With Nyla Harper’s Family in Season 7

I’m interested in seeing that. What is a dream storyline to tackle for Nyla? I want to know about her past as an undercover cop.

COX: Yeah!

I want a flashback. This is not really a question. Now I’m just pitching an idea. Do you have an aspect of her life that you want to explore or a storyline that you want to look into?

COX: I don’t know how much I can say, but yes. We’re actually shooting it right now. But in this episode, I’ll just say you get to meet a family member.

Okay, I love that. I love exploring and going into her family. Are we going to see any more of her and Donovan? Obviously they didn’t leave off on the best terms.

COX: No, not so much. Not this season. You won’t see any of that this season.

That’s fair.

COX: I mean, there’s one more episode that we haven’t shot, so who knows? But no, I don’t think so.

Mekia Cox Talks Ideal Cameos for ‘The Rookie’ and Nyla Harper’s Musical Episode Song

“…he apparently likes the show, so we gotta get him on.”

For this show, you’ve got a lot of cameos. You guys have always managed to bring in a surprise celebrity cameo that I would never have thought this person would show up. Do you have somebody in mind where you’re like, “This would be the long shot. In an ideal world, this would be the cameo that would jump on the screen?”

COX: That’s a good one. I love me some Janet Jackson. [Laughs]

Oh my god, yes!

COX: If she would come on our show, that’d be it. You know who also would be a good one? Shaquille O’Neal. Because he was a cop.

I heard there was potential.

COX: There was potential that he was going to, and he apparently likes the show, so we gotta get him on.

The potential is still there then.

COX: There we go!

For longer shows like The Rookie, after a few seasons, the show starts to get a little experimental, a little fun. If there was ever a musical episode, I want to know what Nyla’s song would be. What would be her solo song?

COX: [Laughs] Oh, wow. What’s the song, “I’m the baddest bitch?” Is there a song that says that?

I feel like that’s a lot of songs.

COX: I know. [Laughs] Well, one of the songs that says that would be her song.

Who Does Cox Want a Scene With on ‘The Rookie’ That She Hasn’t Shared One With Yet?

I love that the fact that Nyla has a lot of scenes with Lopez. I feel like they’re like an amazing duo together. They’re both kick-ass moms, and also they can kick ass on their own and band together. Is there another character on the cast or in the show that you want to have scenes with that you haven’t had seen a lot of scenes with before?

COX: I don’t get to have that many scenes with Jenna [Dewan]. We like to dance and do some TikToks, but that’s really the only time I feel that I get with her. We have some scenes together, but we don’t have a ton of scenes together, so I would like to do more scenes with Jenna.

Cox Reveals One of Her Most Physically Demanding Days Filming ‘The Rookie’

“…I still kept going, and then, the very next day, I could not walk.”

What is the most physically demanding part of this job? I feel like every time I see you in, obviously not in full uniform anymore, but it looks very exhausting. Are you glad that you’re no longer in full uniform?

COX: Yes, but there is still stuff, and it’s also the repetition of it. My first episode on the show, I was running through the streets chasing after a bad guy, and like I said, I had an eight-month-old when I first started the show, and so I had not really been working out in the way that I normally do. I have a dance background, I’m usually very physical, so I just thought I could do it, and I was like, “I got this.” And the director asked me to do it over and over again. She was like, “Are you okay?” I was like, “I got this.” Now, mind you, my stunt person was like, “I’m here if you need me.” I really should have used her, but I didn’t. Then the very next day, it was hurting. My knees were hurting, but I was like, “It’s okay. I can push through this.” I got thrown up against a washing machine, and I still kept going, and then, the very next day, I could not walk.

Oh my god.

COX: So if you look very closely, you can see that I have a little bit of a limp in some of the scenes in my first episode.

No one can question how hard of a worker you are.

COX: That’s right.