- 5 months ago
Nathan Fillion and Alexi Hawley join the Variety studio to talk about season 8 of "The Rookie" at San Diego Comic Con 2025.
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00:00I will say in Lanterns, I dropped more F-bombs
00:03than I have in my entire career combined.
00:16Well, I am so excited to be here to talk about The Rookie today.
00:21First off, congratulations on having such a successful show
00:24that is now going into season 8 next year.
00:28That's right.
00:29What does it feel like to have something that has caught fire?
00:33I mean, it's a rarity these days to have something
00:36that's managed to keep audiences so enthralled for this many years.
00:41Yeah, and not showing signs of stopping.
00:44No, which is great.
00:46Yeah, no, we started really growing in season 5,
00:49which sort of never happens.
00:50And I do think it has something to do with the sort of TikTok,
00:54YouTube shorts, Instagram, all that stuff where they grab clips.
00:57But we'll take it.
00:59Like, it works great for us.
01:00Oh, yeah.
01:01I got into this show from watching basically a full episode
01:04in 30-second increments on my TikTok.
01:06That breaks my heart a little bit, but as long as you converted to...
01:09That wasn't your preferred viewing method?
01:11Not at all.
01:11Whatever it takes.
01:12Sorry.
01:13Next time I'll watch it, like, on an airplane.
01:14That's probably the way.
01:15I'm starting to live the phenomenon of being recognized from TikTok clips.
01:20Yeah.
01:21You're that guy from those police show TikTok clips.
01:23Yeah.
01:24When I say, you know what?
01:26You should come watch the show.
01:27It's like really long TikTok clips, but filmed horizontally.
01:31Okay, that brings up a good question of what are you most often recognized for?
01:35Because for me, you're from Dr. Horrible.
01:39That's what I will always associate you with.
01:41It is something I've seen people in Dr. Horrible cosplays this year at Comic-Con,
01:47all of these years later.
01:48Did you ever anticipate that it would have the kind of legacy that it has?
01:52I've never anticipated anything I've ever done to have the kind of legs it always has had.
01:57I'm just, I'm very fortunate in that way.
01:59There seems to be no shortage of fans who will remind me,
02:02hey, I loved you in something I forgot I was in.
02:05Waitress.
02:06Like that.
02:07Well, yes, I was in that.
02:08Yeah, yeah.
02:09But no mistaking, I am most recognized for The Rookie.
02:15It is very fresh in people's minds.
02:17Everybody watches it.
02:20Well, speaking of which, everybody's going to be at your panel today.
02:24What can you tell me about what you're bringing today,
02:26what you're going to be showing the fans,
02:28and what you're most excited to get to share with them today?
02:31The sizzle reel.
02:32We got a sizzle reel.
02:32We do.
02:33We have a sizzle reel that's got some of our footage.
02:35We went to Prague for our premiere episode, I know.
02:39I said, hey, I want to go to Prague for our first episode.
02:42You just wanted a vacation.
02:45And everybody looked at me a little sideways because that's not something a season eight show usually does.
02:51But they said yes.
02:52So we went and had a blast.
02:54And so we're going to show some footage from that today.
02:56It felt like we were filming Casino Royale.
02:58Yes.
02:58It felt like a super spy movie.
03:01It really did.
03:03Now, I've got some questions going into this season that I'm going to need some answers for.
03:08Number one being, where's Oscar?
03:10Where's Oscar?
03:11Oscar's at large.
03:13The joy of Oscar's you never know where he's going to turn up.
03:15But like a bad penny, he always does.
03:18Yeah.
03:19So charming.
03:20Just so the worst.
03:22He's the worst.
03:23He's the worst.
03:24But so charming.
03:25But Matthew, who plays Oscar, is just such a joy to write for because he, I mean, we have done great with our villains over the years on our show.
03:33Just being able to write for people who bring so much nuance to it and don't just go arch, right?
03:39Like he can come in and do anything.
03:41And it's a joy.
03:42It's a joy.
03:43Well, you bring up villains.
03:45Yeah.
03:45Miss Monica, how does she keep getting away with it?
03:50She has an immunity deal now?
03:52Like where are we going to pick up with this saga of Monica getting away with all of these schemes?
03:59Well, Monica launches us really in season eight.
04:02I mean, the reason we're in Prague is that as part of her immunity deal, she's giving up a few baddies that we can chase down.
04:09And so, you know, the sort of task force that's been set up is going to chase them down.
04:13And so, Nolan and Bailey end up going with them.
04:17Now, Nathan, obviously the titular rookie of this.
04:22I don't think you can say that on TV.
04:24I'm so sorry.
04:25Can someone bleep that?
04:26Our sponsor will hate me for this.
04:29I'm curious.
04:30Are you excited to maybe get a new rookie in this new season?
04:35I am a T.O.
04:35I mean, certainly that's the way of things, right?
04:40That's how it kind of works.
04:41Yeah.
04:41No, I mean, you know, we try and stick a little close to the reel, which is Academy graduates every six months.
04:47So, you know, there are periods where T.O.'s have rookies and don't have rookies.
04:50We love pairing our other characters together without rookies.
04:54But, yeah, no, I think it's safe to say that, you know, that we wouldn't go without a rookie on the rookie.
05:00And it's so nice to see the mix and matching going on on the show all the time.
05:04Because for us, it's a few weeks with a new cast member or someone you don't spend that much time with.
05:10So, it's nice.
05:11It's rare that we're all together.
05:13We're not often all together.
05:15So, it's nice to be able to spend time with different people.
05:17Now, mixing and matching, maybe more matching, a couple that everybody is waiting for, we got this unresolved, kind of hopeful moment.
05:31Right.
05:31I relate it as someone who can fall asleep at the drop of a pin, so I totally get it.
05:36You got that.
05:37Will this slow burn be continuing?
05:40What can I say about that?
05:41Shh.
05:42No, go ahead.
05:43You tell.
05:44I think we're heading for the end game.
05:46Let's put it that way.
05:47I think we have put them through the ringer.
05:51We have, I think, earned the next chapter in this.
05:55You know, to be fair, I didn't want to cheapen out a little bit on the breakup.
05:59I felt like, you know, he really did break her heart in a way that was sort of epic and also had his own things to go through.
06:06And so, it felt like if we threw them back together too quickly, it would feel like the storyline was more of a stunt than actually drama.
06:15So, but it does feel, going into season eight, like, you know, there might be some smiles coming.
06:20I'll just say that.
06:21I think they've earned it.
06:22Yes.
06:23No, for sure.
06:24They've earned it.
06:24Yes.
06:25Now, I always wonder, for folks who work on a show that involves solving crimes, especially, I mean, you've been solving crimes for a while.
06:33I was a big Castle fan.
06:35Do you think that you could translate those skills to solving crimes in real life?
06:39Do you think that you would be?
06:41That is definitely what I think.
06:42Yes.
06:43Is it, could it possibly happen?
06:45Probably not.
06:46I don't know if you've ever played the game Mafia, where it's like a secret.
06:50There's murders going on all throughout the game.
06:53But I'll always bring up, I've solved over 200 murders.
06:57I know what's happening here.
06:58Like, you can take it from me.
06:59It's so funny, because when we have played Mafia, which is the only times I have played Mafia, I like getting out early.
07:06You like getting out early?
07:07I do.
07:07I do.
07:08I don't know.
07:08Maybe it's because I have to use my brain to solve things so much for work that I just, I'd rather just, like, go get a snack and watch you guys do it.
07:17That's fair.
07:18There's also the part where that's, you know, that's kind of the darker side of that game is you can see just how diabolical you are.
07:24Oh, yes.
07:25Yes.
07:25Who's a really good liar?
07:26You lied to my face.
07:28Yeah, you get those kinds of things.
07:29Yeah, it can break friendships.
07:31So, you're saying you've only played Mafia with this one.
07:34Correct, yes.
07:35Are you holding people hostage, forcing them to play Mafia on set?
07:39Hostage?
07:39No.
07:40Blackmail?
07:41Yes.
07:41Sorry.
07:42I should have clarified there.
07:44No, of course, Superman has been incredible this summer.
07:50I absolutely loved it.
07:52The question on everybody's lips, that wig.
07:56Why didn't you keep that look permanently?
08:00And what was it like the moment that you first got to see yourself with this iconic bull cut?
08:06First of all, I would like to say that being able to do that kind of wonderful program, that film, that story, is only—I have a job.
08:21I have a steady gig.
08:23You can't really be the lead on a show and just say, I'm going to take off for a little while.
08:27But thanks to this gentleman right here who sees the value and knows it's a big deal to me, and he arranges it so that I can go and slip away for a few days at a time or a week at a time.
08:36Yeah.
08:37And able to do these fantastic projects, so thank you.
08:40I'd like to thank you publicly for that.
08:41Okay.
08:42I'll take it.
08:43Second, there was some talk about some other hairstyles.
08:46The original hairstyle that they were looking at was more like a He-Man.
08:50Oh.
08:50It was—yeah, it was a very odd bangs and bob weird cut.
08:55We went through a couple of—there was like a Justin Bieber-ish kind of a look to it.
08:58But I was saying, guys, if we don't go bull cut, we'll hear about it.
09:04Yeah.
09:04Bull cut.
09:05It's canon.
09:05Yeah.
09:06And there's something so much—the character, it says so much about the character.
09:11If you see a guy with a bull cut, he clearly does not care what you think.
09:15So did the hair really inform the character for you when you were—like, when you put it on, did you feel more Guy Gardner than when you had it off?
09:23You know, people around me and their reaction to me and that haircut, because you're not seeing it.
09:28You don't see it unless you're looking in the mirror.
09:30Right.
09:30But people look at you and they guffaw.
09:32Right.
09:32And then eventually—
09:34You get annoyed at them.
09:35It kind of levels out.
09:37And they start to kind of just feel, well, that's how it goes.
09:40Yeah.
09:40And now, I guess we're just going to live with this.
09:43And that's pretty much how you have to deal with Guy Gardner.
09:45Yeah.
09:45I also think it informs his love for cereal.
09:48I mean, he's got a literal bowl on his head.
09:50Boom.
09:51You nailed it.
09:51So, now, that movie was obviously PG-13, but in Peacemaker and Lanterns, you're not confined by those silly MPAA guidelines anymore.
10:03No, no.
10:03Is the juice about to be set loose?
10:05Do we get to see a crazier version of Guy Gardner?
10:09I will say in Lanterns, I dropped more F-bombs than I have in my entire career combined.
10:16Yes.
10:17I would like to say that when Nathan came very kindly and played the CIA director on The Recruit, he did show up being very excited about how much cursing he was doing in that.
10:26Yes.
10:26Oh, I think I set you on that path?
10:28Yes.
10:29Definitely warmed up to it.
10:31Yes.
10:33Okay.
10:33So, we have you to thank for all of the F-bombs that we're about to hear out of this one's mouth.
10:37Yes.
10:38Well, I am so excited for you to get to see all of your fans today.
10:43I know it's going to be an insane panel today.
10:46What are you most excited about for a moment like Comic-Con when you get to be hands-on with these fans and actually hear about the impact that a story like The Rookie has had?
10:56Well, I think you just nailed it right there.
10:57That's what I'm so excited about.
10:59I mean, you kind of led with the, yeah.
11:00Yeah, I mean, look, Nathan and I were actually just talking about this earlier.
11:03Like, you know, Nathan can't go out, obviously, without people recognizing him and talking to him about the show.
11:08That's not my existence.
11:10And so, I don't really see our popularity other than theoretical until things like this where you go out.
11:15And when we were shooting in Prague, we saw it a lot, which was really rewarding.
11:20You know, people came from other countries to hope to, like, watch this film and meet them.
11:25And that's the kind of thing that I just don't see on a daily basis.
11:27So, yeah, Comic-Con is going to be awesome.
11:29Yeah.
11:29And people here, there is an anticipation for Comic-Con.
11:33It's like waiting for Christmas.
11:34Yeah.
11:34When it finally happens, all the excitement comes out at one time.
11:38That's a wonderful energy to be present with.
11:40Yeah, 100%.
11:41Well, I wish you luck on the panel.
11:43And thank you guys so much for taking the time to chat with us.
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