It’s Going To Be Fire
The Rookie kicks off Season 8 with an explosive start, taking John Nolan (Nathan Fillion), Bailey Nune (Jenna Dewan), and Nyla Harper (Mekia Cox) all the way to Prague with Monica Stevens (Bridget Regan) after her shocking immunity deal made at the end of Season 7. While most of the Mid-Wilshire division won’t be headed to Europe alongside the trio, they will be assisting back at home in Los Angeles. Collider spoke with Lisseth Chavez, who plays Celina Juarez, and Deric Augustine, who plays Miles Penn, about the newest season of the show. As a recently graduated rookie, Chavez updated us on the status of Celina’s relationship with Rodge (Zander Hawley) and her challenges as a newly minted police officer. Augustine’s Miles Penn is still training under the watchful eye of Tim Bradford (Eric Winter) and gives us updates on his status and his character’s journey in his sophomore season. As two of the actors who did not get to go to Czechia, Chavez and Augustine also did a little bit of brainstorming on where they’d like to see their characters end up should The Rookie take on another international mission.
Lisseth Chavez and Deric Augustine Breakdown Their Characters’ Relationship Statuses for ‘The Rookie’ Season 8
“Long-distance relationships are the thing right now.”
COLLIDER: Just to kick things off, is Celina still in a relationship with Rodge?
LISSETH CHAVEZ: Oh my God, yes! I love Celina and Rodge. Listen, she learned how to sing for this man. I do love them together, and I think it’s going to be fun to see the long distance. It’s something so real, you know what I mean? Hopefully, people can relate. Long-distance relationships are the thing right now. So, yeah, they’re good.
Miles, on the other hand, was struggling a little bit with dating, to say the least.
DERIC AUGUSTINE: Yeah, he was going through it.
Has he adjusted a little bit better to Los Angeles since last season?
AUGUSTINE: Well, Celina hooked him up with a date from hell. I would like to say that.
CHAVEZ: Weren’t you in a long-distance relationship too?
AUGUSTINE: Yeah, but the last episode, the girl I met off the dating app. I think Miles is really focused on his career right now and becoming the best cop in the world. That’s the goal I set for Miles. He wants to be the best cop in the world. I think that’s where his full focus and devotion are. And look, if a relationship pops up, or a potential relationship, you never know what happens. But we’ll see.
Does he have any more contact with his friend? I can’t remember his name, but he plays for the NFL.
AUGUSTINE: Yeah, yeah, they’re still good friends, because that’s a friendship that developed in college, and they were both star football players. I’m sure Miles is happy that his friend is in the NFL, and Miles is happy that he is pursuing his dream of becoming a cop.
Chavez and Augustine Tease Chenford Matchmaking in Season 8
“… it’s nice to sort of push them to take that leap.”
We were told that your characters, plus Angela, have a little hand in maybe doing some matchmaking when it comes to Chenford this season. Can you tease any of that? Is it matchmaking or is it troublemaking?
CHAVEZ: A little bit of both. It was fun to team up because we were out on a mission, but we’re also like, “What’s happening here? We have to fix this. How can we help them?” We both see what’s happening, but it’s nice to sort of push them to take that leap.
AUGUSTINE: “Just go ahead. Go for it.”
CHAVEZ: “What’s happening?”
You’re doing what we all wish we could do. Somebody has to do it.
Chavez and Augustine Give Updates on Their Characters’ Professional Developments in Season 8
“He’s on a clear path that he wants to really, really be a successful cop and really help people…”
Celina, last season, graduated is the best word to say. She’s no longer technically a rookie.
CHAVEZ: Whoo! Yes, yes, yes.
What is her biggest obstacle this season?
CHAVEZ: This season, there’s a lot of growth, and it’s nice to see. Celina is really growing up. I feel like she is taking on a lot more responsibility. She’s official. She’s a police [officer]! She’s still this really cool, intuitive, spiritual person, but there’s a nice balance. She’s seeing that it’s not just about instincts. It’s about the emotional awareness and being a great team player, and I think that it was a challenge for her. In the beginning, she was just so unpredictable and would do things without communicating. So, just even seeing her do that now, it’s like, wow. It’s nice to see how she’s evolved.
With Miles, obviously, his training officer was Tim. How is that relationship playing out? And do you have any scenes with Nathan Fillion’s character, Nolan, because obviously, he’s like the TO grandaddy?
AUGUSTINE: Tim, I call him like my big brother, and I think Miles is learning a lot from him. I think Miles has to really calm his cowboy instincts and be leaning toward his intellect and what he’s learning throughout the force and what he’s learning in Sugarland, without being oblivious to what’s going on in L.A.
Miles interacts with everyone on camera, so I wouldn’t say specifically Nolan is Miles’ TO or anything, but Tim is Miles’ TO. You’ll see how Miles develops throughout the episodes. I think he’s going to learn a thing or two. He’s on a clear path that he wants to really, really be a successful cop and really help people and be genuine, and calm his cowboy tactics — when it’s necessary, because he’s still gonna be a cowboy at heart.
He has Tim there to rein him in, but then let him off the leash.
AUGUSTINE: Oh, Tim just has to give him the eyes, like, “I’m watching you, Miles.”
Or the eyes where it’s like, “Go.”
AUGUSTINE: Oh yeah. We all remember the classic run. Remember from the first episode? Golly, that was so funny!
CHAVEZ: That was funny. And we saw it on the big screen.
AUGUSTINE: Everybody started laughing! Man. But I love that they kept that take because it kept them human. Miles is a cowboy, but he was also a cop who came from a smaller division and has a lot to learn.
Augustine and Chavez Tease the Action-Packed Season 8 of ‘The Rookie’
“Every season, I feel like we’re leveling up.”
I was talking a little bit with some of the other cast and Aexi [Hawley], and there was some teasing of more action sequences this season. Jenna [Dewan] said there was one that she was reading where she was like, “This is wild.” Did you guys take part in any of that? Can you tease anything that you’re excited for people to see?
AUGUSTINE: I like doing my own stunts. I can say that. And I’ve been doing a lot of stuff lately. So, it’s going to be cool. It’s going to be explosive.
CHAVEZ: Every season, I feel like we’re leveling up, but this season I’m like, “Oh my God!” I’m not joking, like every episode, there is something new where I’m like, “Wow.” From the beginning, we start strong, and it just keeps going from there. So, this is for sure the biggest season. I’m excited to see it all come together.
AUGUSTINE: To put things into perspective, I talked to one of our producers who manages the money, and he’s like, “Yeah, I know it’s a big.” [Laughs] So, it’s going to be fire.
He knows better than anybody.
AUGUSTINE: Yeah, than anybody.
Augustine and Chavez Share Their Headcanon for Miles and Celina’s International Adventure
“Boom. Alexi, hire me as a writer.”
Obviously, you’re talking about the premiere, which takes place in Prague. You guys did not get to go to Prague this time.
CHAVEZ: Meh.
But there are more seasons in the future. If your characters could go to any international location, maybe on a little bit of a mission, so to speak, where do you want them to go?
CHAVEZ: Oh my God. Listen, I guess anything’s possible at this point. We could go.
AUGUSTINE: I want to go to Africa. Maybe somewhere in Africa.
Yeah, shoot for the stars!
CHAVEZ: That would be fun.
AUGUSTINE: What if an episode centers around Celina’s roots? Where is she from? Like her family heritage?
CHAVEZ: I don’t think we’ve established that, but based on my roots, I’m from El Salvador.
AUGUSTINE: Maybe we go to El Salvador and we find some dope stuff.
CHAVEZ: You know what I would like? Maybe because it’s like a dream role of mine, I would like to be in the jungle somewhere.
AUGUSTINE: So in Brazil.
So that’s the rain forest.
CHAVEZ: Yes! That’s like a dream of mine. So, if there’s a future, please take me.
AUGUSTINE: And Miles falls in love with somebody from, like, the tribe there.
CHAVEZ: The tribe? No, but you’re focused! You’re on a mission. Wait, maybe they hire you, and you’re undercover.
AUGUSTINE: And she works for an agency there, too.
CHAVEZ: Yeah! But I have to be there.
AUGUSTINE: And she’s there, and we find her… No, Rodge is there. Dang.
CHAVEZ: No, of course, but I’m just saying I just want to be part of the next mission.
AUGUSTINE: I’m writing the whole thing up. Rodge breaks up with her, then she finds somebody.
CHAVEZ: What are you saying?! No! Cut. No. [Laughs]
AUGUSTINE: I’m saying we can both find our characters’ soulmates in Brazil.
CHAVEZ: No, no, no, no. He’s undercover right now.
AUGUSTINE: But that’s the episode.
‘The Rookie’ Showrunner Promises Season 8 Premiere Will Be a “Must-See for Chenford Fans”
Alexi Hawley also reveals the inspiration that the show took from ‘The Blacklist’ for the premiere.
We’re plotting out the next season.
AUGUSTINE: We go to Brazil, Miles falls in love, and then he brings that woman back to the Mid-Wilshire Department.
CHAVEZ: Oh my God.
I love that.
AUGUSTINE: Boom. Alexi, hire me as a writer.
That’s a great way to end this interview. I want that for you. Everybody’s given some great answers, but I think this is the most established.
CHAVEZ: What did people say there?
Oh my God, we got Moscow, we got Fiji, we got Madagascar, Barcelona. We’re going all over the world.
AUGUSTINE: And Brazil.
CHAVEZ: Jungle. Anything jungle!
The Rookie Season 8 premieres on January 6 on ABC in the U.S.
- Release Date
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October 16, 2018
- Showrunner
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Alexi Hawley
- Directors
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Tori Garrett, Chi-Yoon Chung, Michael Goi, Sylvain White, Lisa Demaine, Lanre Olabisi, Bill Johnson, David McWhirter, Liz Friedlander, Daniel Willis, Toa Fraser, Anne Renton, Jon Huertas, Cherie Nowlan, TK Shom, Rob Seidenglanz, Valerie Weiss, Barbara Brown, Charissa Sanjarernsuithikul, SJ Main Muñoz, Nelson McCormick, Marcus Stokes, Adam Davidson, Anna Mastro
- Writers
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Corey Miller, Bill Rinier, Zoe Cheng, Mary Trahan, Ally Seibert, Liz Alper, Nick Hurwitz, Racheal Seymour, Madeleine Coghlan, David Radcliff
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