ABC’s hit show, The Rookie has returned for its fifth season followed by the highly anticipated spin off series, The Rookie: Feds starring Niecy Nash-Betts who will be reprising her role as Simone Clark.
Nash’s character was introduced to viewers during the two-episode backdoor pilot in The Rookie. Created by Alexi Hawley and Terence Paul Winter the crime drama series will follow Simone Clark, the oldest rookie in the FBI Academy who was originally enlisted by officer John Nolan [Nathan Fillion] and the LA Division when one of her former students was a suspect in a terror attack.
“I loved that I had not seen this woman on television and I have never played this woman before. I had never played a character who was sexually fluid, she’s an equal opportunity dater – and then the cherry on top was less than 1% of Black women make up the FBI and I wanted little Black and Brown girls to say, ‘oh I can go do that!’ Not only can you do it honey, you can go do it and look cute.” – Niecy Nash-Betts
THE ROOKIE: FEDS – ABC partnered with acclaimed South Los Angeles restaurant Post & Beam for a cultural dining experience to celebrate the series premiere of ÒThe Rookie: Feds.Ó Star and executive producer Niecy Nash-Betts and executive producers Alexi Hawley and Terence Paul Winter were joined by journalists and tastemakers to enjoy the restaurantÕs Black Pot Supper Club, an intimate dining experience celebrating African American cuisine. During the eight-course meal, renowned chef Martin Draluck presented short anecdotes about the historical relevance of each dish. ÒThe Rookie: FedsÓ premieres TUESDAY, SEPT. 27 (10:00-11:00 p.m. EDT), on ABC. (ABC/Frank Micelotta)
ALEXI HAWLEY, NIECY NASH-BETTS, TERENCE PAUL WINTER
Nash was grateful for the opportunity to push representation and portray a character that is not commonly depicted. Being an executive producer on the series, she helped deepen the confident, layered character to create an even more complex version of who Simone Clark is. Creators Hawley and Winter agree that the cast and crew became a family with members building onto the vision creating something that they can be proud of.
“When you have someone like Niecy Nash who can come in and make you laugh and then two seconds later break your heart just like that, it’s like why wouldn’t we take an opportunity to try to make it more complex and more interesting as possible and then give her those scenes where you have those ups and downs those hills and valleys so it’s not just a romp, it’s not just we’re having a good time at work. We’re doing real things and talking about real issues.” – Terence Paul Winter
To celebrate the release of The Rookie: Feds, ABC partnered with acclaimed South Los Angeles restaurant Post and Beam for a cultural dining experience. Series star and executive producer Niecy Nash-Betts and executive producers Alexi Hawley and Terence Paul Winter were joined by journalists and tastemakers for an intimate evening and opportunity to enjoy the restaurant’s Black Pot Supper Club, a unique and historical dining experience celebrating African American cuisine. During the eight-course meal, renowned chef Martin Draluck presented short anecdotes about the historical relevance of each dish. The menu included African American staples such as black-eyed peas, headcheese, pepper pot which consisted of braised beef, greens, sweet potato, and hot vinegar in addition to a salmon dish, a carefully crafted berry shrub drink, a pork crown roast and heming’s snow egg for dessert. While dining Roderick ‘Rod’ Wright, a longtime patron of the restaurant and former member of the California State Senate recited poems from African American historical figures he admired. The evening continued with laughs, great conversation, spectacularly crafted drinks and filled bellies.
THE ROOKIE: FEDS – ABC partnered with acclaimed South Los Angeles restaurant Post & Beam for a cultural dining experience to celebrate the series premiere of ÒThe Rookie: Feds.Ó Star and executive producer Niecy Nash-Betts and executive producers Alexi Hawley and Terence Paul Winter were joined by journalists and tastemakers to enjoy the restaurantÕs Black Pot Supper Club, an intimate dining experience celebrating African American cuisine. During the eight-course meal, renowned chef Martin Draluck presented short anecdotes about the historical relevance of each dish. ÒThe Rookie: FedsÓ premieres TUESDAY, SEPT. 27 (10:00-11:00 p.m. EDT), on ABC. (ABC/Frank Micelotta)
NIECY NASH-BETTS, ALEXI HAWLEY, TERENCE PAUL WINTER
The Rookie: Feds premieres on September 27, 2022, on ABC.
