Nathan Fillion didn’t need a script or a paycheck to say yes to The Rookie as the show’s strong concept spoke for itself.
In Hollywood, actors take on roles for all kinds of reasons. Some for the paycheck, some for the challenge, and others because they want to work with people they trust. So when Nathan Fillion returned to network television with The Rookie, it was easy to assume money played a big role in his decision.
After all, a $100,000 per episode deal is hard to ignore. But surprisingly, that wasn’t the reason at all. In fact, he agreed to the role without even reading a script.
So why did he say yes? It wasn’t a rushed decision or just another job to fill his schedule. There was something about The Rookie that immediately stood out to him.
Nathan Fillion joined The Rookie without even reading the script
When Nathan Fillion decided to return to network television in 2018 with The Rookie, many people assumed that his $100,000 per episode salary was the main reason.
However, the actor made it clear via an interview with The Hollywood Reporter that his decision had nothing to do with money. Instead, he was drawn to the show’s strong concept and the exciting possibilities it offered for storytelling.
Even though he signed on without reading a script, he trusted the idea and the creative team behind it. Fillion reunited with Alexi Hawley, who had previously worked with him on Castle, and took on the role of John Nolan. The show follows Nolan, a man who goes through a major life change and decides to become a police officer at the age of 40.
This makes him the oldest rookie on the force, which means he has to prove himself while learning everything from the ground up. The idea of someone starting over later in life was something that Fillion found very interesting and relatable. He explained:
You want a character that you feel you can serve. You want to serve the character and serve the story. I have been in this business for a long time, which has helped me see things in a bigger way. And the main idea of the show has to be strong enough to last for many years.
He continued:
You want to make sure there is always potential for more stories. You don’t want to reach a point where you run out of ideas because the way the show is built does not allow for more.
That was exactly what made him excited about The Rookie and he added “This one has an engine.” Fillion was also attracted to the way the show balanced drama and humor. While The Rookie was more serious than some of his previous roles, he knew that humor still had an important place in the story. Instead of having big, exaggerated jokes, the show’s humor was natural and came from real situations, which made it feel more believable.
At the time, television was changing in many ways because streaming services were becoming more popular. However, Fillion still believed in network television and was ready to take on its challenges. While TV networks had started making shorter seasons, he was open to whatever direction the show took and was prepared to do the usual 22-episode season if needed.
In the end, Fillion’s decision to join The Rookie turned out to be the right one. The show became a success and ran for multiple seasons which allowed him to take on a role that was fresh and exciting. Even though the paycheck was nice, it was the strong story and the creative potential that truly convinced him to take on the role.
Why was Nathan Fillion embarrassed after meeting Pete Davidson?
Nathan Fillion never thought he’d hit it off with Pete Davidson, but as it turned out, he couldn’t have been more wrong. The Rookie star admitted via US Magazine that he had completely misjudged the comedian before realizing just how much he had underestimated him.
As the show had reached its 100th episode, Fillion reflected on some of his favorite guest stars, and Davidson was at the top of the list.
The two had first met while filming The Suicide Squad in 2021, where Fillion played T.D.K. (The Detachable Kid) and Davidson took on the role of Blackguard. At first, the actor hadn’t been so sure about him. In fact, he had been convinced they had nothing in common. He added:
When I first met him, I thought, ‘He and I are probably not going to be best pals. Within four minutes, I was embarrassed and ashamed because I’d judged a book by its cover. He’s an incredibly kind man.
It hadn’t taken long for that first impression to completely change. Just a few days into working together, Fillion had been so impressed that he invited Davidson to guest star on The Rookie, and he immediately said yes. Between 2020 and 2022, the comedian appeared in three episodes as Pete Nolan, John Nolan’s half-brother.
Fillion had been blown away by how naturally Davidson had fit into the role. Their friendship had only grown from there, and Fillion had never stopped singing Davidson’s praises.
