S.W.A.T. Star Annie Ilonzeh Reflects On Her Season 8 Arc While Trying To Debunk AI

Annie Ilonzeh discovered the eerie power of technology while participating in the latest episode of ScreenRant‘s Debunking AI series. Ilonzeh is a prolific TV actor who made a splash in Chicago Fire as Emily Foster before becoming an integral part of S.W.A.T.‘s final season. There, she played Officer Devin Gamble, who had to work to be reintegrated into the Twenty Squad after the tragic events of a decade earlier.

Ilonzeh made it clear that, despite AI suggesting Emily was the role nearest and dearest to her heart, Devin was the character she carried a special torch for. “Her strongest personality trait would be patience, even though she’s popped off a few times,” the actor explained, adding that tenacity was another trait of Devin’s she related to. Given her own history as an athlete, patience and tenacity are never necessary parts of her real life. As she said in the interview, “I still think at the core of me is this athlete that’s just trying to win the race or run my best race.”

While chatting with Rachel Foertsch during Debunking AI, Ilonzeh broke down the significance of Devin’s arc in S.W.A.T. season 8 and her personal interest in continuing that story in either a revival or a spinoff. She also teased her upcoming alien invasion movie, Run, and shared some of her most beloved pastimes when not acting or exercising.

AI Knows S.W.A.T. Season 8 Pretty Well, As Far As Annie Ilonzeh Is Concerned

AI faltered when trying to pinpoint the role Ilonzeh was best known for, giving a shoutout to the underrated Charlie’s Angels reboot, and which held the most significance for her (“Emily [from Chicago Fire], you got a piece of my heart, too. We’re not in sync, though!“). Once it locked in on S.W.A.T., though, it got almost all the details right. It incorrectly declared that Devin was inspired to join the LAPD due to her family’s criminal history, but otherwise broke down her season 8 storyline with appropriate nuance.

Ilonzeh, meanwhile, could not be more effusive in her praise of the show and the Twenty Squad. “We recently wrapped that show, and it was probably one of the best seasons of television to shoot in my life. And for the collective cast and crew, season 8 was one of their best seasons, too — if not their best.“

She revealed some of her favorite scenes from the show, one of which AI guessed upfront. The Venice Beach Pier Front scene in particular was a favorite “because I love to run. We were sprinting on the pier back and forth. I mean, multiple takes!” She also praised co-star Niko Pepaj, who plays Miguel Alfaro, for his athleticism. “He’s got burners. Other than a track star, I haven’t seen somebody who is a normal person moving around in the world that fast.“

Her other choices, however, were more emotional. One was from episode 14 of season 8 with Anna Enger Ritch, who plays Powell. “It’s just the girls, and they really hash out their differences. It’s really interesting to see scenes like that, especially between two strong women who have a very particular point of view. They’re both right, but they both have their faults.”

The S.W.A.T. series finale contained another one of her favorites, when Hondo asks Gamble to stay in Twenty Squad:

It’s one of my favorite scenes of all time, chef’s kiss. It’s really sweet. You get to see Hondo in some of his most vulnerable moments, but also shooting that with Shemar, you see how kind and generous he is, and sensitive. To see that kind of person just sitting there with you, holding your hand through a scene, is really nice.

Would Annie Ilonzeh Return As Devin Gamble (And Could It Be In S.W.A.T.: Exiles?)

Devin’s arc with Twenty Squad wrapped up nicely, with her deciding to stay on at Hondo’s insistence. “Twenty Squad became a complete whole in the season finale,” Ilonzeh emphasized. “Devin is not teetering back and forth, nor is anyone in Twenty Squad or LAPD S.W.A.T. in general.” However, there is one plot point that left an open ending for her character in particular.

Rather than expressing dissatisfaction at the lack of closure in Devin’s sibling dynamic, Ilonzeh expressed excitement at the possibility of returning to it at a later date. “As I’ve moved around in the world and just talked to people who have seen the show, they really love that dynamic between Devon and her twin brother, so it would be so nice to explore that even more. We don’t really know where those two will go, in terms of family or friendship.”

Could that return be sooner than expected? “I’ve said it so many times, and I’ll continue to say it,” Ilonzeh gushed. “It was one of my favorite projects to work on and one of my favorite shows. The cast, the crew, the storylines, the character, the action, the impact that it has on the viewers — on me and even my family… Whichever form it returned in would be something that I would jump on for sure to get back into gear and do my thing.“

Catch Annie Ilonzeh Next In Run, A New Alien Invasion Thriller

Ilonzeh said that while “the nuts and bolts” of the movie amount to a girls’ getaway in a remote cabin being upended when one of them is found brutally murdered and an alien invasion begins, “there’s a bunch of twists and turns along the way, so you will definitely be screaming, probably yelling at the screen, jumping out of your seat at times, and maybe even throwing popcorn.” Outside of the plot twists themselves, Ilonzeh shared her hope that the film would be “an interactive experience.“

Once again, her athletic training came into play when preparing for the role. “I do my own stunts, or at least I like to as much as I can,” she admitted. “I’m a super adrenaline junkie. I am seeking pain, almost, in a way. The more bruises I have, the more I’m like, ‘Ooh, cool. Victory. Yeah, I did that.’” Perhaps to counteract that tendency, Ilonzeh also described one of the techniques she uses:

I bring this portable sauna to any set I work on that’s on location. It looks like a little mini adobe that you just sit in… I would go run and do my cardio in the morning before my call time, and then I’d sit in the sauna for 30 minutes, get my sweat on, and then I’d go to work.

The fact that AI managed to get so many details right, despite Ilonzeh not remembering having publicized them, was both fascinating and freaky. “I think AI was just somehow in my head, or following me, or listening to my phone,” she concluded.