At San Diego Comic-Con on July 25, 2026, Alyssa Diaz and Shawn Ashmore offered fans an exclusive look at the upcoming ninth season of The Rookie.
The procedural drama, which premiered in October 2018, has been officially renewed for a ninth season and is currently in production.
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All previous eight seasons remain available for streaming on Hulu.
Behind-the-Scenes Moments
Reflecting on their eight-year professional relationship, Diaz recalled a Season 5 scene where their characters, Angela Lopez and Wesley Evers, solved a riddle during labor.
The scene required a hand double due to Ashmore's handwriting.
"Shawn did give us a warning because he had to write the riddle on a whiteboard," said Alyssa Diaz.
Diaz noted that her nearsightedness made it impossible to read his writing on set.
"I looked at it and said, 'Oh my God, your writing is horrible. It's hieroglyphics,'" said Diaz.
Ashmore acknowledged his physical limitation regarding penmanship during the interview.
"I have a lot of talents, but handwriting is not one of them," said Shawn Ashmore.
The production team implemented a practical solution during filming to ensure legibility on screen.
"We had to get a double to do the writing," said Ashmore.
He further detailed how the final cut transitioned between his actual handwriting and the double's work.
"If you watch the episode, the first line is actually me writing. Then it cuts away.
When it comes back, everything is written—and it's someone else's handwriting," said Ashmore.
