See the Cast of ‘The Rookie’ Behind the Scenes of Season 8

Dan Clarendon October 13, 2025, 4:00 pm

Eric Winter, Deric Augustine, Lisseth Chavez, and Melissa O'Neil on set of 'The Rookie' — Deric Augustine/X

The Rookie cast members are hardly rookies anymore: The ABC cop drama is headed into its eighth season. But it looks like they’re still having a blast filming the show, if their social media photos and videos are indication.

While we wait for the Mid-Wilshire Division cadre to come back to television, check out their social media uploads below.

Nathan Fillion

Fillion spent his time between takes discovering his celebrity lookalikes, dropping dad jokes at the craft services table, and getting a ride to Funkytown.

@realnathanfillionLet’s see what this is all about…♬ original sound – Keya Monné

@realnathanfillionNew discovery!♬ Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue – Maribel Sur

@realnathanfillionWhere would YOU go?♬ sonido original – Golden Oldies Mix

Mekia Cox

Cox glammed up to hang out with Rookie boss Alexi Hawley, whom she called “the best showrunner ever” at ABC’s End of Summer Soirée. And during some downtime in her trailer during production of Season 8, she got out a guitar and treated TikTok viewers to a duet.

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A post shared by Mekia Cox (@mekiacox)

@mekia.cox #duet with @Naomi Turner #singalong I haven’t sung or played guitar in a minute!!! (Had a couple mess ups in there 😆) Someone at Comic Con asked me to play guitar again…this one’s for you 😉 (I literally haven’t played since my last guitar post on IG) lol. Gotta get back to it! (If anyone has any tips for better sound quality let me know 😉) #boredinmytrailer @The Rookie Universe ♬ original sound – Naomi Turner

Alyssa Diaz

In early July, Diaz practiced her marksmanship on the shooting range, saying she was training for The Rookie (with costar Melissa O’Neil behind the camera). And two weeks later, she posted an Instagram selfie from her trailer on set, writing, “Angela is back.”

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A post shared by Aly Diaz (@alydiaz)

Richard T. Jones

Meanwhile, Jones posted some of his “on set shenanigans” with recurring star Felix Solis (Matthew Garza). He also shared shots of himself and costar Eric Winter striking a pose.

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A post shared by The Rookie (@therookieabc)

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A post shared by Richard T Jones (@richardtjones)

Melissa O’Neil

O’Neil’s TikTok is a treasure trove of goofy videos of her and her Rookie colleagues — including one in which she seems to prank Fillion good! As a bonus, O’Neil has shared lots of BTS pics on Insta, too.

@missoneil🎐♬ deep in it – berlioz

@missoneilthe one, the only – Miss Judy. If you’re not familiar – she is the artist behind Lucy Chen’s glowy, natural look. And we (everyone!) love her. We also don’t play about her so be polite and don’t be weird. 🎐♬ nhạc nền – Ông Thỉ Bà Long 🌚

@missoneil “Is it too late for a TO swap?” 😏 #therookie ♬ Illegal – PinkPantheress

@missoneil Just in case you’re having memory loss… Sound off in the comments if you want our #COPMOMS to reuse this sound and do a proper trailer tok costume reveal. The Fits are fittttiinnnggg this year and the ladies are looking foooiiiinnneee. 🤣🥰 @The Rookie Universe ♬ Baby Mama – Lyriq Luchiano

@missoneil Juarez and Chen: Solving the greatest mystery – which dessert should we split? @The Rookie Universe ♬ The Floor On FOX – Reality Club FOX

@missoneil*posts a draft and runs away* 🎐🎐🎐♬ suono originale – MemeBurger69

@missoneil the one, the only – The Real Nathan Fillion @Nate F @The Rookie Universe ♬ original sound – Melissa ONeil

@missoneil when adhd meets the gallery shoot. @The Rookie Universe ♬ Farcry 3 Music – 🦊🎄KingSam🎄🦊

@missoneilWe were born to make you happy.♬ original sound – Melissa ONeil

@missoneil “Hey Internet 👋🏾” 🥹🥹🥹 (@therichardtjones ♬ Hang on Little Tomato – Pink Martini

@missoneilwhen the world’s on fire but you’ve got solid friends.♬ original sound – 💙Steve and Eddie❤️

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A post shared by Melissa O’Neil (@missoneil)

Eric Winter

Winter’s TikTok gives O’Neil’s a run for its money. In one clip, he proved reports of Bradford’s death were exaggerated. In another, he and his Rookie costars didn’t “chicken” out of pranking Lisseth Chavez.

@ericwinter76 Or did he? #bradford #rip #timtok #fy ♬ Hit Me – Megan Hilty & Christopher Sieber & Jennifer Simard

@ericwinter76 You know which boy band is back…quit playin @Deric #bradford #penn #fy ♬ original sound – itswillowtf

@ericwinter76 No acting here… got ya @therichardtjones #prank #bugatti #bradford #grey #fy ♬ original sound – Cadel and Mia

@ericwinter76 Just tryin to do my job! 👮🏼‍♂️ #distraction #bradford #timtok #fy ♬ original sound – throwbacklovers

@ericwinter76 Never a dull moment with this unit on the streets… 👮🏼‍♂️ #stayinalive #fy ♬ suono originale – 𝗖𝗶𝗰𝗰𝗶𝗼 𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗮 💖

@ericwinter76 Go crazy….. it’s what we do! #fy ♬ nhạc nền – Dưa hấu không đường

@ericwinter76 A day in the life of Bradford.. #transition #timtok #rookie #fy ♬ original sound – notkayb

@ericwinter76 Always rushin me … #timtok #bradfordbuilt #therookie #fy ♬ Originalton – donjeta

@ericwinter76 I’m too old for this… #fy ♬ someone to call my lover – ℬ

@ericwinter76 Can we just get the job done! @The Rookie Universe @Mekia Cox @Melissa ONeil @Lisseth Chavez #teamwork #streetstyle #work #fy ♬ BAND4BAND – Central Cee & Lil Baby

@ericwinter76 Welcome to the club Liz… sorry we had to do it…again! #therookie #chckendance #challange #fy ♬ nhạc nền – Nhạc Thiếu Nhi

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A post shared by Eric Winter (@ebwinter)

Jenna Dewan

Dewan channeled her original claim to fame as she danced her way to set. And in other uploads, she stood tall next to Fillion and participated in a TikTok trend in full firefighter gear.

@jennadewan Dancing to set > walking to set #dejavu #therookie ♬ Beyoncé deja vu – joao

@jennadewanI actually am 5’3’’ 😄♬ People used my sound Question Mark – arynjitis

@jennadewan Even Bailey couldn’t fight this trend 🔥 dc:@Robbie Blue #katseye #milkshake ♬ original sound – Gap

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Shawn Ashmore

As Ashmore took followers behind the scenes of The Rookie, he marked his first day filming Season 8 and his day at an ABC press day.

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A post shared by Shawn Ashmore (@shawnrashmore)

Lisseth Chavez

On Instagram, Chavez posted a video of her and her casemates’ weapon training. And in her TikTok videos, her joy is infectious.

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A post shared by Lisseth Chavez (@lissethchavez)

@lissethchavez_Rooookieee fammmmmm! Season 8 baby!!!!!! 😍👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽♬ original sound – presleytried

@lissethchavez_🌻♬ Let Down – Radiohead

Deric Augustine

On X, Instagram, and TikTok, Augustine shares other fun moments from the Rookie set, including several with Winter and with recurring star Brent Huff (Quigley Smitty).

🤫🤫🤫 pic.twitter.com/lybII69mSf

— Deric Augustine (@DericAugustine) June 5, 2025

With the ladies pic.twitter.com/YQnk5N2aK8

— Deric Augustine (@DericAugustine) June 30, 2025

Training with the gang #TheRookie #Season8 pic.twitter.com/XF1xNxoclX

— Deric Augustine (@DericAugustine) July 1, 2025

Fam #TheRookie #Season8 👮🏾‍♂️🤠 pic.twitter.com/AdJO5ve4NS

— Deric Augustine (@DericAugustine) July 1, 2025

Texas 👮🏾‍♂️🤠 pic.twitter.com/ibqy4ZqxXu

— Deric Augustine (@DericAugustine) July 1, 2025

Day one darling 👮🏾‍♂️🤠 #TheRookie pic.twitter.com/uSkPjhJwc2

— Deric Augustine (@DericAugustine) July 7, 2025

Howdy 👋🏾 👮🏾‍♂️🤠 @therookie pic.twitter.com/O0Af6lkGws

— Deric Augustine (@DericAugustine) July 7, 2025

The dynamic duo is back @brenthuff11 @therookie #TheRookie #Miles #Smitty pic.twitter.com/vlcZf4WGPQ

— Deric Augustine (@DericAugustine) July 7, 2025

🤝🏾 pic.twitter.com/0QaXU94tAw

— Deric Augustine (@DericAugustine) July 10, 2025

Miles Penn. AKA Texas. The Cowboy pic.twitter.com/RBFFBKlPgP

— Deric Augustine (@DericAugustine) July 21, 2025

My TO 🤝🏾🤝🏾 pic.twitter.com/64YcYjryoh

— Deric Augustine (@DericAugustine) July 28, 2025

The fam @therookie #TheRookie #Season8 pic.twitter.com/8aEsPcdxNj

— Deric Augustine (@DericAugustine) August 28, 2025

🎥 pic.twitter.com/kgFp617u91

— Deric Augustine (@DericAugustine) September 15, 2025

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A post shared by Deric Augustine (@dericaugustine)

@dericaugustine What a duo #Smitty #Miles #Season8 #TheRookie #FYP ♬ WHO WHAT – ￶

@dericaugustine Great guy @Eric Winter @The Rookie Universe #FYP #ForYou #TheRookie #Rookie #TO ♬ besides that awesome – bleepboopblopho

@dericaugustine My TO too cool 😎 #Miles #Tim #Texas #GrumpyCop #TheRookie #FY #FYP #Actors ♬ original sound – ⋆｡ﾟ☁︎｡⋆｡ﾟ☾ ﾟ｡ Vee

@dericaugustine Season 8 underway #TheRookie #FYP #ForYou #Miles #Celina #Season8 ♬ original sound – zen ♡

@dericaugustine Sorry for wrecking your shop 🚓 @Eric Winter #FYP #TheRookie #ForYou #Texas ♬ original sound – Dai’Jshah the stylist 💫

@dericaugustine The squad @Melissa ONeil @Lisseth Chavez #TheRookie #Chen #Celina #Miles ♬ original sound – DjJoeMix Nj

@dericaugustine Just vibing on set #FYP #SetLife #TheRookie ♬ original sound – imjusthereforvibeslol

@dericaugustine Abraham Lincoln? @@Melissa ONeil@@Nate F##FYP##TheRookie##Jokes##lol##ForYou ♬ original sound – GossipAboutThis

@dericaugustine Get em Unc @therichardtjones #TheRookie #FYP #Miles #Grey ♬ original sound – Barbiee 💕- Content creator

@dericaugustine Catch a vibe with Miles and Celina @Lisseth Chavez @The Rookie Universe #FYP #TheRookie #Miles #Celina #Actors (cc: @Jeffro ♬ original sound – Iri