{"id":260011,"date":"2026-08-27T23:30:14","date_gmt":"2026-08-27T23:30:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/08\/27\/jay-ellis-breaks-down-how-the-rookie-north-compares-to-the-rookie-teases-biggest-differences\/"},"modified":"2026-08-27T23:30:14","modified_gmt":"2026-08-27T23:30:14","slug":"jay-ellis-breaks-down-how-the-rookie-north-compares-to-the-rookie-teases-biggest-differences","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/08\/27\/jay-ellis-breaks-down-how-the-rookie-north-compares-to-the-rookie-teases-biggest-differences\/","title":{"rendered":"Jay Ellis Breaks Down How \u2018The Rookie: North\u2019 Compares to \u2018The Rookie,\u2019 Teases Biggest Differences"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Jay Ellis<\/strong><\/a> just teased what The Rookie<\/em><\/a> fans can expect from The Rookie: North<\/em> spinoff \u2014 starting with the biggest differences between the shows.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re doing something different. I think we are honoring what The Rookie has created and what that entire cast has created, which is something so beautiful and so special,\u201d Ellis, 44, exclusively told Us<\/em> while promoting his new campaign with Citibank and American Airlines<\/a>. \u201cIt\u2019s going into its ninth season so there\u2019s a reason for that \u2014 and we are very much honoring that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ellis noted that The Rookie: North<\/em> is doing its \u201cown thing,\u201d adding, \u201cWe\u2019re a completely different cast with completely different characters. We\u2019re in a completely different part of the world \u2014 in terms of the Pacific Northwest. So I think we are creating our own spin on what that is.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Rookie<\/em>, which premiered in 2018, follows police offers from a precinct in Los Angeles. The show stars Nathan Fillion, Eric Winter, Melissa O\u2019Neill, Alyssa Diaz, Richard T. Jones, Mekia Cox, Shawn Ashmore<\/strong> and Jenna Dewan<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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\n Related: <\/span>The Rookie’s New Spinoff: Everything to Know About ‘The Rookie: North’<\/span><\/a>
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\n\t\t\tThe Rookie universe is expanding once again \u2014 and this time, it\u2019s heading north. Us Weekly confirmed in December 2024 that Lionsgate Television and 20th Television were working on a new spinoff series at ABC titled The Rookie: North, with original series creator Alexi Hawley attached to write. Keep scrolling for everything to know so [\u2026]\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

ABC previously expanded the franchise<\/a> with The Rookie: Feds<\/em>, which ran from 2022 to 2023. The Rookie: North<\/em> introduces fans to Ellis\u2019 Alex, the oldest rookie for the Pierce County Police Department in Washington State after a violent home invasion.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe fun thing about this show is we go from urban and from city to rural in a matter of miles. What that creates in a lot of ways in a smaller department \u2014 especially \u2014 is you don\u2019t have the same resources that a department like L.A. would have,\u201d Ellis teased. \u201cWhat that means for us is sometimes you\u2019re out there on your own or you\u2019re out there just with your partner and you guys have to figure it out because backup is going to take 20 minutes to get there.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ellis was thrilled to see how high the stakes can be raised.<\/p>\n

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\u201cSomeone from the cast [asked] me the other day, \u2018So how does someone not get killed in season 1?\u2019 And I was like, \u2018Don\u2019t worry about it. Just have fun. We\u2019re just gonna go make a great show,’\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

In addition to Ellis, The Rookie: North<\/em> also stars<\/a> Chris Sullivan, Janet Montgomery, Froy Gutierrez, Karen Fukuhara, Mya Lowe, Malik Watson <\/strong>and Curtis Lum<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe pressure melts away when you really start to realize that we\u2019re not here to compete,\u201d Ellis told Us. \u201cThe thing that we all think about is like, \u2018Oh, how fun will it be for us to be able to like send folks to L.A. and folks from L.A. to come up to the Tacoma area. We get to have this big universe that will probably expand again at some point. That\u2019s a lot of fun.\u201d<\/p>\n

He continued, \u201cIt\u2019s a dream to be able to do something like that in this business. Making a TV show is really hard and getting a TV show on air right now is probably harder than it\u2019s ever been. We all count ourselves very lucky.\u201d<\/p>\n

On the topic of potential crossovers, Ellis didn\u2019t rule out any scenarios<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cGrey\u2019s Anatomy makes sense because it\u2019s in Seattle. So that\u2019s an easy one. I wonder if anyone at ABC has thought about that. I\u2019m sure they have,\u201d he quipped. \u201cBut I would kind of love to go to Abbott Elementary.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ellis also pitched himself for a future season of Dancing With the Stars<\/em>, saying, \u201cI\u2019d do a little cha-cha or a little salsa. I would do that. That\u2019d be fun.\u201d<\/p>\n

The actor, who is always booked and busy, is pulling double duty balancing The Rookie: North<\/em> and his role on Running Point<\/em>. Luckily, his partnership with Citi and American Airlines has helped him when on the go with the Citi \/ AAdvantage Executive Mastercard<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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