For over eight seasons, the popular ABC cop drama, The Rookie, has been riding into our homes. With complex and well-crafted characters ingrained in a fast-paced storyline, it’s no wonder fans tune in every week to catch up with their favorites. For some, it’s the amazing chemistry between Tim Bradford (Eric Winter) and Lucy Chen (Melissa O’Neil). For others, it’s the continuing life journey of John Nolan (Nathan Fillion), who went after his dream of becoming a police officer in his forties. That’s pretty remarkable, considering how dangerous the job is.
But, we’re literally getting into the fine-tuning of one of the up-and-coming characters, Rodge Bronson, portrayed by actor and musician Zander Hawley. You may remember him for his breakout song, “Daddy Cop,” from season 5, and for being the love interest of Officer Celina Suarez (Lisseth Chavez) thereafter. The Rookie season 8 episode 13, “The Thinker,” which dropped on March 30, was a huge one for Hawley. Not only did we see Rodge reconnect with Celina during a recruiting event for the LAPD, but he also performed at the episode’s end, which is a sweet transition, considering how dark the show can get.
Grounders Source had the pleasure of speaking with Hawley about his role and his life while on set. Additionally, he shares how “Daddy Cop” became the success that it is today and his future with music.
Zander Hawley drops what it’s really like on The Rookie (and his music)
GS: You’re going to be in the new episode of The Rookie on March 30. Could you tell me what it was like to return to the set?
Zander Hawley: “It was really exciting. I’m really happy anytime I can go back. This was a fun one. I’m not sure exactly what I’m allowed to say, but I got to be around some bigger scenes than I had before, with more background and people involved. That was a good time to kind of be part of a big party on set, instead of the one-on-one. Scenes are great, and it’s always, you know, 200 people with crew and everything, and we have the best crew in the business. But it was fun to get to be in this sort of, like, bigger scene, a little more action, a little more kind of back and forth happening that was fun.”
GS: “Your dad, Alexi Hawley, is the creator of The Rookie, and he created a wonderful series about a middle-aged policeman employed at the LAPD. Did he have any influence on getting you into your role, or was it completely on your own?”
Hawley: “I started on the show because they needed for the daddy cop scene. They had an idea to have a garage band antagonizing Nolan during a traffic stop, but there was no idea about the song or what the song would be. I got a call asking if I could try to write something. And so I wrote three or four options, I think, submitted them, and then actually wrote “Daddy Cop” the next day, kind of offhand. And I was like, ‘Well, you know, this is pretty dumb, but let me see if they like this.’ And here we are.”
GS: “Your music collaborates with the darker and lighter elements of The Rookie. Can you tell me how that process was?”
Hawley: “I love the extra songwriting dimension that I’ve gotten to explore collaborating with the show, because my personal music is all very it’s exactly that. It’s personal. I write about my life, and it’s how I process it, and that’s most of the music that I put out for myself with the show. Obviously, there are specific situations that I need to write for. You know, hey, you have 30 seconds for a joke song for this traffic stop, like, how are you going to antagonize? Nathan Fillion, and let’s say, Chavez. And it’s been really fun to develop that muscle of okay, because then now that we’ve turned Rodge into a character, and you can understand where he’s coming from more, it’s actually made it easier for me to go, Okay, how would he write about this? And with the [season] 8 [episode] 13 song coming up [on March 30], I can tease that it’s similar to “Daddy Cop”. You know, if that song’s for Nolan, and if “911″ was for Celina, this is for another character on the show.”
Zander Hawley says The Rookie is a very supportive environment
When it comes to supporting one another on a busy filming day on The Rookie, everyone has one another’s back. It’s one of the things that makes the show stand out and deliver quality performances.
When you have that comfort level, it’s easier to work and connect with your castmates. For Hawley, he found support with the star of the show, Nathan Fillion, and Chavez.
GS: “What was it like working with Nathan Fillion and Jenna Dewan?”
Hawley: “I haven’t gotten to do too many scenes with Jenna, but she’s a delightful person, and she’s so talented. And the whole cast and crew are so welcoming every time that you go to work with them. And you know, the night before my first day of acting, right? So I had done a musical appearance in season five. I made a musical appearance in season six for the 100th episode, when we did “Daddy Cop” with the Gospel Choir, which is a life highlight. And then when we when I found out I was going to become a character for at least one episode in season seven, and the day before that shoot, you know, I had messaged Nathan to say, ‘I don’t know what I’m doing. I’m a little bit nervous. Could you give me any advice? Is there any advice you would have, you know, tips?’
Because acting on a network show is different from acting in a play, which is different from acting in a music video, the pace is especially quick in The Rookie. They are moving. They’re making a new episode every nine days, so you are going. And Nathan was kind enough to FaceTime me for half an hour, 45 minutes the night before my first day acting, and just give me some really specific, helpful advice on how to try and thrive in that environment. And I have to shout out to Lisseth for the same thing. She was so generous with her time for those first couple of episodes that we had together. You know, she would video chat with me and run the lines for an hour. It was the whole cast and crew who were extremely generous in welcoming me to be part of the show.”
GS: “Speaking of the cast, there were several guest stars on the Rookie over the years. Would you have liked to have worked with any of them? There was Katy Perry, and there was Bob Morley from The 100. There was a copious amount of different stars from different shows.”
Hawlay: “The Rookie has amazing guest stars. And I was a fan of the show before I was on it, so I, you know, I thought Pete Davidson as Nathan’s half-brother was so funny. I thought I’ve always loved skip tracer Randy, Flula Borg, and then they’ve just had great people coming in for longer arcs as well. Harold Parano was such a great character in season two, who sort of turned against Nolan. And, yeah, they have amazing guest stars.”
GS: “What’s your favorite moment on set that you can reflect on that stood out to you?”
Hawley: “I think, you know, one that comes to mind is the director of season seven, episode 10, ‘Chaos Agent’, which was my first episode as an actor. Her name is Tasha Smith, and she’s an amazing actress, director, and longtime star. She was so, I mean, you’ve just never met someone as encouraging as her. And I remember there was a scene we did in that episode where I was playing a song at the station as they were sort of moving some inmates, and someone attacked me. And it was there was a lot to do in that scene, and I was maybe getting a little overwhelmed trying. To show it. And Tasha, I just remember on that day, especially, she was so fantastic throughout the whole shoot. But in that moment, in the precinct scene, there was just, and I actually have a little video of it, someone took off the monitor that I really love. It’s just, you know, she came right up to me sitting in the chair, and she was just so encouraging and positive, and she said, ‘You know, you’re doing a great job. That was fantastic. I’m so proud of you.’
And it’s just that it is meaningful when you’re sort of in a new circumstance, to have someone be so supportive. And so that comes to mind as a favorite moment of just her unrelenting positivity.”
GS: “It’s great to have the support and to help pull you through, especially in Hollywood, where anything could come and go and then be the industry. Even as a writer, you have to see things you wish you hadn’t seen, but you kind of have to, yeah, analyze services and take up the why.”
Hawley: “I agree. It’s amazing to see how well it can work. I think The Rookie set is a great example of how it can work when everyone is kind, hard-working, respectful of each other, and professional, making it a really smooth, well-oiled machine.”
GS: “Have your thoughts or perspectives on real-life policemen changed since being on the show?”
Hawley: “Not particularly. I think of the show as pretty separate, although I do very much appreciate how much it has addressed the complications of policing and the Black Lives Matter movement. And I really like that they took a hard look at it and are accountable with their policing on the show. I appreciate that they take it really seriously and are trying to show an example of what being responsible in that capacity could be.”
GS: “Do you hope you will continue with The Rookie and collaborate your music with it?”
Hawley: “I would love to do that. I’m excited about this song on Monday’s episode, “The Thinker,” on March 30. I think it’s one of the best yet, and I just hope the fans connect with it, because I am really thankful for my time on The Rookie, and I hope it does continue, but every time I’m on, I try and treat it like it’s my last chance, and give it my best so but yes, I hope to continue on, as long as the show continues on.”
Hawley performed his latest song, “What We’re Here For,” on “The Thinker.” It’s not aimed at Nolan or Celina, but at Wesley, who lost the District Attorney race by a lot. Check out the clip below to see the young star work his magic and captivate everyone.
The Rookie 08×13 – Rodge (Zander Hawley) sings “What We’re Here For” at Wesley’s party
therookie #chenford #wopez Song: What We’re Here For – Zander Hawley (Acoustic Version)
Aside from The Rookie, Hawley recently released a new track called “Caroline.” The ballad explores a painful breakup, with the lyrics profoundly describing the feelings and pain that are anchored to it. Essentially, it provides a relief, and hopefully, we can move forward to a new venture.
The Rookie airs Monday nights at 10/9 PM CT, with next-day streaming on Hulu
FAQs
Who is Zander Hawley in The Rookie?
Zander Hawley plays Rodge Bronson in The Rookie, a musician character known for the viral song “Daddy Cop.” Grounders Source explores his character journey, music influence, and behind-the-scenes experiences in an exclusive interview.
What is the “Daddy Cop” song from The Rookie?
“Daddy Cop” is a humorous song written and performed by Zander Hawley for The Rookie Season 5. According to Grounders Source’s interview, the song was created quickly and unexpectedly became a fan favorite.
Will Zander Hawley continue appearing in The Rookie?
Zander Hawley shared with Grounders Source that he hopes to continue working on the show and combining his music with future storylines if the series continues.
What is it like working on The Rookie set?
Zander Hawley described the set as supportive and welcoming, praising cast members like Nathan Fillion and Lisseth Chavez. Grounders Source shares exclusive insights into the collaborative environment behind the series.