Niecy Nash has officially waved goodbye to Simone Clark, two months after her hit show, The Rookie: Feds, was canceled by ABC. Speaking in the press room at the Emmys, Niecy was asked if she had plans to reprise her role in the flagship series, The Rookie.
"It was one of my favorite casts and jobs, but there are no plans for it, I am living in the moment - I don't go back," she said. After portraying special agent Simone Clark for a year, the actress learned that The Rookie: Feds had not been renewed for a second season.
ABC's decision to cancel the show was finally announced in November 2023, after an arduous six-month wait. Following the season one finale, the show was initially put on hold in May, but with the subsequent SAG-AFTRA strikes, the network was forced to postpone all decision-making abilities.
Prior to the announcement, Niecy had revealed her hopes for a series renewal in an interview with Variety. "I love my job so much, I love the people that I work with, and I love the fact that I get to work with my better half over there," she said.
During season one of The Rookie: Feds, Niecy's wife and musician, Jessica Betts, was cast as Simone's love interest on the show.
"What I love about that particular character [Simone] is that I have not seen her on mainstream television," added Niecy. "I'm happy for little Black and brown girls to see something that they can aspire to be. Less than 1% of Black women make up the FBI. She's a Black woman over 40 in the FBI. She's not married. She's an equal-opportunity dater, if you know what I mean. Like, who is this unicorn?"
While Niecy has been disappointed by the show's cancelation, the actress is surely riding high after her big win at the Emmys on Monday night. Crowned Best Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or TV Movie for Dahmer, the TV star delivered a moving speech.
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"I'm a winner, baby! Thank you to the most high for this divine moment," she said. Thank you, Ryan Murphy for seeing me. Evan Peters, I love you. Netflix. Every single person who voted for me. Thank you. My better half, who picked me up when I was gutted from this work. Thank you.
“And you know who I want to thank – I want to thank me," continued Niecy. "For believing in me and doing what they said I could not do. I want to say to myself in front of all you beautiful people, 'Go, girl, with your bad self. You did that.' Finally, I accept this award on behalf of every Black and Brown woman who has gone unheard, yet overpoliced, like Glenda Cleveland, like Sandra Bland, like Breonna Taylor."