It was a surreal experience for actors Missy Peregrym and Gregory Smith to don their cop uniforms for the first time.
“I felt like it even changed the way that I talked,” said Smith, who plays Dov, a new cop in the Global series Rookie Blue.
“Normally I feel the need to fill awkward pauses with meaningless words. But when I put the uniform on, I could just be quiet,” adds Peregrym, who plays newbie officer Andy McNally on the series — which premieres tonight.
“It gives you strength. It feels like you’re the one with power, so it’s OK if you don’t say anything. They’re supposed to be intimidated, not you.”
Following the success of Flashpoint, Rookie Blue is also a co-production between the U.S. and Canada. The cop drama is about a team of first-year police officers struggling to find their way on the force
While it was shot in Toronto — with an almost entirely Canadian cast and crew — it has lush production values and a sexy young cast, making it look more like a big budget American production.
Peregrym, a Surrey, B.C., native, and Smith are both veterans of American productions like Heroes and The Patriot, and relished the opportunity to return home for Rookie Blue.
“That was actually one of the things that I was most excited about,” said Smith. “I was born in Toronto and it’s my favorite city in the world. I’ve shot all over the place and there’s nowhere better.”
“I’ve worked on projects in the States where it feels very much a job and can be incredibly impersonal. But the crews here are almost like a family,” adds Peregrym.
