Netflix’s The Rookie is based on a true story – the real-life role model for Nathan Fillion’s cop was even featured in the show

Netflixs The Rookie is based on a true story

The cop series The Rookie with Nathan Fillion has been in the Netflix top 10 for weeks. What many people don’t know in this country: The The lead role of the late-call cop is based on a real person
– who starred in Season 1 and hunts down criminals in real-life Los Angeles.

The Rookie on Netflix and Disney+: The real rookie is called Bill Norcross and became a police officer at the age of 44

In The Rookie, Nathan Fillion (Castle) as police rookie John Nolan in his 40s has to assert himself against his much younger colleagues. In order not to lose any more time, he gives up his company and moves to Los Angeles to pursue his dream. In truth it is the story of real-life LAPD Officer William Norcross.

At age 44, Norcross left his family business in Doylestown, Pennsylvania and moved to LA, more than 4000 kilometers away. In contrast to the series character, the real rookie does not have a son that he left behind. And the series turned the family print shop into a construction company.

Norcross also reveals the reason why he pursued his dream career so late. While he was still in college, his mother died. Since she was very important to the family business, he wanted to help out there.

ABC/Netflix

The real rookie William Norcross

“Before I knew it, 20 years had passed”, he sums up. LA has always appealed to him and the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) has no age limit. Then the midlife crisis suddenly set in and the rest is (series) history.

How did it turn out
norcross’
Live the series The Rookie?
In its portrait of the passionate cop, the New York Post writes that he shared everyday professional anecdotes at his monthly lunch with his old friend Jon Steinberg. He started curating the stories, Norcross says:

[Jon Steinberg] had experience in the entertainment business and thought this would be a unique premise for a cop show.

His buddy would have with “talked to a few people” and that’s how it all came about. Incidentally, Norcross and Steinberg are involved as producers on The Rookie.

In season 1 of The Rookie is
See William Norcross himself in uniform

In the 19th episode of season 1 William Norcross plays himself as a police officer on duty. The episode is called The checklist. In it, the rookies have to solve certain cases in order to qualify for the final exam.

ABC/Netflix

Real rookie William Norcross in The Rookie (second from right)

Regardless of his guest appearance, the cop and producer regularly stops by the shoots:

On my days off, I like to drop by the set and chat with Nathanthe other actors and visit the Writer’s Room.

He is always available for those responsible for the series. He doesn’t talk too much about the series privately because he wants to do his job in peace.

You can stream seasons 1 to 3 of the entertaining police crime thriller on Netflix. Disney+ already has 4 seasons of The Rookie in the flat rate *. Replenishment is provided: Season 5 has already aired in full on ABC and a 6th season is in the pipeline.

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