According to Deadline, Niko Pepaj has been bumped up to series regular for Season 8. The actor has had a recurring role with the CBS procedural since arriving on scene in Season 6 as Officer Miguel Alfaro.
In addition, fans will see Chicago Fire alum, Annie Ilonzeh enter the show in a new role this upcoming season, as Devin Gamble. The character’s backstory is pretty interesting, as Gamble is someone who’s been born into a Los Angeles family that is “deeply entrenched in crime”, which leaves her with a “fierce determination to break free of her blood legacy.”
She stood out as a rookie in the LAPD; however, her father’s arrest for a “heinous crime” cast a shadow on her and her only way to escape it all was leaving Los Angeles for the Oakland PD.
She’s been recruited by Hondo (Shemar Moore) to become 20-Squad’s newest member, with him knowing Gamble’s “inner strength, intuition, and street smarts will make her an invaluable part” of his team.
Ilonzeh played paramedic Emily Foster Chicago Fire for Seasons 7-8 and was also on Chicago P.D. and Chicago Med for some episodes. Fans may also recognize her from other roles in The Stepdaughter, Agent Game, Til Death Do Us Part, Empire, Graceland, and Arrow, among other projects.
S.W.A.T. Season 8: Major Casting Changes
S.W.A.T.’s new additions to the cast come off the cusp of some major changes on the show. Kenny Johnson (Dominique Luca) and Alex Russell (Jim Street) left the show ahead of what many believed would be S.W.A.T.’s series finale last season after being demoted to recurring roles during Season 7.
Meanwhile, Hondos’ wife, Rochelle Aytes (Nichelle Carmicheal), is stepping down to a recurring role to star in another CBS series, Watson, but fans can still expect to see her on S.W.A.T. in some capacity.
S.W.A.T. Season 8: Premiere Date Coming In October
With S.W.A.T. overcoming the cancellation monster again, fans are certainly looking forward to what Season 8 will bring, regardless of the casting changes. CBS has announced that the show will premiere on Friday, October 18 at 8 p.m. It’ll be interesting to see Pepaj play a more involved role, and what Ilonzeh will bring to the team!
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