Jenna Dewan as Bailey Nune and Nathan Fillion as John Nolan in ‘The Rookie.’ Disney/Mike Taing
Bailey Nune and John Nolan have weathered many storms on The Rookie — but has their latest snag derailed their future parenting plans?
Warning: Spoilers below for The Rookie season 7, episode 7.
“Right now, we’re focusing on that — the healing and their love,” Jenna Dewan, who plays firefighter Bailey on the ABC series, exclusively told Us Weekly of Bailey and Nolan’s future.
She noted that the TV couple are also dealing with the “complexities of their very intense life-threatening jobs that always bring something to the playing field that they have to contend with.”
During the Tuesday, February 18, episode of The Rookie, Bailey finally admitted to herself that she was a victim of domestic violence. The revelation came after she spoke with another female survivor, who gave Bailey permission to call herself a “victim” after years of being terrorized by her ex-husband, Jason (Steve Kazee).
Steve Kazee as Jason Wyler and Jenna Dewan as Bailey Nune in ‘The Rookie.’ Disney/Carlos Lopez-Calleja
While Jason was killed earlier this season, he continued to haunt Bailey and her marriage with Nolan (Nathan Fillion). Bailey and Nolan argued over the fact that Bailey was in contact with the hitman who ultimately killed Jason, as Nolan is a member of law enforcement and said she was breaking laws.
“Psychologically that’s not the easiest thing to just, you know, snap your fingers and be over. Even though the physical threat of Jason is gone, psychologically and emotionally he lives on,” Dewan, 44, explained to Us. “It takes work on Bailey’s part to heal from that. Nolan has a huge part in that because he accepts her, and he shows her that he will love her no matter what.”
She revealed, “Unconditional love, you know, at the end of the day is one of the greatest healing forces.”
Dewan noted that when Bailey was able to accept the label of “victim” she was also able to fully let Nolan in, which was part of their struggle as a couple.
Nathan Fillion as John Nolan and Jenna Dewan as Bailey Nune in ‘The Rookie.’ Disney/Carlos Lopez-Calleja
“That moment of vulnerability for her is huge. [It] is the key that unlocks the future healing that comes for her,” the actress said, adding that although the trauma is “not gone” and will “take a bit of time” to work through, Jason’s death does push Bailey forward.
Dewan pointed out, “There is a freedom without the physical presence of her nightmare.”
Nolan’s ability to put aside his bruised ego — he was upset she kept the hitman conversation a secret — and think about his wife as a victim also helped the couple heal together.
“He ultimately goes, ‘OK, the person I love was a victim. And the person I love was given a reason to have her nightmare not be a part of our life anymore. Now, how that went down is complicated, but I can at least understand her and see and have empathy for her because I love her,’” Dewan shared.
At the end of the episode, Nolan apologized for making Bailey feel unsupported in her quest to get Jason out of her life once and for all. Their conversation marks the end of that dark chapter, according to Dewan.
Jenna Dewan as Bailey Nune and Nathan Fillion as John Nolan in ‘The Rookie.’ Disney/Mike Taing
“I think they are deciding, in that moment, to move forward together,” she told Us, adding that while the couple’s trust issues still linger “a tiny bit” their ability to admit to and acknowledge “each other’s vulnerabilities” help them “move forward and just sort of accept” what happened.
That positive trajectory, however, won’t include expanding their family — at least not right away.
Jenna Dewan is happy her eldest daughter, Everly, is a fan of her show The Rookie — but one of her treacherous stunts almost turned the 11-year-old off it for good. “It’s funny, we just started watching it because [I] had all these 10-year-olds coming up to me and saying, ‘I love The Rookie,’” Dewan, […]
“I wouldn’t say it’s off the table just at the moment,” Dewan said of Bailey and Nolan’s choice to press pause on their efforts to have or adopt a baby. “I think they realize, ‘Hold on, we have some really intense lives, and I don’t think either of us are really in the position to be taking care of a baby. So we don’t want to bring something into our life that therefore we’re not able to be the most responsible for.’”
She added: “They have that recognition of like, ‘timing is everything,’ and maybe right now is not the right time.”
Dewan teased, “But they ultimately still desire that next step.”
The Rookie airs on ABC Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET.