Shemar Moore, 'SWAT' Premiere Date, News: Pro-Cop Show Brings Former 'Criminal Minds' Actor to Center Stage
Former "Criminal Minds" actor Shemar Moore has a new show on CBS. "SWAT" will begin airing on the network this November. It is a reboot of a 1975 show of the same name.
Moore will play Los Angeles SWAT squad leader Daniel "Hondo" Harrelson. Backing him up on the team are Jay Harrington (David "Deacon" Kay), Lina Esco (Christina "Chris" Alonso), Kenny Johnson (Dominique Luca) and Alex Russell (Jim Street).
Stephanie Sigman is also in the cast as SWAT boss Jessica Cortez. She and Hondo are romantically linked, which complicates their professional and personal relationship.
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In his interview with "CBS This Morning" Moore said that landing "SWAT" has been a fulfilled dream job following 11 years as a supporting cast member on "Criminal Minds."
"I get to be a lead, which I'm proud of, but I'm also smart enough and humble enough to know that I can't do it by myself and that it's not all about me," Moore revealed. "So what I'm really proud of with S.W.A.T. is that I get to be a leader."
Moore also said he knew of the '70s series that starred Steve Forrest but he was not old enough to understand the show back then. Moore admitted he watched old episodes of "SWAT" on YouTube to prepare for his role.
"SWAT" was also adapted as a movie in 2003 starring Samuel L. Jackson. Moore said he's playing the same character as Forrest and Jackson, albeit with a different take.
"You're going to meet him [Hondo] in a completely different light," Moore revealed. "But it's a whole new set of circumstances."
CBS announced the development of the "SWAT" reboot in February. Aaron Thomas wrote the pilot episode's script, which Justin Lin ("Fast and the Furious") directed. Aaron Rahsaan Thomas ("CSI: NY) developed the show with Shawn Ryan ("The Shield") as executive producer.
"SWAT" will premiere on Thursday, Nov. 2, at 10:00 p.m. EST on CBS.