Why FBI Star Missy Peregrym Turned Down The Show's Lead Role (Twice)

"FBI" star Missy Peregrym originally was hesitant to lead the 2018 police procedural series as Special Agent Maggie Bell — and she even turned down the show's central role not once, but twice. In Peregrym's eyes, the reasons were pretty simple. Three years before "FBI" went to air, she wrapped six seasons playing freshman cop Andy McNally on Canadian police drama "Rookie Blue." That's a solid amount of time to spend entrenched in a very specific genre with a specific style, and she wanted to avoid having that character subconsciously bleed into any other law enforcement professional she might end up playing in a similar series, according to an interview in Foster's Daily Democrat.

The other reason, one that was perhaps even bigger than the first, was that Peregrym was absolutely terrified to move to New York City, where the show was set and filmed. "The city doesn't sleep," she told the outlet. "They're throwing crap out at 3 in the morning by the hotel. I'm like, 'Go to bed. I need to go to bed. I don't understand this place.'"

But one thing the actress quickly came to love about one of America's best and biggest cities was her fellow inhabitants. "I actually find them very fascinating," she gushed. "You can look at anybody and have no idea what they do. It's very interesting to me. I actually find them very kind. I like the fact that they'll swear at us if we're in their way. I love it. It's grounded there."

By the time the show premiered, Missy Peregrym felt almost like a New York City local herself. "Surprisingly, being there for three weeks, I'm really settled and excited to be there, which is a relief," she told Foster's Daily Democrat. "I am more comfortable in New York than I ever was in L.A."

That said, it took some time for her to change her tune about New York. The performer's nerves were on high while filming the show's pilot, and she even resorted to meditation to keep her anxiety (and tears) at bay during the shoot, the outlet reported.

In addition to "Rookie Blue," Peregrym had a guest-starring role on "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" during Season 18, just a year before "FBI" went to air — which, in turn, put her on executive producer Dick Wolf's radar. From there, he was dead set on casting her in a more sizable role in something, which turned out to be "FBI." Though she denied his offers twice, he was adamant and refused to take no for an answer. Peregrym finally came around, and as a result, we've gotten eight awesome "FBI" seasons and counting.