While at Motor City Comic Con, ScreenRant got the chance to sit down with Shawn Ashmore. The Canadian actor has been an enduring fixture in film and television during the 21st century, with the child actor breaking out as Bobby Drake/Iceman in the Fox X-Men films. Since then, shows like Legend of Earthsea and The Following have highlighted his versatility as a performer.
Most modern audiences probably know him best for his turn as Wesley Evers in The Rookie, a defense attorney whose romantic entanglement with Angela has become one of the show’s most enduring romantic subplots. He’s also gotten to dust off the old superhero skills for a brief turn in The Boys as Lamplighter, a former member of the Seven wracked with guilt over his previous actions.
During a chat with ScreenRant with Ashmore, the actor spoke about his favorite aspects of shows like The Boys and The Rookie, even teasing what he hopes Wesley’s main arc in the upcoming ninth season of the procedural will be. Ashmore also looked back on his favorite aspects of being in X-Men while looking ahead to the future of the franchise — and has some advice for whoever next plays Iceman.
Shawn Ashmore Teases The Rookie Season 9
Introduced as a defense attorney who frequently found himself contending with the challenges of the justice system, Ashmore’s Wesley went from a minor recurring presence in the show to a fan favorite. Ashmore was particularly invested in the surprising depth Wesley has displayed over the years, especially his former romance with Monica.
“I think the greatest single detail about Wesley that I didn’t see coming, and it actually added a great depth to him, was the fact that he cheated on Monica. She has obviously become a huge, incredible villain on the show, but then also had this really great sort of redemption arc. People went from, ‘Oh my god, just kill Monica already’ to ‘Oh my god, I love her!’ We get to see another side of her, where a lot of that was through the heartbreak that Wesley brought upon her.
I think even the characters on the show were like, ‘I didn’t know Wesley had it in him to cheat on somebody.’ That added a color and a flavor to him. It didn’t change who he was, but it added a dimension to him. Bringing that in with a character like Monica, where that element of their relationship was so prevalent, was a cool discovery and something I did not see coming.
The Rookie has become a major hit and is gearing up for a ninth season — alongside crossovers with the Dropout series Game Changer and a new spin-off in the form of The Rookie: North. Although Ashmore couldn’t reveal too much about the future, he did hint at the direction he wants to see Wesley take in the new season.
“We don’t start shooting season nine until July, so I haven’t seen scripts or anything yet. I can say that I’m very confident that Wesley’s story will definitely heavily weigh into working as a defense attorney again. It looks like he might be starting a firm with Del Monte. Two district attorneys leaving that side of the law could mean they’re coming back to more of an adversarial [relationship] with our LAPD officers, which I’m looking forward to. I love the sparring and the chippiness between Angela and Wesley, and we already got a taste of it in the finale with Tim and Wesley, so I think that will be an interesting thing to explore as we move forward through the show.”
Shawn Ashmore Loved Being In The Boys And Has Some Advice For The MCU Iceman
Shawn Ashmore has been acting since he was a child, but the actor’s big breakout moment came when he played Bobby Drake/Iceman in the 2000 film, X-Men, and in subsequent sequels. Ashmore’s time as a mutant superhero made him the perfect pick for the tragic Lamplighter in season 2 of Prime Video’s superhero deconstruction, The Boys. Already a fan when he was approached by the producers, Ashmore believes his limited time on the series was a big part of what he loved about the role.
“Because Lamplighter just popped into the show, I didn’t spend seasons on it, so, and honestly, I didn’t read any other scripts about the season, so all I knew was what I did. I really only knew about the scripts that I was in. I think that helped me still enjoy the rest of the season and continuing seasons as a fan, while also getting to have a great time on the show. I felt very welcomed into the show.
Even on [The Boys panel] yesterday, I got thrown in because Tomer Capone couldn’t make it. So they were like, “Hey, do you want to do a panel for The Boys?’ Even though I was only in it for three episodes, even when we were shooting, everybody was very welcoming… it just kind of speaks volumes about how creative they were and how much they embraced everyone coming in, and how much they really wanted to make the best show possible. I think that really helped as I continued to view the show, because I had such good memories of making it.”
The X-Men are now set for a return to the big screen, this time rebooted as part of the MCU. That likely extends to Iceman who, as a founding member of the team, will likely be featured in the next batch of films. The idea of seeing a new Bobby Drake might be a little bittersweet for Ashmore, but he still loves that he got to play in that sandbox — and has some advice for his successor in the part.
“Honestly, I loved almost every element [of being in the X-Men movies]. I grew up reading X-Men and watching the cartoon after school. I mean, that was like right in my wheelhouse. It also changed my life. I’ve been working as an actor for a long time, because I started as a kid. But getting to play a role like that with that much visibility? I mean, my first day on set was with Anna Paquin, who had just won an Oscar!
This was playing at a different level, so it was incredible. It changed my life. The thing that was very exciting was that I’d never done something like a long-running TV show at that point. The experience of every couple of years coming together with the same cast and making a new film together, and then touring the world with the press felt like being part of a family for a while, which was really, really nice. So that whole experience was amazing.
As for whoever is coming in next, because it sounds to me like they’re rebooting the X-Men in the MCU… what was interesting for me is that the take on Bobby Drake that we did in our films was completely different from the books. I think paying attention to the source material is important, including those films. I’m also very sure that the next film is in very good hands. Whatever version of that character they decide to explore will probably be unique from what our version is; just go with the flow. I’m sure whoever they cast will find their own way.
I’m excited! It’s bittersweet because Bobby is a character I love, but I’m like, I’ve played this character. I grew up with this character. I’m almost 50, I can’t keep doing this. [Laughter]. I’m excited to sort of see whoever takes on that new incarnation and what that’s gonna be. As a fan, it’s going to be exciting to see those X-Men films and not be as connected to them, so that I can enjoy them as part of the fandom, as opposed to being behind the curtain. I’m stoked for whatever they come up with.”
