This story originally appeared on Out.
When Ronen Rubinstein played T.K. Strand on 9-1-1: Lone Star, he developed a devoted fan base as viewers saw the first responder’s trauma, recovery, and love story play out in full view. Now, on S.W.A.T.: Exiles, he’s playing Jude Callan, a man carrying plenty of secrets.
"Jude has been such a dream and such a gift because he has so many deep, intense layers to him," Rubinstein tells Out. "He has so many secrets that he comes into the show with, and there is no better gift for an actor than having some secrets in your back pocket."
Jude is one of the new recruits to 44 Squad on S.W.A.T.: Exiles. The sequel series sees Shemar Moore’s Daniel "Hondo" Harrelson Jr. return to LAPD SWAT as a team leader after a tragedy during a mission leads to his retirement. Now he has one last chance to prove himself and must train a new generation of recruits, including Jude, without the family he built on the original series.
The cast of 'S.W.A.T.: Exiles' Starz
For fans of Rubinstein’s past work, Jude is a chance to see him play a more elusive and intense character, which the actor is loving. "It's been a much-needed breath of fresh air for me as an actor," he says.
Jude isn’t all secrets, though. The new S.W.A.T. officer is a bit spicy and will boldly walk into a room and say something that shakes everyone up. Rubinstein calls that "one of the most fun parts about him." It's a needed release from a character who otherwise lives in "a very specific headspace."
Part of that fun for Rubinstein has been the writers’ willingness to collaborate and give him room to figure out who Jude is. "Sometimes they let me say a line that kind of comes to mind, and luckily they've kept some of it," he says. "They've really been open to sort of letting me figure out who Jude is."
Rubinstein also knows exactly who will be watching Jude most closely. Lone Star built one of the most passionate fandoms on network TV, and he hasn't lost sight of that for a second.
"I've been calling them #TheBestFansInTheWorld for seven years now, and they truly are," he says. "I will never stop thanking them for their love and support for what I do, both as an actor and outside of work."
Those fans might assume Jude is everything T.K. isn't. Rubinstein doesn't see it that way. "They've been through a lot of trauma and grief in their life. It's a lot for someone to go through in such a young life, and then to bring that with them into such a high-stress, high-pressure job," he explains.
What really connects them is why they do the job. "What's beautiful is that they share this common trait of being there for people when it's the worst day of their life," he says. "That's been such an honor to play, and also such a huge responsibility."
Ronen Rubinstein as Jude Callan and Lucy Barrett as Samantha Bishop on 'S.W.A.T.: Exiles.'Starz
What is new is the action. Jude gets the pilot's big fight scene, and Rubinstein was more than ready for it. "I actually prefer the more physically demanding the role, the better," he says. "It challenges me in a way that I find really exhilarating."
It was the most extensive fight scene of his career, but many of the cast and crew hadn’t seen it until an on-set screening of the pilot. When it ended, the room broke into cheers and applause. Then Shemar Moore weighed in. Yes, Hondo himself. "Shemar was like, 'Hell yeah, man! You killed that shit!'" Rubinstein recalls. "That was the ultimate compliment."
As he steps into a franchise that dates back to 1975, Rubinstein knows what this role could mean to LGBTQ+ viewers. "Coming to a show like this, it shows that we can be in leading positions and playing very badass people, but also very emotionally layered people," he says. "It's inspiring for me. I know it's inspiring for my fans, because I'm hearing it from them every single day."
The immense fan response to his stint on 9-1-1: Lone Star is the reason he understands the weight of that inspiration. Not only was is part of a beloved LGBTQ+ relationship on the show, but Rubinstein came out publicly as bisexual while starring on the show. "There was such a giant responsibility doing it on a show like Lone Star, because we were on Fox and telling that story," he says. "And then getting to share my personal story with coming out to the world, which was terrifying, but also exhilarating."
It's a relationship he describes as both beautiful and personal. "I just want to keep making them proud and showing them that it is possible, and that we can win, and we can do really cool stuff," he says.
As for what’s ahead fro Jude, Rubinstein isn't saying. He's barely finished finding out for himself. "Oh man, is there so much more to discover with this character later in the season," he says.
S.W.A.T.: Exiles airs Friday on Starz.
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