Shemar Moore‘s S.W.A.T. spinoff has found its main cast after previously receiving backlash for not including all the OG stars — but who has joined the show and who do they play?
S.W.A.T., which premiered on CBS in 2017, followed a police Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team named Twenty Squad that operated in Los Angeles. The procedural faced its fair share of battles to remain on the air when CBS picked S.W.A.T. up for a seventh and final season. The network ultimately reversed that decision and S.W.A.T. returned for season 8.
But the celebration didn’t last long — the network canceled the show for a second time in March 2025. S.W.A.T. seemingly came to an end two months later when the series finale aired on CBS. Days later, however, Sony Pictures Television picked up a spinoff titled S.W.A.T. Exiles which is set to star Moore and a new SWAT unit.
Viewers were surprised that Moore’s character Daniel “Hondo” Harrelson was the only one returning after the entire cast participated in efforts to bring S.W.A.T. back. Moore defended the decision before it was announced that Jay Harrington and Patrick St. Esprit will reprise their roles as Sergeant David “Deacon” Kay and Commander Robert Hicks, respectively, in the Exiles pilot.
Which ‘S.W.A.T.’ Stars Are — And Aren’t — Returning for Surprise Spinoff?
This will be in a guest star capacity after both actors starred on S.W.A.T. for the show’s entire eight-season run. There has been no news about whether David Lim, Anna Enger Ritch, Annie Ilonzeh and Niko Pepaj will also take part but keep scrolling to meet the season 1 cast of the Exiles spinoff:
Shemar Moore
According to the official synopsis, Moore’s character “is pulled out of forced retirement to lead a last-chance experimental SWAT unit made up of untested, unpredictable young recruits.”
Lucy Barrett
The Charmed alum is expected to be part of the new S.W.A.T unit.
Adain Bradley
Before joining Exiles, Bradley appeared in Tarot and Warfare.
Zyra Gorecki
Gorecki might look familiar after appearing in La Brea.
Shemar Moore’s Shocking ‘S.W.A.T’ Spinoff Drama Explained Amid Cast Backlash
Freddy Miyares
Miyares being cast in S.W.A.T.: Exiles comes after he starred in When They See Us.
Ronen Rubinstein
9-1-1: Lone Star fans will be thrilled to see Rubinstein in S.W.A.T. after he played fan-favorite T. K. Strand.
Jay Harrington
Harrington is coming back — just for the pilot — after admitting he had no idea there was anything in development.
“[I found out about S.W.A.T. Exiles] the day before. Shemar reached out to all of us to say, ‘This is what’s going on,’” he revealed to TV Line in June. “There’s talk that they’ll reach out to us about stuff. He wanted to be the one to tell us, and say ‘Your reps will find out shortly.’ That’s when I told my reps, and they had no idea.”
Patrick St. Esprit
St. Esprit didn’t sound off on the spinoff before signing on for a pilot cameo.
