Jenna Dewan Channels Football Star Dad In Latest Episode Of The Rookie
Actress reveals surprising family connection to Notre Dame athletics in behind-the-scenes post
Sakshi holds a bachelor’s degree in Science and a master’s in Bioinformatics from Panjab University, India. Her passion for writing engaging articles has led her to pursue a career in content writing since 2020. Sakshi has written in various niches, including health and wellness, fintech, blockchain, and lifestyle.
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Jenna Dewan shared a surprising family connection with fans while promoting her role on ABC’s hit series “The Rookie.” In a recent Instagram post, the actress revealed that her father was once a star running back for Notre Dame’s football team, a fact she channeled for her performance in last week’s episode.
“Channeled a bit of my dad (who fun fact was a star running back for Notre Dame!) in last week’s episode,” Dewan wrote in the caption, adding a winking emoji. She also encouraged viewers not to miss the upcoming episode of the police procedural drama.
The Instagram carousel features several behind-the-scenes images from the show. In the photos, Dewan can be seen in what appears to be her character’s wardrobe on set, showing her in various scenes and moments during filming. The images capture both the professional environment of the production and Dewan’s engaging presence on camera.
The Notre Dame Connection
While many fans might know Dewan primarily for her dance background and acting career, this personal detail about her father adds a new dimension to her family history. The Notre Dame Fighting Irish football program is one of the most storied in collegiate athletics, with a rich legacy dating back to the late 19th century.
The revelation provides an interesting glimpse into Dewan’s family background and suggests that athletic ability runs in her genes. Though she rose to fame as a dancer and actress rather than following in her father’s athletic footsteps, this heritage clearly remains a point of pride for her.
Dewan’s Role On The Rookie
Dewan has been appearing on ABC’s “The Rookie” as character Bailey Nune, a firefighter who becomes romantically involved with Nathan Fillion’s character, John Nolan. Her role on the show has been well-received by fans, adding to her diverse portfolio of acting work.
The actress first gained widespread recognition as a dancer, appearing in music videos for artists like Janet Jackson before landing her breakout role in the 2006 dance film “Step Up,” where she starred alongside her future husband Channing Tatum. Since then, she has built a varied career spanning film, television, and reality competition shows.
According to her Wikipedia page, Dewan was born in Hartford, Connecticut, but spent much of her childhood moving due to her father’s job. She has German and English ancestry from her father’s side and Lebanese ancestry from her mother’s side. This multicultural background has influenced her career and personal life.
Busy On Social Media
Beyond her work on “The Rookie,” Dewan has been quite active on social media recently. Her Instagram feed shows a busy schedule balancing professional commitments with family life. Recent posts include her attendance at the Fashion Trust U.S. Awards in Los Angeles, where she stunned in elegant attire, captioning simply with “♥️✔️ @fashiontrustus.”
She also recently shared photos from Coachella with her young family members, writing, “Coachella with preteens 💃🏻 Oh so worth it to see these little girls dreams come true!” The post showed her accompanied by excited preteens enjoying the famous music festival, with special mentions of BLACKPINK members Lisa and Jennie who apparently made the girls’ “entire life.”
In another heartwarming post, she participated in the Borrowed Spotlight project, where she had a photoshoot with a 107-year-old Holocaust survivor named Risa Igelfeld. Dewan described the experience as truly special, writing, “If only we could all embrace Risa’s spirit – even at 107, sharing a moment and dancing with her was a moment I will forever cherish.”
Balancing Career And Motherhood
Dewan continues to balance her thriving career with motherhood. She has two children – a daughter with ex-husband Channing Tatum and a son with fiancé Steve Kazee. Her social media often features glimpses of her life as a mother, including spring break getaways and special moments with her “girls.”
She has also used her platform for advocacy, recently partnering with Instagram on a campaign aimed at helping parents navigate digital safety, stating, “@instagram wants to help us feel more equipped parenting in this digital age.”
As fans look forward to tonight’s episode of “The Rookie,” they now have this added personal connection to Dewan’s character through her father’s athletic legacy. The show continues to be a significant part of her current professional focus, with Dewan regularly promoting new episodes and behind-the-scenes content to her 9 million Instagram followers.
For viewers of “The Rookie,” tonight’s episode promises new developments for Dewan’s character, as teased in another recent post where she humorously noted, “Hopefully Ms. Greer doesn’t take this as a bad sign (literally).”
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