FBI season 7 has cast a S.W.A.T. star as Special Agent Scola’s (John Boyd) new partner. Katherine Renee Kane, who played Scola’s previous partner Tiffany Wallace, departed the series in the FBI season 7 premiere. While Lisette Olivera (National Treasure: Edge of History) was initially cast as Scola’s new partner, portraying Behavioral Analysis Unit Agent Syd Ortiz, her time on the show was short-lived, as she was reportedly deemed to be too young for the role in the hit police procedural. Now, the Dick Wolf show is mining the cast of another popular CBS procedural.
Per Deadline, Emily Alabi will play a new agent expected to partner with Agent Scola. While Alabi’s role in FBI is currently set to be recurring, there is potential for her to become a series regular in season 8, especially if she can become the proper strong counterpart that the quick-witted Scola (who has been on the team since season 2) needs in order to match his intensity and complement his investigative style. Alabi previously played the recurring role of Olivia Navarro, a war correspondent and love interest for Victor Tan (David Lim), on three episodes of S.W.A.T. throughout 2024.
What Alabi's Casting Means For FBI Season 7
She Fills An Important Role In The FBI Lineup
The departure of Kane’s Special Agent Tiffany has left a noticeable void on FBI. Her abrupt exit marked the end of a strong partnership with Boyd's Special Agent Scola, a dynamic that had been a core part of the series since season 3. It seems clear that, despite the swift departure of Lisette Olivera’s Syd Ortiz, the producers of the show are searching for a perfect replacement for Tiffany and likely will not stop trying until they find a perfect match. FBI
Alabi’s background in the action-driven series ensures she'll bring a vibrant energy to the FBI cast. Best known for her recurring appearances on S.W.A.T. season 8 and FBI: International season 3 (as Natalie Rivers), Alabi is no stranger to the high-stakes drama and intensity that defines the CBS procedural universe. With FBI already renewed for two additional seasons, her recurring role offers the opportunity to become a permanent member of the Dick Wolf-created universe as the FBI series strives to rebuild stability within its core team.
Where Else You Have Seen Emily Alabi
She Has Worked Both On And Off Camera
In addition to her prior work on television procedurals, Alabi has had experience in various sectors of the entertainment industry for more than a decade and a half. She began her career as a choreographer and dancer, choreographing for the 2014 Jon Favreau movie Chef and dancing in projects as varied as the Oscars, Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide, and Jane the Virgin. She began to take on more onscreen acting roles in the mid-2010s, with one of her pivotal appearances coming when she played an unnamed Skinwalker in four episodes of Teen Wolf, combining her movement and acting skills.
Alabi followed her 2016 Teen Wolf role with a one-episode role on NCIS, cementing her status as a frequent television guest star and recurring performer. Although she has appeared in the TV movies The Christmas Edition and Blending Christmas, she has primarily found work in episodic television. This includes appearing in episodes of The Rookie, Found, and Runaways, with her biggest roles prior to FBI being a pair of six-episode stints on Paramount+'s Joe Pickett and the Magnum P.I. reboot.
Our Take On Emily Alabi Joining FBI
She's A Promising Counterpart To Agent Scola
Alabi’s casting as Scola’s new partner is a smart move to restore balance to FBI. Her background in police procedural series ensures the actor will bring the right physicality and credibility to the FBI's New York field office. Finding a replacement for Tiffany has been no easy task, but Alabi’s potential to become a series regular demonstrates the show’s commitment to long-term chemistry. With FBI already renewed through season 9, Alabi’s addition promises a fresh and dynamic front against the city's most formidable threats to come.
Source: Deadline
