Shemar Moore Nearly Didn't Do CBS' S.W.A.T. Reboot For 1 Major Reason

EXCLUSIVE: S.W.A.T. star Shemar Moore reveals why he almost passed on playing Daniel "Hondo" Harrelson.

Moore led CBS' S.W.A.T. for eight seasons as Hondo, a character previously played by Samuel L. Jackson in the 2003 movie. However, before he became the face of the CBS reboot, he wasn't sure about taking on a role he already associated with such a major star.

In an interview with ScreenRant's Grant Hermanns for our S.W.A.T. Exiles cover story, Moore recalled receiving an email about the reboot while spending time in Australia. At first, he didn't even realize CBS was asking him to lead the series. Once he understood what the role meant, the idea of following Jackson as Hondo made him question whether he was the right person for the job. Read his comments below:

"But, anyway, I was hanging out in the Outback, and then I got an email and it said, 'CBS is doing S.W.A.T., we want you to be Hondo.' I didn't realize that Hondo was the No. 1 dude, the lead, I just thought, 'Oh, they're making S.W.A.T. and they want me to be Hondo.' Which, as you said, Sam Jackson, I was like, 'Well, I ain't no Sam Jackson! How am I supposed to, I can't fill Sam Jackson's shoes.'"

Moore's hesitation began to fade once he learned more about what CBS had planned for S.W.A.T. He recalled looking back at the 2003 movie and its cast, which also included Colin Farrell, Michelle Rodriguez, and LL Cool J, before learning about the creative team behind the new television series.

What ultimately caught his attention was the talent attached to the project. The Shield creator Shawn Ryan, producer Neal H. Moritz, and Fast & Furious filmmaker Justin Lin were all involved in bringing S.W.A.T. back to television, giving Moore another reason to take the opportunity seriously.

Shemar Moore: "And then I heard Shawn Ryan was attached to it, Neal Moritz was attached to it, and Justin Lin was attached to it, Fast and Furious. I was like, 'Oh, they got some heavyweights behind this thing.'"

Moore made Hondo his own when S.W.A.T. premiered on CBS in November 2017. Based on the 1970s series of the same name, the action drama followed Hondo as he led the LAPD's Twenty Squad through dangerous missions while balancing his responsibilities as a police officer with his connection to the community where he was raised.

His initial uncertainty is interesting in hindsight, considering how closely Moore eventually became associated with the franchise. He remained at the center of S.W.A.T. throughout its eight-season CBS run, which survived three separate cancellations, before ultimately ending in May 2025.

Moore's time as Hondo isn't over yet. He will return in S.W.A.T. Exiles, which premieres September 25 on Starz and follows Hondo as he joins a new S.W.A.T. team made up of inexperienced recruits. The spinoff has already been renewed for season 2, meaning that nearly a decade after wondering how he could follow Jackson's Hondo, Moore is continuing to carry the franchise into its next chapter.

S.W.A.T.

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  Shemar Moore

  Daniel 'Hondo' Harrelson

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  Jay Harrington

  David 'Deacon' Kay