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Shantel VanSanten Opens Up About Moving From FBI to FBI: Most Wanted, Calls New Job 'Exhilarating'
Shantel VanSanten discusses her exhilarating transition from FBI to FBI: Most Wanted, revealing differences between the two series and insights into her character's evolution.
Shantel VanSanten, known for her role as Special Agent Nina Chase in the hit series FBI, has successfully impressed by featuring in its spin-off series, FBI: Most Wanted. The actress recently shared her thoughts on this move, describing her role in the spin-off series as "exhilarating" and shedding light on the behind-the-scenes process that led to her joining the cast of FBI: Most Wanted.
Shantel VanSanten on transitioning from FBI to FBI: Most Wanted
For fans of the FBI universe, the spin-off series, FBI: Most Wanted, offers a fresh perspective on law enforcement and crime-solving. VanSanten's journey from FBI to FBI: Most Wanted began during the filming of the Season 5 finale of FBI. In a candid revelation, VanSanten disclosed that she learned about her character's transition while shooting the finale episode.
Initially, the plan for her character, Nina Chase, involved a storyline where she would face pregnancy complications, resulting in the loss of her baby. She shared, as retrieved via TV Guide, “I found out during the Season 5 finale episode [of FBI]. It was my 15th episode of being on FBI with the crossovers. I found out that I was going to have complications with the baby. My first question was, ‘Is the baby going to live?’ We already went through the crossover episode where Nina got shot: ‘Was I going to live? Now there are more complications. What's happening? Why?’ Rick [Eid], the showrunner on FBI, said, ‘Well, we think Dougie isn't going to make it.’ I remember John [Boyd], who plays Scola, and I feeling like we got punched in the gut.” 
However, the creative team behind the series decided to pivot, allowing Nina to welcome her newborn son, Douglas, in the finale episode. This alteration paved the way for Nina's seamless transition to FBI: Most Wanted, where she joins the Fugitive Task Force led by Dylan McDermott's Remy Scott. “The next thing you know, they were like, ‘Hold that. It might change.’ Then it changed and we found out why. ‘We want to offer you to go to Most Wanted,’ which is in the same building [as FBI]. FBI: Most Wanted showrunner David Hudgins said, ‘We don't want her to start a new job here and losing a child like that would be a hard place to start from.’ So we got to keep the baby and I got to have a brand new, amazing, exhilarating, intense job,” she added.
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Shantel VanSanten on the difference between FBI and FBI: Most Wanted
As VanSanten makes her debut on FBI: Most Wanted, she acknowledges the distinct differences between the two series. While both shows share the same overarching theme of law enforcement and crime-solving, FBI: Most Wanted offers a grittier, more intense portrayal of the pursuit of justice, as per her.
She stated, “I watched a few episodes [of Most Wanted] and saw there was a lot more blood, and the people or person committing the crimes were far more intense. There was more blood, more cuss words. It's not as structured. It's a little more ragtag. We get it done however it needs to get done, even if it means we didn't put on our tactical vest because we didn't have time. We're elite, we're trained. We know what we're doing. We're definitely prepared. That was a surprise for me.”
VanSanten noted that FBI: Most Wanted delves deeper into the psyche of criminals, showcasing their motivations and perspectives in a raw and unfiltered manner, in comparison to the structured approach of the FBI, adding “I wasn't quite prepared for how some of the cases would be and how involved they are. The show really gets to show you the perspective of the people committing the crimes as well, which, yeah, it's a different show [from FBI]. But I still use some of the skills that Nina had, I just had to add new ones.”
Furthermore, VanSanten highlighted the evolution of her character, Nina Chase, across both series. In FBI, Nina displayed moments of vulnerability and camaraderie with her colleagues, whereas in FBI: Most Wanted, she adopts a more guarded demeanor, focusing on proving herself to her new team while balancing the demands of motherhood and career.
“I don't think we've seen a lot of vulnerability from Nina on Most Wanted. I think we had moments because she was with the FBI crew for a while, so we got to see cracks through her hardened shell and walls…I don't think she's quite ready to do that yet with the Most Wanted crew. She's really still feeling like she needs to prove herself to these people, that they can trust her. That yes, she's a mom but she can also have a career and she can do it all. She can be trusted and she has the skill set. That's been her focus more than her vulnerability so far. I look forward as an actor to scenes where you get to have more of that,” she remarked.
As fans eagerly anticipate the upcoming episodes of season 5 of FBI: Most Wanted, VanSanten's insights offer a glimpse into the captivating narrative and character dynamics that lie ahead. Episode 1 of season 5 of FBI: Most Wanted premiered on Tuesday, February 13 at 10 pm ET/PT on CBS, with the second episode, Footsteps, scheduled to be released on February 20, 2024.
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