Sarah Drew Responds to CBS Passing on ‘Cagney and Lacey’ Reboot

Sarah Drew was just as surprised when CBS chose to pass on the pilot for the Cagney and Lacey reboot earlier this year.

Shortly after the Grey’s Anatomy star was let go of the ABC medical drama, Drew was booked to play the iconic role of Cagney in a CBS pilot for a potential reboot of the classic series.

In her first interview since departing Grey’s Anatomy, Drew shared her experience of shooting the pilot episode at the same time as she said goodbye to April Kepner on Grey’s.

“I didn’t have time to process what I was doing when I walked into Cagney,” Drew told The Hollywood Reporter. “I got let go on a Tuesday, the news broke on a Thursday, I had five test offers in front of me on that Thursday and I chose to pursue Cagney. I tested on Saturday, got the offer on Monday and was shooting Cagney at 7 a.m. Tuesday. I had been given the role at 3 p.m. on Monday when I was on set shooting Grey’s and I had to finish my day with Kevin directing.”

“[On Cagney and Lacey] I had to cuff somebody on day one and our technical advisers had to show me how to do it and I had to figure out how to pull a gun on somebody!” she added. “It was such a different energy than April. We were heartbroken that that didn’t get picked up.”

CBS announced back in May that it had passed on the reboot of the classic drama, which shocked many involved with the project.

“Everybody loved it and it was just one of those, ‘I don’t know what happened’ kind of things,” Drew told the outlet. “It’s certainly heartbreaking in the moment but I know that there’s something around the corner for all of us that’s meant to be even better.”

The pilot was written by Bridget Carpenter and directed by Rosemary Rodriguez, following the two female female police detectives and friends who keep the streets of Los Angeles safe.

Drew played the role of LAPD Detective Cagney, Lacey’s nimble and easygoing partner and protege. The show enlisted Blindspot veteran Michelle Hurd to play Lacey, an athletic, polished and former high school track and field champion.

Sources told the outlet at the time that the pilot come in “soft” for the procedural-hungry network.

Tyne Daly and Sharon Gless played the title characters in the original Cagney & Lacey, which ran on CBS for seven seasons. The series won two best drama Emmys and six lead actress in a drama series trophies — four for Daly and two for Gless.

With Grey’s and Cagney and Lacey on her rearview mirror, Drew told THR she is considering new projects to join as an actor, as well as a producer and director.

“I’m reviewing options. I’m currently dipping my toes in a couple different development things,” Drew said. “I haven’t officially signed on anywhere but I’ve got three or four different potential projects that I’m interested in potentially producing and acting in and maybe directing episodes of.”

We’ll miss April Kepner but can’t wait to see what Drew does next.