Annie Ilonzeh on ‘S.W.A.T.’, Full-Circle Moments, and Fighting for What Matters

…I would love to give women — and maybe later I’ll branch out to men — but I would love to give women something like a “she shed.” A safe space just to retreat to, be creative in, or just be alone and find solitude and peace. I feel like every woman should have something like that in their world, whether it’s in their apartment, their house, or just access to something similar. I would love to personally use my hands, along with creative contractors and woodworkers or whoever, to help build those spaces for women. Even if it’s just a little nook in a bathroom or a closet, we could turn that into someone’s customized version of a she shed, specifically tailored to their lifestyle. I wish I could contribute that to every woman. Being a woman — yes, I mean, men, I love y’all too — but there’s something very superhuman and heroic about women and the responsibilities on our shoulders. It’s different. We do have to maneuver in a way where the scales are not balanced. So a retreat like that would be a gift I’d love to give, if I really could. I’ve wanted to pitch it or something. Maybe give it to HGTV or someone. Every woman deserves that. We really do…

I had the pleasure of talking with Annie Ilonzeh. Annie is an American actress whose career has spanned daytime soaps, primetime network dramas, independent films, and genre thrillers, steadily establishing her as a versatile presence in television and film. Best known for her roles in General Hospital, Chicago Fire, and most recently as ‘Devin Gamble’ on CBS’s action series S.W.A.T., Ilonzeh has navigated the competitive entertainment industry with a tenacity that reflects both her athletic background and her early willingness to take risks.

Born and raised in Grapevine, Texas, Ilonzeh is the eldest of five sisters in a close-knit Nigerian-American family. She credits her upbringing — and especially the expectations placed on her as the oldest child — with shaping her sense of responsibility and leadership. Before pursuing acting, Ilonzeh was a collegiate basketball player and had ambitions of playing professionally overseas. A visit to Los Angeles with friends, however, became a turning point. A chance meeting with a Hollywood manager — who at the time represented high-profile talents like Halle Berry and Taraji P. Henson — introduced her to the possibility of an acting career.

Without prior stage experience or formal training, Ilonzeh moved to Los Angeles, enrolled in acting classes, and began building her résumé from the ground up. Early work included national commercials — more than 50 by her own count — which helped her gain a foothold in the industry. Her first major break came when she was cast as Maya Ward on General Hospital, a role that provided a demanding crash course in television acting. That performance opened doors to larger projects, including her casting as one of the titular leads in ABC’s reboot of Charlie’s Angels.

While the series was short-lived, it marked a critical juncture in Ilonzeh’s career. It positioned her alongside established talent and gave her experience working within a major network production. She would go on to secure recurring and guest roles in shows like Entourage, Person of Interest, Arrow, and Empire, developing a reputation for roles that straddle the line between intensity and emotional vulnerability.

Ilonzeh joined NBC’s Chicago Fire in 2018 as paramedic Emily Foster, becoming the first Black woman to portray a series regular on the long-running procedural. Her portrayal earned praise for its grounded energy and marked another significant step in her television career. She later transitioned to S.W.A.T., where she portrays Officer Devin Gamble, a role that has allowed her to explore leadership, resilience, and vulnerability in a high-stakes setting. The series, now concluding its eighth season, is slated to air its finale in May 2025, though a campaign is underway to revive it for a ninth season, potentially on a streaming platform.

Her film work is equally varied. Ilonzeh starred opposite Gavin Leatherwood in Singing in My Sleep and led the thriller Til Death Do Us Part. She played the female lead in Deon Taylor’s horror film Fear and had a supporting role alongside Mel Gibson and Dermot Mulroney in the espionage thriller Agent Game. In 2017, she portrayed Kidada Jones in All Eyez on Me, the biopic of Tupac Shakur. Additional credits include Peppermint, where she appeared opposite Jennifer Garner, and voice work for the Will Packer-produced podcast The Lower Bottoms.

Off-screen, Ilonzeh has shown a strong interest in mentoring young professionals in the entertainment industry. She has helped production assistants transition to larger television projects, introduced aspiring actors to her agent, and speaks candidly about the importance of paying forward the mentorship she received early in her own career. One of her most notable off-screen acts of service occurred when she assisted an injured homeless man during a violent assault on Sunset Boulevard, staying with him until paramedics arrived and following up with the hospital to ensure his recovery — an experience that reinforced her desire to protect and serve both on and off camera.

Though she remains actively involved in acting, Ilonzeh has also begun writing and developing her own television projects. A self-described DIY enthusiast, she spends time between roles engaged in woodworking, painting, and home improvement. She’s expressed interest in launching a design initiative centered around creating personal retreats — “she sheds” — for women, envisioning quiet spaces for creativity and rest tailored to each individual’s needs.

Ilonzeh is slated to appear in Run, an upcoming sci-fi thriller from Footage Films and director Chris Stokes, set for release later this year. Filmed in Big Bear, California under intense production conditions — including a wildfire evacuation — the project reflects her ongoing commitment to genre storytelling and physical performance.

Despite years of industry experience, Ilonzeh continues to emphasize personal growth, citing therapy, cold water immersion, daily workouts, and mindfulness as essential components of her wellness routine. “Uncomfortable is okay,” she says — a guiding philosophy she returns to often.

As her acting career progresses, Ilonzeh has become increasingly vocal about the need for authenticity, emotional honesty, and open-hearted dialogue in both her work and her daily life. She maintains an active presence on Instagram, engaging with fans and supporting advocacy for projects like the fan-led campaign to revive S.W.A.T..

Ilonzeh’s trajectory — from collegiate athlete to leading actor — speaks to an evolving career built on persistence, adaptability, and an enduring belief in community, craft, and character.

Yitzi: Annie, it’s a delight to meet you. Before we dive in deeper, our readers would love to learn about your personal origin story. Can you share the story of your childhood and how you grew up?

Annie: Thank you. The pleasure is mine. I’m the oldest of five girls, so I have four younger sisters. I grew up in Texas in a very close-knit family — we still are. My parents have been married for over 40 years now. I’m the only actress in the family, thank God, because I don’t think my heart could take it if my sisters were in this. It’s a tough business. A lot of them are in tough fields too, but this one comes with so many “no’s.”

I used to play basketball. I was an athlete. My main sports were basketball, soccer, and track, and I actually went to college on a basketball scholarship. I had never really traveled the world at all. The only trips I’d taken were road trips during college. I just wanted to be a big jock and maybe play professional basketball overseas.

Then I came to LA with my girlfriends just to visit, and I got bit by the bug so hard. I just knew this was what I wanted to do. I ran into this guy who was a manager — he managed Halle Berry and Taraji P. Henson at the time, along with some other big names. I got really lucky meeting him because that just doesn’t happen. And thank God I was kind of green and naive, a little too trusting. Not the jaded Annie you see before you now. Just kidding. Not kidding.

I convinced him every single day. I kept asking, “What do I have to do?” I finally told him, “I’m an athlete. I’ll stay on this treadmill longer than anyone you know. You’ve got to give me a shot.” And he said, “Alright, kid, get in class. Do the work.” So I did. I moved out, packed up my car with whatever I could, found a one-bedroom place, and got into class.

The rest was kind of history. I had never been on a stage or taken an acting class before moving to LA. There was something really refreshing about my approach, I think, but also very green and naive. That probably helped push me through some of the harder moments. I didn’t fully grasp how tough this business was. I started with a lot of commercials, then got on a soap, and years later, after many TV shows and movies, I landed here on SWAT.

Yitzi: Amazing story. So can you tell us a story about your first break, your first entrance into acting?

Annie: Yeah. So again, in true jock-athlete fashion, I was always at the gym playing basketball. I mean, Chris Brown was playing basketball at this gym on Sunset and Hollywood — 24 Hour Fitness. A lot of people know it. David Banner, all these people I used to watch on TV or listen to their music, and suddenly I’m playing ball with them.

One day, this agent comes up to me and says, “Hey, I’m an agent. Do you have representation?” I told him I did, but it was really slow. He said, “Come into the agency and audition.” His name was Daniel Hoff. So I went into the Daniel Hoff Agency, which was a huge commercial agency in LA, and I got signed.

From there, I started going out for commercials. Literally, the first one I went out for, I booked. I had been going out for commercials before with my previous agency but never booked anything. Once I signed with them, I really started to learn the hustle, which is totally different from the TV and film world.

Fifty national commercials later, I was like, okay, I can plant some roots, brag to my parents, and start looking for a house. That was a huge shift. Then I worked on General Hospital, and commercials really helped me find my footing. They gently introduced me to the entertainment world.

The soap world, on the other hand, is a crash course in television. You’re doing an episode every day. It’s nonstop. You’re learning lines, training constantly. I was working with some legends — people who had been on that show for decades. My character was a Quartermaine, and if you know General Hospital, you know that’s a big deal. That family’s iconic on the show.

It really was a crash course in learning how to act on camera. Right after that, I got the chance to audition for Charlie’s Angels. That’s when my competitive side really kicked in. Every single girl in Hollywood was auditioning for those three major roles. I was sitting in rooms with women I had watched on TV.

I probably auditioned seven times. I just kept going and getting closer each time. I was constantly talking to my manager, asking what I needed to do. I didn’t care what it took — I wanted that job more than anything. It was my dream role. When I finally made it to the last round of testing, all the executives were there, and Drew Barrymore, who was one of the executive producers, was there too.

When I met her, I just knew I had the job. I don’t know why, I just knew. Then you’re waiting — day one, day two, day three — and by day four, I was kind of losing hope. But I still had this gut feeling. And on day five, the last possible day they could tell me, I got the call. I had booked it.

I was on the basketball court when I found out, and I just started doing cartwheels. That moment really changed my life. I got to work with some amazing people. Minka Kelly, who played one of the other Angels, became one of my best friends. She’s gone on to do incredible things with her career too.

That role introduced me to a whole new level of TV — a big studio, a major network, serious producers and directors. After that, I knew I really wanted to do this. Acting bites you. It gets under your skin, and you chase it with a little bit of delusion. You kind of have to be crazy to survive this business. I don’t know any other industry where you hear “no” as often, hit so many walls and roadblocks, and still keep going.

That’s really the origin of my career.

Yitzi: Amazing story and you’re a great storyteller. So, talking of stories, you probably have some amazing stories from your professional life. Can you share with our readers one or two stories from your career that most stand out in your mind?

Annie: Oh wow, thank you. You know, when we did Charlie’s Angels, we got an opportunity to present at the Emmys. You’re in a room full of people who just feel larger than life, and you get to celebrate with some of your heroes — these badass rock stars who’ve done so much. That alone continues to inspire me. First, to be back there again, and second, just knowing that I was able to be in that room, that I earned it, that I was talented enough.

Because honestly, there’s a lot of questioning that comes up. Insecurities, imposter syndrome — those thoughts of, “Do I really deserve this?” or “Am I worthy?” And sometimes a rejection can make you think you’re not good enough, when in reality it might have nothing to do with you. To be in that room with creatives I respect and admire was a huge, monumental moment.

And then, I did this movie called Fear with Joseph Sikora and T.I. My very first job in LA, my first acting job, was actually in a music video for T.I. It was super random. I got this call, like, “Hey, can you be downtown tomorrow? You’re going to play T.I.’s love interest.” Then I get to set, and it’s T.I., Jamie Foxx, Forest Whitaker — all in this one music video. They don’t make music videos like that anymore. It was real storytelling. Chris Robinson was directing, and I’ve known his work since high school.

So I show up, we shoot the video, and they were all really cool. Then fast forward about ten years later, I’m the lead in this film and T.I. is in it too, now as a co-star. I was like, “T.I., this is such a full circle moment for me.” I’ve been a huge fan of his since middle school, and now we’re working together on something totally different. My career and who I am as a person have grown, and we got to do this together.

Those are the moments where you have to pinch yourself. You’re like, “I’m in this. I’m really doing it.” Then you go watch it in a theater and it’s surreal. When you’re working, the movie magic isn’t always there — you see behind the curtain — but then you get these full circle moments that remind you how cool this is. This wild ride I jumped on, this little country girl from Grapevine, Texas, very sheltered, very much a homebody — I’m really doing this. So yeah, there have been some really fun moments.

Yitzi: It’s been said that sometimes our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Do you have a story about a funny mistake that you made when you were first starting acting and the lesson that you learned from it?

Annie: I think trusting people on MySpace. Now, MySpace doesn’t exist anymore, so I can tell this story without it becoming a bad influence where someone goes, “Oh, let me do what Annie did.” Because I would not recommend it — that’s my point.

By design, anyone could message you on MySpace and go back and forth. I got a message from someone saying, “When are you coming out to LA?” And this just happened to be around the time my girlfriends and I were planning a trip there. So I replied, “Good news, I’m coming out to LA!” and he goes, “Great, we should meet.” Total stranger. I had no idea who this person was, what he looked like — nothing.

When I got to LA, I met him on a movie or music video set. It was Robin Thicke and Busta Rhymes, and this guy says, “I’ve got to introduce you to someone.” That someone ended up being Vince, my manager — the one who also managed Halle and Taraji, and who I eventually convinced to take me on.

It was a happy mistake. Looking back now, I would never do that. I would never meet a stranger like that again, let alone leave my girlfriends to go meet him alone at this sketchy warehouse that could have been anything. Anything could have been behind that door. And I went.

So, while I can’t call it a mistake because of how things turned out, it definitely taught me a lot. It was wild. And it’s one of my best teachers because I don’t have that level of blind trust anymore. Not just in Hollywood, but in the world. I look back and think, “Wow, Annie… oof.”

Yitzi: Do you think things are less safe now, or is it more that you’re just more knowledgeable and not as naïve as you were back then?

Annie: That’s a really good question. I think it’s a little bit of both. We can’t afford to be naïve anymore. We have access to so much information, which can be really good, but also really harmful — misinformation, dangerous content, violent content.

Now, I’m super protective of my personal life, my energy, my space, my friends, and my family. Knowing who I am now, maybe it’s age, but I think it also has to do with the times we’re in. I believe we have to lead — and I hope others do too — with a high level of caution.

But hopefully not so cautious that we close ourselves off. We should still be able to live and learn from one another with positivity. I know it sounds a little woo-woo, but I really believe that. Lead with caution, but also with an open mind and an open heart.

Just because I don’t agree with someone doesn’t mean I can’t learn from them. I’m not into cancel culture. If someone’s red and I’m blue, it doesn’t mean we can’t talk. If someone’s going up and I’m going down, that doesn’t mean I can’t look up, ask questions, and get real information.

So yeah, I hope we can all keep an open mind and open heart, even in the world we’re in now.

Yitzi: You mentioned how different people were so kind in the beginning and helped you when you first got to Hollywood. Do you have a story where you did a favor for someone and it changed their career, where you opened a door for somebody else?

Annie: Yeah, I’ve done that for a lot of people. Just because. I think, like you touched on, it’s because it was done for me — though I didn’t know it was happening at the time or how big of a deal that kind of generosity was. Especially now, seeing how some people gatekeep or don’t believe there’s enough room for all of us. But I truly believe we can all eat at the same table. We’re all worthy, we’re all unique, and we all bring something valuable.

I help people all the time. Whenever I see someone, regardless of where they are in their journey, if I’m able to help, I do. Now, there are levels where I can’t help and they might even be able to help me more — but when I see up-and-comers or newbies who have that spark in their eyes, that drive, I recognize it immediately. I know what that is. I know where it comes from.

I take them to my agent, Danny — Daniel Hoff — who’s now one of my best friends. I’ve introduced a few people to him. Or I’ll meet PAs who say they’re looking to work on a show, and I’ll help. I remember wrapping an indie film and bringing a PA over to SWAT to help them further their career. Working on an indie film is a completely different beast compared to something like SWAT. I’ve done a lot of big TV shows, but I don’t think I’ve seen a machine like SWAT. It can be very intimidating, but that PA came on, learned a lot, stumbled at times, and I was there to help them up.

I really believe in paying it forward, and I don’t just do it in the business. Sometimes, to a fault. My friends have said, “Annie, you don’t know that person on the street, why are you stopping to talk to them? Just give them money and go.” But that’s not how my heart works. I see people as people, as humans — never less, and sometimes even more.

Whether it’s a PA or someone on the street who doesn’t have a home, I feel compelled to stop and help. I’ll tell you this one wild story. I don’t know if it’ll make it in, but you can decide.

I was walking my dogs on Sunset Boulevard, right in the heart of Hollywood, and I saw this man — someone who was homeless — sleeping on old couch cushions on the sidewalk. Another unhoused man was coming down the street with a piece of rebar, like this thick, long metal wire. He suddenly charged at the man sleeping and started beating him in the face. I’ve never heard anything like it in my life. At first, I thought he was hitting the concrete because the sound was so loud, like cracking rock.

Then the guy ran off with the rebar. I immediately put in my headphones and called 911. People were just walking by like nothing had happened. I turned the injured man over gently and said, “Sir, are you okay?” I didn’t think he could be — those hits were brutal. And when I turned him, bones were sticking out of his face. He was bleeding everywhere and barely conscious.

I started yelling out orders to people standing around. “I need water, I need ice, get me towels!” Finally 911 picked up, and I gave them the location while tending to him. I kept telling the man, “Stay with me.” I checked his pulse, poured water on him, tried to clean him up as best I could.

And the thing is, not one bystander was going to help. Later, one of my friends asked, “Weren’t you afraid of getting a disease?” But thank God I’ve got a little training from my time on Chicago Fire, where I played a medic. I wasn’t afraid. I was just focused on the human being in front of me who almost lost his life.

We got him into the ambulance. I made sure the 7-Eleven nearby held onto his stuff. Then I started calling hospitals, trying to find him. The detectives had contacted me, so I used that info to track him down. I checked on him every day for a long time. He was in the hospital for almost 30 days. They told me if I hadn’t acted as quickly as I did, he might not have made it.

So yeah, that gives you a little insight into how deeply I feel about helping people. I just have to. It’s who I am.

Yitzi: Such an incredible story, and it really gives a lot of context to your character. When you’re playing a police officer, it feels like that’s really you.

Annie: Yeah, there’s a world where, who knows, maybe in a past life or something, because there’s definitely something in me that feels like we have to protect and serve. And with Gamble, I don’t take that lightly — playing a character like her, a woman of color in a male-dominated world. I’m representing first responders and officers who put their lives on the line every day. Especially as a Black woman, I hold that very close to me. Gamble really means a lot. I want her to be as authentic, real, loud, flawed, and hard-working as possible. When I look at who Gamble was at the beginning of the season compared to now, I really see the growth in her and what she’s taught me too. Gamble is a dream job for me.

Yitzi: I was going to ask this later, but might as well ask now. How do you compare and contrast your personal character, Annie, with Gamble, the character you play? How are you similar and how are you different?

Annie: We’re both very hard-working. We’re both leaders and forward thinkers, for sure. I’d say she wears her heart on her sleeve a bit more than I do. As much as you sometimes have to turn that off and get down to action, when it comes to her family, there’s this turmoil, this push and pull. She really shows her emotions when it comes to that, and I think in my own life, I sometimes posture like I’m super tough, like I’ve got it all figured out — but I’m not. I’ve learned from her that it’s okay to show vulnerability, to be inside out sometimes. She leads, and I really love that about her. I’ve grown up having to be a leader regardless. My dad’s Nigerian, so the culture is very strict on the oldest child. I have a responsibility and a duty every day, even though my sisters are grown now, to still be that support system — a mother and father figure — and a leader. My upbringing really helps me translate that into Gamble.

Yitzi: Amazing. You have so much impressive work, and we’ve talked about SWAT. I’m happy to dive more into that, but can you share with our readers the exciting things you’re working on now?

Annie: Well, we’re trying to get season nine, even though we’ve been canceled by CBS. But we’re not flatlined — there’s still hope in another world, possibly a streaming platform. We’ve been running a campaign to push for season nine. We’ve got a Change.org petition with something like 80,000 signatures, which is wild. The fans have been getting rowdy with us and making noise, so we’ve really been pushing hard.

During this hiatus, I’m also writing my own show, which I’ll be pitching soon. At this point, every actor’s a writer, so I figured I might as well go for it.

Honestly, in my spare time, I’m not always in actor mode. I’m big on DIY projects. Let me show you this one I did — these panels right here, I made those.

Yitzi: That’s so cool.

Annie: Yeah! I’m super hands-on. I paint like crazy, but I’m also into woodworking and staining. I’m getting into tile now too. My next big goal is to basically demo my kitchen and redo the cabinets. I really want to dive deep into woodworking. Anytime I get a new tool from Home Depot or any hardware store, I’m like, “Okay, I have to learn how to use this.” Whether it’s a saw or something else, I make it a mission to figure it out. So if I’m not on set, you’ll probably find me at a hardware store.

It might sound boring — like, “Oh, what’s she doing?” But outside of that, yes, I do have a film coming out! It’s called Run and it’s coming out in September. It’s a horror film, which is so fun because I’ve always wanted to do scary movies. I love seeing how the sausage is made — you get to peek behind the curtain and see how it all works. And it helps, because scary movies actually scare me. The dark scares me. I’m still one of those people.

Run is a wild ride. People are really going to like it. It’s directed by Chris Stokes, and I’m in it along with Marcus Houston, Erica Mena, and Claudia Jordan — who’s one of my best friends. It’s a really cool film. I don’t want to spoil too much, but we shot it in Big Bear, and it was wild. We filmed it in about 10 days, and I was still shooting SWAT at the time. I was down that episode, so I was able to jump into a whole other world for about 10 or 14 days, then go right back to SWAT.

There were a few times I had to do all-nighters — getting driven back down from Big Bear to SWAT at 6 in the morning, shoot all day, then hop back in the car and get driven back up to Big Bear to shoot again. It was intense. The stamina you need — it’s like being an athlete. It felt like doing two-a-days. The game’s on, and you have to ask yourself: are you going to step up, or sit on the bench?

It was a lot of fun. But on the last day, the fires broke out really badly up there. We almost got stuck. I remember we were shooting and the smoke cloud just got out of control. We were all like, “We have to call it now.” Everyone was running around the house grabbing their things, trying to make sure we had everything. We made it out just in time, thank God.

So we really put our lives on the line for this film. If people don’t go see it, some trouble is about to be had.

Yitzi: That’s amazing, unbelievable. Did the smoke show up in the scenes on camera?

Annie: You know what? I wonder. It was definitely there, so I wouldn’t be surprised if it shows up in the background. I’m not sure we could’ve shot around it, honestly. I’m really curious to see. The director, Chris, has this thing where he loves to tease us by not letting us see the film, and he knows it drives me crazy. So unfortunately, I haven’t seen it yet to know for sure. But it would be really cool if the smoke made it into the movie, because we were definitely in the thick of it.

Yitzi: So this is our signature question, the center of our interview. You’ve been blessed with a lot of success. Looking back to when you first started acting, can you share five things you’ve learned that you wish you knew back then?

Annie: I’ll start by saying — I’m still learning these five things, okay? I can’t pretend I’ve got them all down, because I don’t.

1. First, uncomfortable is okay.
2. Second, patience.
3. Third, you are enough.
4. Fourth, the hard work does pay off, even if it feels like nobody’s watching.
5. And fifth, always pay it forward. Always. No matter who you are or where you are in your journey, somebody can always benefit — whether it’s from a listening ear or just someone saying, “I got you.” Pay it forward. It doesn’t matter who the person is or what title they have or haven’t earned yet. Just give back.

Yitzi: Beautiful answer, beautiful. Can you share with our readers the self-care routines that you do to help your body, mind, and heart to thrive?

Annie: I’m really strict — well, I won’t say strict. Self-care is just very important to me. I work out almost every day, and I have a sauna that’s one of my favorite things. Honestly, it’s probably my most important lifeline. It’s funny because when I tell my friends I have a sauna, they’re like, “Oh my God, that’s so awesome.” Then half of them end up getting one too because I hype it up so much. I’ve had so many friends buy saunas because I’m always saying, “You’ve got to try it.” Then they get on board.

So I work out, then I get into my sauna. My dogs love to get in there with me — I have two little rescues — and they’re in there every session. It’s hilarious. After that, I cold plunge. Right after the sauna, I do cold plunge therapy, which is such a pain and never really gets easier. I mean, it gets a little easier, but it’s still intense. Every time I walk up to the plunge, I’m like, “How am I going to do this today?” Then I remind myself, “You did it yesterday.” But still, every day feels like a new challenge, and it kind of sucks until you get in there and power through it.

There are obviously so many scientific benefits, but mentally, you really switch into a different gear when you can get into cold water at 45 or even 42 degrees. That’ll turn you into a champion real quick.

I also do a lot of self-reflecting. I’ve been seeing a therapist for years, and I love that. I talk to myself a lot too. Sometimes just hearing yourself say things out loud helps you work through stuff. I got that from Hoda Kotb — she said she talks to herself all the time, and I thought, I need to try that. Getting your thoughts out loud can really help you problem-solve. It’s kind of like those game shows where contestants talk things out with the host — it just works.

And I spend time with my dogs. They’re very therapeutic. They’re service animals, so I get the best of both worlds — they’re helpful and also super cute and fun.

Oh, and I can’t forget this: every so often, a nice stiff drink is really good therapy too. Just something strong on the rocks. No chaser, no mixer, nothing fancy. Just keep it real. That’s great therapy too.

Yitzi: Great. So this is our aspirational question. Annie, because of your great work and the platform that you’ve built, you’re a person of enormous influence. If you could put out an idea or inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be?

Annie: I would love to give women — and maybe later I’ll branch out to men — but I would love to give women something like a “she shed.” A safe space just to retreat to, be creative in, or just be alone and find solitude and peace. I feel like every woman should have something like that in their world, whether it’s in their apartment, their house, or just access to something similar.

I would love to personally use my hands, along with creative contractors and woodworkers or whoever, to help build those spaces for women. Even if it’s just a little nook in a bathroom or a closet, we could turn that into someone’s customized version of a she shed, specifically tailored to their lifestyle. I wish I could contribute that to every woman.

Being a woman — yes, I mean, men, I love y’all too — but there’s something very superhuman and heroic about women and the responsibilities on our shoulders. It’s different. We do have to maneuver in a way where the scales are not balanced. So a retreat like that would be a gift I’d love to give, if I really could.
I’ve wanted to pitch it or something. Maybe give it to HGTV or someone. Every woman deserves that. We really do.

Yitzi: I don’t think it’s an impossible idea. Is there someone at HGTV we could tag that you’d want to sit down with? If we mention their name, maybe we can get it out there.

Annie: I’m trying to think who’s working with them now. Those twins, Drew and Jonathan Scott — I love them. And there’s Christina Haack. She’s on that show called The Flip Off, I think. She’s the blonde one on there. Definitely the twins or Christina Haack. Yes, I would love to work with them.

Yitzi: We’ll try our best to get their attention. So Annie, how can our readers continue to follow your work? How can they push for SWAT to get renewed? How can they support you in any possible way?

Annie: Well, definitely through my Instagram. That’s where I’m most active, and I want to be even more active. It’s just my first and last name, @AnnieAlonza.

And yes, our SWAT petition is on change.org. I believe if you search SWAT Season 9 or SWAT 2025, it should come up. They’ve brought back other shows that were canceled, so we’re hopeful. Just make sure you’re looking at the newer petition, not the old ones. The one with the most signatures is the one to support.

We would love for people to keep making noise if they haven’t already. Advocate, share, and show your support. And I really love getting messages and comments — I do respond. So if anyone hops on my Instagram, definitely reach out. I think it’s amazing that we can all connect no matter where we are in the world.

Yitzi: Annie, it’s been really so delightful meeting you and talking to you.

Annie: Thank you, you too. You’re great. Thank you so much. Very safe and warm — I love it.

Yitzi: Thank you, thank you so much. I appreciate it. It means a lot, thank you. I wish you continued success, good health, and blessings, and I hope we can do this again next year.

Annie: Yeah, me too. I hope so too. And thank you, blessings right back to you.