HER HAPPY PLACE

She found fame on Canadian Idol and now, two decades later, Melissa O'Neil is known around the world thanks to The Rookie. Here, she talks about the show, her northern roots and teatime

- INTERVIEW: AMY BIELBY

After nearly a decade of playing Sergeant Lucy Chen on The Rookie, Melissa O’Neil is just as happy as she was on Day 1.

“There’s always something new to discover,” she muses. “It’s much like life. You [live your life] every single day. You brush your teeth. You go to work. And sure, it might [seem] mundane, but you’re also encountering things that are fresh and new to you.”

Born in Calgary, Melissa approaches her life in a mindful way, meditating, playing music, sewing and staying present, while maintaining a busy and successful acting career in Los Angeles.

Sitting down with Hello! Canada, the 37-year-old star speaks of all things with a wide, warm smile and sincere joy – particularly her hit TV show.

“I’m just so excited for The Rookie to get out there this season,” she tells us eagerly. “I really want to shout out episode 10. It’s going to be a big one for my character! I can’t wait for people to see what we’ve created.”

Here, Melissa shares more about her career, family and the beauty of sitting still.