Throughout Brooklyn 99‘s 8-season run, a significant number of actors also appearing in New Girl have played small supporting roles. Of course, the Brooklyn 99 and New Girl crossover event in 2016 brought together some of both shows’ main casts in the episodes “The Night Shift” and “Homecoming,” respectively. But aside from the crossover, there are actually lots of other easy-to-miss appearances from various actors in both shows.
Crossover events are fairly common in major network television shows as a way to generate audience enthusiasm or even draw viewers of one show into another one they may not already watch. Procedural dramas like NCIS have made use of crossovers like this many times throughout their runs. It’s also not uncommon for recognizable actors to appear in similar shows as different roles, which can lead to theories like Rashida Jones’s Parks & Rec and The Office characters, Anne and Karen, being the same person. The Brooklyn 99 – New Girl crossover is particularly fun since both shows feature ensemble casts with strong chemistry and a healthy dose of humor. They both lend themselves well to the sort of hilarious chaos that “The Night Shift” and “Homecoming” make use of.
The crossover event also means that Brooklyn 99 and New Girl are set in the same universe. Since they’re set on opposite coasts, this works out well for the most part, but the presence, albeit small, of several actors who play different roles on both shows makes for a minor series of plot holes. They are pretty easy to overlook, though. Here’s every New Girl actor who has also appeared in Brooklyn 99.
Damon Wayans Jr.
Damon Wayans Jr. plays one of New Girl‘s core characters, Coach. However, he is also the New Girl – Brooklyn 99 crossover’s biggest plot hole since he also plays Jake’s old partner, Detective Stevie Schillens, in Brooklyn 99 season 3 episode 15, “The 9-8.” Wayans isn’t in the crossover event, which is probably for the best, as he couldn’t interact with any of Brooklyn 99‘s cast as Coach without ruining the continuity of both shows.
Nasim Pedrad
Another major New Girl character, Aly Nelson, who appears mainly in the show’s later seasons, is played by actress Nasim Pedrad. Pedrad is also in one Brooklyn 99 episode, but ironically, it’s in New Girl that she plays a cop. She’s first introduced as Winston’s partner, and later the two date and get married. In Brooklyn 99, Pedrad plays Jake’s long-lost half-sister, Kate Peralta, in season 5, episode 17, “DFW.”
Mary Elizabeth Ellis
Mary Elizabeth Ellis appears mainly in seasons 1 and 2 of New Girl, featuring occasionally in later seasons as well. She plays Nick’s ex-girlfriend, Caroline, in New Girl. Ellis’s Brooklyn 99 role is as medical examiner Dr. Rossi in season 1 episode 4, “M.E. Time,” during which Jake sleeps with her and then has to assist with an autopsy.
Fred Melamed
Fred Melamed appears briefly in both Brooklyn 99 and New Girl as somewhat of a character actor. In the former, he plays J. Cronkite Valley-Forge in three episodes, the CFO at Associated Strategies and one of Schmidt’s groomsmen. In the latter, he plays D.C. Parlov in two episodes, the eccentric author of the high-fantasy Skyfire book series.
Brian Huskey
Once Nick becomes a published author of The Pepperwood Chronicles in New Girl, his publisher, and editor Merle Streep becomes an occasionally recurring character. He’s played by Brian Huskey, who also appears in Brooklyn 99 season 1 episode 18, “The Apartment.” He plays Mr. Henders, a member of the housing board in Jake’s apartment building.
Other New Girl Actors Appearing In Brooklyn 99
Oscar Nunez – The Office‘s Oscar Nunez plays a hilariously extreme emergency raft demonstrator, Doug, in New Girl season 3 episode 23, “Cruise.” Nunez also appears in Brooklyn 99 as Dr. Porp, the doctor who diagnoses Jake and Holt with the mumps in season 3, episode 12, “9 Days.”
Nick Kroll – Nick Kroll plays Nick’s brother Jamie in “Chicago,” New Girl season 2 episode 20, and Agent Kendrick in Brooklyn 99 season 2 episode 15, “Windbreaker City,” a Homeland Security Agent who starts a rivalry with Jake during a multi-agency terrorist training simulation.
Mary Holland – Mary Holland appears in the New Girl episode “Young Adult,” season 6 episode 18, as the loft’s neighbor, Gil, who has developed a relationship with one of New Girl‘s significant characters, Winston’s cat Furguson. She’s also briefly in Brooklyn 99 season 4, episode 16, “Moo Moo” as Tricia.
Riki Lindhome – In New Girl season 3 episode 4, “The Captain,” Winston accidentally flirts with a fellow cat owner, Kylie, who mistakes his investment in their cats’ relationship for romantic interest in her. She’s played by Riki Lindhome, who also plays Agneta, one of the Swedish cops Jake and Rosa start a rivalry with in Brooklyn 99‘s “The Swedes,” season 3 episode 9.
Esther Povitsky – New Girl season 1 episode 7, “Bells,” sees Jess bring a quartet of kids to the loft to rehearse for their handbell ensemble performance, which Winston eventually joins. Esther Povitsky plays Krystal, the most enthusiastic of the kids. She also plays Emily, a temporary assistant to Chelsea Peretti’s Gina, in Brooklyn 99 season 4, episode 2, “Coral Palms Part 2.”
Beth Dover – Beth Dover plays a wedding dress salesperson that Winston and Cece deal with in New Girl season 5, episode 5, “Bob & Carol & Nick & Schmidt.” Fittingly, she also plays a salesperson at a stationery store that Jake and Boyle shop at for the latter’s wedding in Brooklyn 99 season 1 episode 20, “Fancy Brudgom.”
Jama Williamson – Jama Williamson appears in New Girl episode “Lilypads,” season 7 episode 3 as Ms. Carly, a teacher at the prestigious preschool Schmidt wants Ruth to get into. She’s also in Brooklyn 99 season 4 episode 13, “The Audit,” as Teddy’s new girlfriend, Rachel, who he brings to jazz brunch to meet Jake and Amy.
Matt Besser – New Girl is full of weird details like the True American drinking game, and plenty of awkward moments, too. One, in particular, comes in season 1 episode 10, “The Story of the 50,” when the stripper Jess hires for Schmidt’s birthday party turns out to be a man. He’s played by Matt Besser, who also appears in Brooklyn 99 season 3 episode 19, “Terry Kitties” as Detective Holderton, a former colleague of Terry’s who mocks him for a past mistake on a case. As with many of the New Girl actors appearing in Brooklyn 99, it’s an easy appearance to miss given that the shows have had seven and eight full seasons, respectively.
