Nina's Most Surprising Character Change In FBI Season 8 Return Explained By Shantel VanSanten

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Published Feb 23, 2026, 10:00 PM EST

Nina's return on FBI brought about some changes for the character, and Shantel VanSanten was more than happy to do it. Nearly a year after FBI: Most Wanted's surprising cancellation, Scola's romantic partner returned to the small screen with her very own mission. Tasked with an undercover operation that unfortunately went sideways, Nina found help from her former co-workers at the New York City field office.

FBI season 8, episode 11, aptly titled "Confetti" features a rare celebration of the procedural. After Isobel's near-death experience at the end of season 7, followed by Dani Rhodes' jaw-dropping demise in its 2025-2026 TV cycle premiere, Nina and Scola tying the knot at the courthouse with all their closest allies present was a welcome development. Before the party, however, VanSanten's returning character was occupied with an intense gunfight with Missy Peregrym's Maggie.

In an interview with ScreenRant's Tatiana Hullender for FBI season 8's Scola and Nina wedding episode, VanSanten discussed the intense mafia fight that preceded Nina and Scola's wedding in "Confetti." After her undercover operation initially failed, she was partnered with Maggie to once again try and infiltrate a mafia, which ended in a fierce fight that forced her and Peregrym to perform stunts wearing heels and gowns. Read her full quote below:

ScreenRant: This was a very action-heavy episode for Nina. Are you always prepared to have a mafia shootout in heels, or did you have to do any special preparation beforehand?

Shantel VanSanten: As one always is, of course. I'm always prepared for a mafia shootout!

When I was a part of FBI more substantially, Rick Eid was writing it, and now they have Mike Weiss. It was so fun to read the script because it was a totally different episode and something I never would've expected to get to do.

Missy and I were laughing at each other trying to do stunts in 6-inch heels and dresses. We're wearing undergarments, like Spanx shorts, and we're tucking things in because we've got to kick somebody. I learned a lot about doing stunts in formal wear, because I've never had to wear dresses and heels as Nina before. That's not how I envision her; I imagine her in jeans and cowboy boots always.

There were some challenges, but I like to be pretty active and ready to use my physical body however I need to. It's one of the tools you have in the toolbox that's ready for when Hollywood calls.

For context, VanSanten was originally a character on FBI before she was moved to FBI: Most Wanted and became an integral part of the Fugitive Task Force. Despite the separation, Dick Wolf's NBC franchise has been able to tackle Nina and Scola's relationship with regular cameos from both on each other's respective shows. That said, Nina's interactions with the rest of her old team were almost all cut out.

Even back then, there were barely any Maggie and Nina's field scenes, primarily because of how the duos on FBI were laid out. The show could have easily partnered them with OA and Scola respectively, but it's great that CBS and Wolf Entertainment found a solid story to pair them together. The undercover operation, which had them in dresses and heels, may have been challenging, as VanSanten said, but it perfectly highlighted just how capable Nina and Maggie are as agents, expertly carrying out fight scenes despite being in more restrictive clothing.

Given how exciting Nina's FBI return after FBI: Most Wanted's cancellation, it's curious if this will open the door for more appearances from her moving forward. Now that she's married to Scola, there's additional motivation to bring her back, at least for personal reasons. However, seeing Nina's team-up with Maggie and the potential of that pairing should give FBI more reasons to get her involved in cases.