NCIS: Los Angeles is one of the dozens of procedural shows on network television. The thing that sets it apart, however, is the chemistry between its talented cast members. There’s no substitute for actors that genuinely play well off each other, and the fact that the show has wrapped after fourteen seasons is a bummer to anybody who’s watched it.
On the bright side, the cancellation of the show allows its cast members to embark on new and challenging projects. The range of the projects they have lined up is a testament to their versatility, and we couldn’t be more excited to see them.
Let’s start with LL Cool J. The actor shined as Sam Hanna on NCIS: Los Angeles, and will thankfully get another chance to shine on NCIS: Hawai’i. He made a cameo as Hanna on the season 2 finale of NCIS: Hawai’i, and has confirmed that he will be joining the main cast in season 3. It’s a fun way of connecting the shows, and opens the door for other NCIS: Los Angeles characters to make cameos down the line.
NCIS: Hawai’i executive producers Matt Bosack, Jan Nash and Christopher Silber issued a statement to Variety that voiced their excitement over the addition: “All of us at NCIS: Hawai’i have been huge fans of LL Cool J for years and couldn’t be more thrilled or honored to be adding his spectacular talent to our ohana for season three.”
Is LL Cool J on NCIS: Hawai’i?
Chris O’Donnell has lessened his output over the last decade, and dedicated more time to his family. He talked to Parade about NCIS: Los Angeles, and said he was thankful the show allowed him to live in one place so that his children didn’t have to move around. O’Donnell doesn’t have any films or TV shows in the works, but he did make a recent cameo in Bupkis opposite Pete Davidson.
Daniela Ruah was the secret weapon of NCIS: Los Angeles, and we can’t wait to see what she does moving forward. She’s had a busy 2023, appearing on the Dutch competition show The Traitors and the Portuguese crime show Turn of the Tide. Medalion Rahimi most recently appeared in the short film Moving Day opposite Samantha Robinson. The synopsis for the film reads: “In this satirical and campy whodunnit, a young woman moves into a new house she finds on Craigslist – only to discover her new roommate has been murdered.”
Eric Christian Olsen, meanwhile, is going to reunite with CBS on another procedural show. The show in question will be Matlock, a reboot of the classic legal drama from the 1980s. According to TV Line, Matlock will “focus on brilliant septuagenarian Madeline Matlock, [who] rejoins the work force at a prestigious law firm where she uses her unassuming demeanor and wily tactics to win cases and expose corruption from within.”
Olsen will co-star alongside Jason Ritter and Kathy Bates, with the latter playing the title role. Olsen will also serve as an executive producer.