Don’t call it a comeback. NCIS: Los Angeles may have wrapped up its 14th and final season, but there’s still plenty of screen time planned for Sam Hanna, the agent played by the legendary LL Cool J. It’s been confirmed that Hanna will be appearing in several episodes of the spinoff series NCIS: Hawai’i.
LL, born Todd Smith, made a cameo appearance in the recent NCIS: Hawai’i episode “Dies Irae.” It was a surprise for fans, as the actor wasn’t expected to appear in an episode outside of the NCIS crossover event that happened earlier this year. To further sweeten the pot, the Hollywood Reporter confirmed that his character will be a recurring player on the show starting next season.
Vanessa Lachey, who plays Jane Tennant, shared her enthusiasm in a written statement.
“We have had so much fun spreading the aloha to NCIS and NCIS: LA with the triple crossover,” she explained. “Now, we have the amazing opportunity to bring Sam Hanna to Hawai’i to help the island solve some cases and maybe have a few laughs in the process. Welcome to the ohana, Todd! It’s going to be a fun ride!”
The enthusiasm makes sense. Not only does the inclusion of the Hanna character introduce a new dynamic for the Hawai’i team, but it gives the show a legacy component that will attract longtime fans of the franchise. Hanna has appeared in 327 NCIS episodes to date, which includes appearances in all three shows. This ties him with Chris O’Donnell for the most appearances by a cast member who isn’t part of the original show (NCIS star David McCallum holds the overall record with a staggering count of 452 episodes).
LL Cool J joins ‘NCIS: Hawai’i’ cast
The decision to bring Hanna back for NCIS: Hawai’i also makes sense from a storytelling standpoint. The rest of the NCIS: LA cast were given definitively happy endings. O’Donnell’s character, for example, got married, and Daniela Ruah’s character, Kensi, found out she was going to become a mom. These are the kind of picture perfect sendoffs you don’t want to squander, whereas Hanna still has plenty to learn and to teach the younger NCIS team.
LL Cool J reflected on his time with NCIS: LA, and the emotions he felt, during a recent interview with TV Insider. While he admitted that he’s going to miss working with O’Donnell, he did tease the notion of his character continuing onward. “His dad is off in the home and he’s dealing with that. But the best is yet to come for Sam Hanna,” he teased. “He’s fearless, he’s courageous, and he’s always willing to lend a hand to those in need who are weaker.” He turned out to be right.
LL is really having a career renaissance at the moment. In addition to his role on NCIS: Hawai’i, the iconic rapper is working on his first album in ten years. The album will be executive produced by another genre figurehead, Q-Tip, and will be released through Def Jam, the record label that gave him his start.