‘NCIS: Hawaii’ Dream Casting: Who Could Play the Franchise’s First Female Lead?
NCIS: Hawaii is breaking from tradition for the CBS franchise. The all-but-confirmed spinoff will feature a female lead, according to TVLine.
Thus far, the NCIS leads have all been men—and, for that matter, mostly white men. Mark Harmon plays Leroy Jethro Gibbs on the original (at least for now); Chris O’Donnell and LL Cool J co-headline NCIS: Los Angeles as G. Callen and Sam Hanna, respectively; and Scott Bakula plays Dwayne Cassius Pride on the just-canceled NCIS: New Orleans.
So the prospect of a woman—a woman of color, with any luck—heading up an NCIS show is exciting. TVLine reports that the character, tentatively named Jane Tennant, will be the special agent in charge at a base of operations dubbed NCIS Pearl.
And we’re already dreaming of actresses who could play the part, with a focus on stars who have Hawaiian roots.
Maggie Q
Before she was a star of Nikita and Designated Survivor, this actress was a teen growing up on Oahu. Nowadays, Maggie Q might be game to lead a procedural, even though she turned down a main role in Hawaii Five-0. “The problem was not that I didn’t want to be in Hawaii or be on that show,” she told HILuxury in 2012. “The team of people who did the pilot are good friends of mine. But the female character was not interesting for me, personally. It was not something I thought was going to challenge me.”
Kelly Hu
This Nash Bridges and Arrow alum wasn’t just born and raised in the Aloha State, she was also crowned Miss Hawaii USA in 1993. Plus, she returned to the islands in 2010 for an arc as Laura Hills on Hawaii Five-0.
Shannyn Sossamon
Born in Honolulu and part-Hawaiian by ancestry, this actress broke out in such films as A Knight’s Tale and 40 Days and 40 Knights. More recently, Sossamon has been focusing on TV, with key roles in Wayward Pines and Sleepy Hollow.
Tia Carrere
This Wayne’s World and True Lies actress was born in Honolulu, and she has even won two Grammy Awards in the Best Hawaiian Music Album category. “I believe that people from Hawaii, we carry the aloha spirit in us,” she told KHON in 2018. “There’s this feeling when you meet someone from Hawaii….You’re a kindred spirit.”
Janel Parrish
Best known for her role as Mona on Pretty Little Liars, this actress was raised in Kaneohe, Hawaii, and “absolutely consider[s] Hawaii home,” as she told HILuxury in 2017. She also said it would be challenging to keep up her screen career there, but NCIS: Hawaii producers could solve that problem! Plus, Parrish is no stranger to CBS procedurals shot in the 50th state: She recently had an arc on Magnum P.I.
Nicole Scherzinger
This Pussycat Dolls singer—of Hawaiian, Russian, and Filipino descent—was born in Waianae, Hawaii, as she told KHNL in 2007. “I am blessed to be of Hawaiian descent and even more blessed to be from the ohana that I come from,” she added. (And, yes, Scherzinger can act: She earned an Olivier Award nomination for her Cats! performance in London’s West End.)
Rain Valdez
We’re also submitting a big endorsement for this Emmy-nominated actress of Transparent and Razor Tongue fame—who, yes, grew up not in Hawaii but in Guam. We’re still waiting for network television to feature a trans actor in a lead role, so NCIS: Hawaii producers could make history by putting Valdez at the top of the call sheet.
Maria Bello
If the Powers That Be at the NCIS franchise decide to cast a white actress in the lead—as, ahem, they’ve done three times already—then we’d vouch for this two-time Golden Globe nominee, who ended her run as a fan-favorite character on the flagship series earlier this year. (The character Jane Tennant can be renamed Jacqueline Sloane, right?)
Conversation56 Comments
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Why does EVERYTHING now have to be about race! Just cast the BEST actress REGARDLESS of race!!!!! #overit
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THANK YOU! You took the words right out of my mouth. That aspect of it actually turns me off to it. I have no interest in the show, if it's going to be about politically correct casting instead of the best person for the part.
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I think Grace Park from Hawaii 5-0 would be great.
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Grace never settled down in Hawaii when she was on Hawaii Five-0. She often spoke about how it was just a place she worked, rather than paradise for her. Her husband and child lived in Canada. That was another reason she left the show. It's also why she took the role on A Million Little Things, so she could live in Vancouver with her family. There's no way she'd accept the lead on a show filming in Hawaii.
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Im so upset they canceled NCIS NO. I probably want watch Hawaii I'm so mad
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Did you mean "won't watch"?
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Maggie Q would me my pick. I watch Hawaii 5 0 every week and she looks the part.
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Not really interested in any of these choices.
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I think Meghan Rath who played Tani should play the role. She's a strong actress and could definitely pull it off.
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She's already booked a CBS comedy pilot with her husband.
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That pilot got pulled during the pandemic. She is headlining a short comedy series in Canada but it wouldn't overlap with NCIS: HI filming.
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I absolutely would choose Meaghan Rath who was Tani Rey on "Hawaii Five -0".
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She can't do it. She booked a comedy pilot for CBS with her husband right after Hawaii Five-0 ended.
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O
I would love to see Angie Harmon in another series. Her spunky, sarcastic character on Rizzoli and Isles is one of my all-time favorite characters. My next two votes would be Kelly Hu and Maria Bello.
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Ich bin auch für Kelly Hu.
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If I were the one making the choice I would have narrowed it down to two Actors, And that would be Kelly Hu and Nicole Scherzinger. I live on the mainland and used to work for a company in the Hawaiian trade but i'm retired now due to medical reasons. My choice would be Kelly Hu due to the fact that she looks more Hawaiian and being from Hawaii you want someone who looks like you to make the story more beliveable.
Mahalo.
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My sentiments exactly. Kelly Hu and Nicole Scherzinger are the best candidates. I love Nicole, but I think she enjoys being a part of the music world more. Kelly Hu is the perfect actress for this role.
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Ich finde Kelly Hu auch perfekt für die Rolle.
Sie sieht nicht nur hawaiianischer aus sondern sie hat auch Erfahrung sowohl aus der Serie Hawaii Five O als auch aus NCIS und NCIS LA auch wenn es da nur Nebenrollen waren.
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No, the lead does not HAVE to be a woman. And no, the lead does not HAVE to be a woman of color. And again, no, the show does NOT need another spinoff. Stop it. Just stop. Your embarrassing the real NCIS...
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How about Angie Harmon, since she has already played a character named Jane?
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Maria Bello left NCIS as she is running her own production company so I would say she won't be back on TV for awhile so that rules her out! My choice would be Kelly Hu for the part.
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I think Maria Bello would be perfect. She will bring NCIS followers with her. I would watch for sure.
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I vote Kelly Hu first and Maggie Q second or a team up of the two would be even better.
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If they do this then they will leave out 90% of their audience. We have enough blacks and women leads but not enough big good actresses to pull it off. Sad but true. There are only a few listed that are strong enough to make it work.
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Agreed.
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Maggie Q,badarse and babe,action chops and lots of good work.
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also I had to actually edit that post to get past Openweb which no site really should use
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Tia Carrere or Maggie Q. The only two who could fill the bill.
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I have watched "Designated Survivor" EVERY night since it came on Netflix. Not kidding... I know every line. BUT I must say that Maggie Q is one hell of an actress. She is fabulous in this series!!!. It's one hell of a part and she nails it !!!! She gets my vote for damn sure !!!
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I think they should bring back most of the Hawaii 5 0 cast that got the shaft after the show ended so abruptly. Grace Park and Daniel Day Kim, Junior Tani and Lou they can add some others too but they really should give those people the roles.
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The show really didn't end abruptly. It was well-known Alex wanted out after 10 years. People just deluded themselves into thinking he'd change his mind again.
They're all busy. Most of them got hired right after the show ended. Grace is a lead on A Million Little Things. She wasn't crazy about Hawaii when she was there, because it kept her away from her family. There's no way she'd take the lead on a show filming in Hawaii again. She likes being on A Million Little Things, because she can stay in Vancouver with her husband and child. Daniel Dae Kim is an executive producer of The Good Doctor. Beulah Koale has already moved back home to New Zealand with his wife and twin sons. Meaghan Rath booked a comedy pilot with her husband right after Hawaii Five-0 ended. Chi McBride just booked a comedy pilot with CBS.
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Nicole S if I watched it. I'm getting close to NCIS burn-out.
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I think that if they are looking for a lead actor that is female, Maria Bello is the only choice. She can be Jack Slown in Hawaii.
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Stop this racial balancing act in our tv series and movies!!...Hire the best person for the job....blue, black, purple, white or whatever. Stop the politics......stop the politics in all of it now!! We are sick and tired of it all.
And as a country of many races let's stop the media from trying to stir up crap between & against each other..thats what they want to see in all of us. Tell the Media to kiss our behinds and get out and stay out of our lives.
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I think Maggie Q would be a perfect fit!
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Angie Harmon, Maria Bello, Maggie Q and then Kelly Hu.
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I've always liked Tia Carrere. She's been underrated as an actress IMO. I'd just like them to select a mature woman not some 25 yr old.
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I think Maggie Q will embody that role very well. I’ve love her in Designated Survivor, and I think she will do justice to that important role.
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Michelle Yeoh has the maturity, ability to lead a team, acting chops - humor and drama. She is the Leroy Jethro Gibbs and Dwayne Pride for NCIS Hawaii.
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I agree with Lesli. There is already a connection between Hawaii 5-0 and NCIS LA crossovers where Kendi Blye appeared on 5-0. Where Chin Ho Kelly and a Danny Willians appeared on NCIS LA. The dialogue on both shows referring back to the other. It would be natural to move people who are already in Hawaii who are already connected to the NCIS canvas into the NCIS Pearl canvas.
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I agree with Kesli. Kono Kauakaua Returning from the mainland to work for NCIS Pearl. Chin Ho Kelly an Asian Hawaiian over the Unit who has already appeared and been effective on NCIS LA under Hetty Lange. It would be an automatic connection to the NCIS world. Since LA also connected to Hawaii 5-0 with Danny Williams and Kensi Blye. Then automatic connections are there.
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How about Sanaa Lathan?
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I would love to see Maria Bello as the lead. She had begun to really getting involved as a leader on NCIS and it won't be the same without her. I am really sad they canceled NOLA. It was my favorite of all.
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What about Catherine Bell as Sarah "Mac" MacKenzie? She's already played the role on NCIS: LA, and the character has ties to Hetty and others.
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Of those choices definitely Kelly Hu.
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I like Kelly Hu, think she would be perfect. Of course I wouldn't object to Jacquelyn Sloane being in charge either!
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I would love to see Kelly Hu. She's perfect for the part and it's time for CBS to return the Aloha the Hawaii locals have extended to the network for so long by casting someone with Hawaiian heritage in a lead role for a show shot there especially since this is a completely original role. She definitely would not have to acclimate to island living and she could help guide the stories around the Hawaiian culture.
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Katrina Law
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She's taken a role on the original NCIS.
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Tia or Maggie Q
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I absolutely would choose Meghan Rath who was Tani Rey on "Hawaii Five -O".
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Maggie Q would be the best, especially if she had to dish it out to some baddies. She can kick butt! Besides, she's from Oahu. Even though she's petite and cute, she can be a formidable adversary. And that deception would work in hers and the Team's favor! Go, Maggie Tenant!
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I absolutely would choose Meaghan Rath who was Tami Try on "Hawaii Five -O".
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Sorry, my tablet glitched and printed name wrong. Her name was TANI REY on "Hawaii Five -O".
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It should go to the best qualified regardless of race. Maggie Q only one I see. Maria Bella good choice but doesn’t stand a chance. She’s to pale
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Kelly Hu maybe but the rest don't have the acting chops to carry a lead role. Maggie Q has tried twice (stalker and storyline in designated survivor and they failed) and the rest were support characters at best.