Fans are only hours away from the latest NCIS series premiere, NCIS: Hawaii.
The pilot will focus on an experimental naval plane crash on Oahu, and Tennant and his team must find out who’s behind it before classified state secrets are uncovered.
“It means a lot,” star Vanessa Lachey shared about playing the role of Jane. “It’s something I definitely don’t take for granted and something that I will not take lightly. But it’s an honor and it’s even evolving the NCIS franchise..I got some big shoes to fill with the fellas before me.”
She added that “all eyes are on” her entire cast, too.
“We have so much respect for the NCIS franchise…So when you talk about the pressure we feel, I just want fans to know we’re not trying to replicate what the show is, we’re just evolving it into another layer as the times go on, as the characters evolve.”
Meet the cast of NCIS: Hawaii Down Under!
Vanessa Lachey
Vanessa is Jane Tennant, a woman in a male-dominated profession who has thrived in a system that has pushed back every step of the way through equal parts confidence and strategy. But a tenant is more than just a job and a title. She is a mother who mostly raises her children on her own. Like any parent who loves his career and his family – he is a master juggler – balances duty to both his children and his country.
Yasmin Al-Bustami
Yasmin is Lucy, a junior member of Tennant’s NCIS team. Eager to be the first person to find that crucial piece of evidence, build a solution in bureaucracy, or tackle a suspect down a flight of stairs.
Noah Mills
Noah will play Jesse, a former big-city homicide detective who has settled into a new life in Hawaii. An expert interrogator adept at good old-fashioned police work, but Jesse is also a devoted family man who runs 4-h camping trips for his kid.
Jason Anton
Jason is NCIS cyber intelligence expert Ernie. Ernie is a polyglot with a keen mind for technology, history, literature and all things Hawaiian. He is an essential component of the team, which can trace an anonymous IP address or profile a suspect using only his social media footprint. Ernie doesn’t have a family on the island so he invites himself to join his team of families.
Alex tarrant
Alex will take on the role of charming local Kai, a new addition to Jane’s team who boasts a special ability to blend into the island while investigating high-stakes crimes. Kai recently returned home to care for his ailing father and reconcile his complicated past. Capturing waves from his carefree years and serving up a vehicle with his ‘UK’, but it’s all in a day’s work for an agent of his caliber.
Tori Anderson
Tory is Kate Whistler, an aspiring agent for the Defense Intelligence Agency who intends to climb the professional ladder. She excels in her work and the politics involved in moving forward. But despite appearances, Whistler runs deep. There is more to his story, as some of the team members will learn.
Kian Talano
Kian Zhen’s oldest child is Alex, a 16-year-old who is strong-willed and mature beyond his years. He’s still struggling to deal with his parents’ divorce and all the changes that come with it, but at his core he’s a good kid who can’t always make good choices.
NCIS: Hawaii premieres tonight, Monday, September 20 at 10/9c on CBS.