Originally a spin-off from the mid-90s series JAG, NCIS emerged in 2003 sharing many characters and staying within the same universe. It makes sense that the hit series Hawai'i Five-0 on CBS would inspire another spin-off called NCIS: Hawai'i, going as far as to include some familiar characters from NCIS: Los Angeles who have already bridged that crossover.
Now in its third season, NCIS: Hawai'i reveals a well-known former field agent from Los Angeles, as well as the continuation of the roles of many of the characters we already know. It’s expected to have many guest appearances from victims and suspects, but let's explore the confirmed cast and what to expect this season.
Vanessa Lachey
Jane Tennant
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Jane Tennant, portrayed by Vanessa Lachey, is the Special Agent in Charge (SAC) and is the leader of the team of investigators in Pearl Harbor. She is also the first female lead in the NCIS series, setting a new precedent for the franchise.
Lachey grew up moving around due to her father's service in the Air Force, but eventually began entering beauty pageants and transitioned into television hosting on networks like MTV and Entertainment Tonight. Following that, she became a staple in fashion magazines and television, hosting True Beauty and Wipeout, as well as making appearances in shows like 30 Rock, Psych, Hawai'i Five-0, and How I Met Your Mother. Perhaps her most recognized role is co-hosting the Netflix reality series Love Is Blind and The Ultimatum, with her husband Nick Lachey.
Alex Tarrant
Kai Holman
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Alex Tarrant stars as Kai Holman, an agent who works under Tennant as a member of her team. New to the team in previous seasons, he became invaluable through his ability to go unrecognized on his undercover missions. Dedicated to his work and having a rough personal life, fans are hopeful that Season 3 will present Kai with a love interest, to give him a well-deserved romance.
Tarrant began his acting career in New Zealand and, apart from his rise to popularity from NCIS: Hawai'i, he played Valandil on the Prime Video series The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. His other roles include parts in TV series such as SeaChange, Filthy Rich, 800 Words, and Shortland Street and films like Night Raiders and The Other Side of Heaven 2: Fire of Faith.
Noah Mills
Jesse Boone
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Noah Mills portrays Jesse Boone, the second in command on Tennant's team. Boone is a workaholic as his family sees very little attention, at least on screen.
Mills, a Canadian model and actor, has become an iconic face at Dolce & Gabbana. Mills transitioned into acting, appearing in movies like Sex and the City 2 and Me, as well as TV series like 2 Broke Girls, The Brave, PEN15, The Enemy Within, and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.
Jason Antoon
Ernie Malik
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Jason Antoon plays Ernie Malik a Cyber Intelligence Specialist on the team. His skills on the computer make him a lovable character while also being one of the most important agents, often making huge breakthroughs. He provides comedic relief and whenever he leaves the lab, seems to be thrown into random scenarios you wouldn’t expect him to be in.
Antoon is best known for his role in the Tony Award-winning musical Contact but he’s also developed quite a notable career on screen. His television credits include roles in Kings, Modern Family, and Claws. On film, you may recognize him from Minority Report, but he’s also been in movies such as The Producers, Celeste and Jesse Forever, Music and Lyrics, The Rewrite, and Noelle. He has become such a favorite character in the NCIS universe that he has also made the crossover into other episodes outside NCIS: Hawai'i.
Yasmine Al-Bustami
Lucy Tara
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Yasmine Al-Bustami plays Lucy Tara, a character who started as a Junior Agent in Season 1, but became an Agent Afloat onboard the USS Ronald Reagan in Season 2. After returning from a tactical training program at the end of the second season, her relationship with her girlfriend Kate became rocky. The new friendship between Kai and Kate may cause a bit of humorous jealousy to start Season 3.
Al-Bustami first appeared on television in 2013 on The Originals, where she portrayed Monique Deveraux. Since then, she has appeared in Nashville, Switched at Birth, and The Inspectors. She also ventured into web series with roles in I Ship It and Nessyane.
Tori Anderson
Kathrine Marie "Kate" Whistler
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Tori Anderson plays Kathrine Marie "Kate" Whistler, an FBI agent who is working on resolving her relationship with Lucy Tara. As she has become close with the NCIS: Hawaii team, she has become friends with some of the members, including Kai Holman, and often works alongside them on cases with her extensive information.
Anderson's television career began in 2003 with many appearances for roles in series like Tru Calling, Smallville, The 4400, The L.A. Complex, and many more. It wasn’t until around 2015 before she gained more recognition for portraying Dr. London Blake in Open Heart, followed by her role as Queen Titania in Nickelodeon's The Other Kingdom. Shortly after, she starred as Evie in No Tomorrow, along with lead and recurring roles in shows like Blindspot and Caught.
LL Cool J
Sam Hanna
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From NCIS: Los Angeles, Sam Hanna is making the jump across series once again, with LL Cool J reprising the fan-favorite role. The NCIS: Los Angeles and Hawai'i Five-0 worlds crossed over with the Senior Special Agent back in 2012. In the Season 3 premiere, Sam Hanna will be teaming up with NCIS: Hawai'i team leader Jane Tennant, presumably tracking down a criminal. It's unclear how much authority he has in the new jurisdiction, but one thing is for sure, Tennant is still in charge.
LL Cool J started as a rapper in the 1980s but later began acting, landing roles in movies like Halloween H20, Deep Blue Sea, In Too Deep, and Any Given Sunday. He played Special Agent Sam Hanna in NCIS: Los Angeles for 14 seasons, but his TV career is extensive, hosting and appearing on shows like Lip Sync Battle, In the House, 30 Rock, iHeartRadio Music Awards, The Grammy Awards, South by Southwest, and Saturday Night Live.
Enver Gjokaj
Captain Joe Milius
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A Captain in the US Navy, Joe Milius, portrayed by Enver Gjokaj, became a trustworthy ally to Jane Tennant and the NCIS: Hawai'i team early on in the pilot, when he cooperated with her on an investigation that turned out to be an important call for them to agree on. After leaving Hawa'ii for the Pentagon, Milius returned and even wrote a letter of recommendation to Jane's son, Alex Tennant, for the Naval Academy.
Gjokaj is known for his roles in The Book of Daniel, Community, NCIS: Los Angeles, and his portrayal of SSR Agent Daniel Sousa in Agent Carter and its spin-off series Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. He’s also appeared in some big films such as The Avengers, Eagle Eye, and Taking Chance. His latest role before returning to the NCIS universe was in the sci-fi series Invasion as Clark Evans.
Other Cast Members Returning for ‘NCIS: Hawai'i’ Season 3
Sharif Atkins, known for his roles on ER and White Collar, will reprise his role as Captain Norman "Boom Boom" Gates, the bomb expert for the NCIS: Hawai'i team. Seana Kofoed, known for Men in Trees, will also return as Commander Carla Chase, who is a medical examiner for both the naval base and the team.
Jane Tennant's family and children play important supporting roles for her character in the series, with Kian Talan (The Good Doctor) as her son Alex Tennant, Mahina Napoleon (The Walking Dead: Dead City) as her daughter Julie Tennant, and Anthony Ruivivar (Third Watch) as her ex-husband Daniel Tennant.
