NCIS: Hawaii Poised to Feature Female Lead, Marking a Franchise First
When it comes to CBS‘ enduring NCIS franchise, the future is female.
TVLine has learned exclusively that the network’s newest (and, for the record, still unconfirmed) spinoff, NCIS: Hawaii, is slated to feature a woman in the starring role.
A CBS rep declined to comment, but sources confirm that the character — tentatively named “Jane Tennant” — will also break ground on-screen, serving as the first Special Agent in Charge of “NCIS Pearl.”
The move would mark a big and arguably long overdue step forward for the franchise, which, thus far, has only had men atop the call sheet (i.e. Mark Harmon in NCIS, Chris O’Donnell and LL Cool J in NCIS: Los Angeles and Scott Bakula in the soon-to-conclude NCIS: New Orleans). The ill-fated NCIS: Red offshoot actually came the closest to having a woman at the helm, employing Kim Raver and John Corbett as co-leads.
[Note: Although Linda Hunt’s Hetty is NCIS: LA‘s “Operations Chief,” O’Donnell’s Callen — like Harmon’s Gibbs and Bakula’s Pride — holds the title of Special Agent in Charge.]
NCIS: Hawaii has yet to snag a formal series order from CBS, although casting for the principal characters — “Jane Tennant” included — is underway.
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This seems like a job for Grace Park. Having an Asian woman in the lead role would be great, especially now.
I agree.
I’m looking forward to Kung Fu tonight! Has been getting some good reviews and I hope it succeeds and spurs some more Asian casting. I like both the Grace Park suggestion and the below one of Maggie Q , who is mixed (half-Vietnamese). And given LA had two big names, there’s no reason both couldn’t be cast as well. Well, nothing except potentially other roles, as Grace Park is (or was?) on A Million Little Things – I don’t watch it to know but it looks current on IMDbTV. And Maggie Q was cast in the FOX comedy pilot “Pivoting.” But certainly many other options as well. If she can work it around her Star Wars episodes, Ming-Na Wen would be excellent as well.
While she would be an excellent choice, I’m partial to hoping that she is not available because A Million Little Things is still on the air. I love her as Katherine.
She would be great! I’ve missed her role on Hawaii 5-0
Grace Park would be excellent. She is not Asian. She is American Candian but looks more hawaiian then Maggie Q. So I think Grace would be better fit for NCIS Hawaii.
If NCIS with Gibbs continues on like this past Tues (4/06/21) I won’t be watching. That was an awful episode!
She is of Korean heritage. Most certainly Asian.
I’m not sure Grace Park left on such good terms with CBS that they would re-hire her to lead a new series. Personally, I think Hawaii Five-O could have continued without Alex O’Laughlin and Scott Cahn because the other actors and actresses were strong characters and excellent at their craft, especially Chi McBride. I could see McBride heading up that cast.
Would love for McBride to co-star on NCIS Hawaii now that Five 0 is done.
Don’t think his character fits the NCIS series…
Oh, the husband was for all the other actors continuing Hawaii 5-O. He still talks about how it should of happened that way. He can’t bring himself to watch the reruns, “…because it would bring me to tears that it wasn’t on anymore.”
I agree. Grace would be perfect. They should cast an Asian person.
She didn’t much want to be spending so much time in Hawaii during the Five-0 days, so I doubt she’s changed her mind on that. Anybody who sings in to that role has got to be prepared for the commitment.
Having a female lead is a good step but I’m still pissed over NCIS: N.O I do agree that Grace Park would make a great SAG.
I didn’t love NCIS: NO at first, but it grew on me and now I’m really ticked that it’s been cancelled. I don’t see why we can have both it and the new show. I’d love to see Grace Park as the SAG, especially if she did it as Kono (or at least as one of her many cousins as a wink and nod to 5-0).
I agree 100%
Could she even do it since NCIS and Hawaii 5-0 are in the same universe
Yes, please give the role to Grace Park. Loved her on Hawaii Five O.
Yvonne
Bet she’ll still look good in a bathing suit, though. 🤷♀️
Wouldn’t Kim Raver have been the first female lead if NCIS: Red had gotten picked up?
Diane Neal would be great to lead this show, she’s an established character and has been known to be called a female Gibbs in the past.
Or another great lead would be someone like Maggie Q!
Maggie Q is an excellent choice. She’s the right age and she was born in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Maggie Q was cast in the FOX comedy pilot “Pivoting” so it might depend on that. Agree she’d be excellent though.
Isn’t she (at least partially) retired from acting?
.
Also not in good graces with NCIS as a franchise after her twitter rants about conditions on NCIS: NO, she hasn’t been seen since.
I doubt that will happen. Diane Neal seems to have burned all of those bridges.
good choice, I like her also!
Could this be the young lady that is joining NCIS in the future episodes after taking next week off for a repeat episode ?
They could be using Jane Tennant to throw us off. The character’s name in the last two episodes of NCIS this season is called Jessica Knight.
Knight was described as potential joining the show come next season, if there is a new season of NCIS. So, I don’t think it will be a bait and switch. I think they will want to find a known name to be able to take the reign of the spinoff, Hawaii. To try to lure in viewers.
Should have refreshed before posting below, you beat me to it :P
Sorry, I forgot she was potential series regular if NCIS gets a Season 19. She is maybe meant to replace Gibbs? I wonder how McGee would feel about that and McGee not replacing Gibbs. Unless NCIS wont get picked up for Season 19 and Katrina Law would be cast as the lead for NCIS: Hawaii and they would change the name from Jane Tennant to Jessica Knight?
If Mark Harmon leaves it won’t be worth watching
Maybe it’s a red herring but I believe that character (played by Katrina Law) was possibly going to be made a regular on the Harmon-led NCIS next season, possibly helping to make up for the loss of Maria Bello’s character in terms of female characters on it.
I’m confused by the “first division chief” wording.
The breakthrough would be having a woman as the primary character. Being a “division chief” wouldn’t be all that amazing, since there’s already been a woman division head who was elevated to NCIS Director.
Also SECNAV is also female.
Hopefully, the lead will be male.
It literally says otherwise, but why? You’ve had 3 NCIS shows already with male leads, would a female lead really be so awful for your little sexist heart?
The incels have arrived.
You left out the “fe” in front of “male” you silly goose.
I’ve been out of school a long time, but have they completely stopped teaching reading comprehension skills?
They should finally give Hannah Khoury her own team and move her over to Hawaii. That would be a nice ending to NCIS: New Orleans and the storyline where they took away team lead from her when Pride came back.
That is a good suggestion. I like her.
I wouldn’t watch it if she was on it. I cannot stand that character and was one of the reasons stopped watching it.
Me, too.
This is great (and overdue) news. Hope they come up with a different name though, too similar to Jane Tennison (Helen Mirren’s character in “Prime Suspect”) for my liking.
NCIS:Hawaii -excellent!!!!!
This is so dumb cancel New Orleans one of the best ones and add a complete new show
I just hope it’s a woman who isn’t as irritating and as untalented an actress as the Bishop and Kasey characters. The two of them have pretty much ruined NICS for me.
I cannot stand Kasey. I watched NCIS since Season One and she is so hyperactive, she Pauley Perrette seem like Mr. Spock.
Preferably Hawaiian native
“the character — tentatively named ‘Jane Tennant’…”
.
It’s like Prime Suspect is the only female-led cop show they’ve ever heard of.
I vote for Maggie Q she had experience as a CBS cop and she is a Native Hawaiian.
Grace Park is excellent in AMLT, so no to this. I suggest moving Hana from New Orleans to Hawaii. Another option would be the actress who played Erica on SWAT, although she might be a bit young to head a department.
Katrina Law has an option for series regular if NCIS is renewed. So she’d become a permanent fixture on the main show. Although I liked her character on Hawaii Five-O. As for NCIS Hawaii, I’d think an Asian actress would make perfect Sense!! Maggie Q is a good choice.
what about Michelle Borth who played Catherine Rollins Hawaii 5-0 or even Meaghan Rath- who played Tani Rey
I like all NCIS COS it’s the only programs I have really enjoyed during the lockdown.
ZIVA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
what do yall think of Kelly Hu, Tia Carrere, or Tamlyn Tomita in the role of Operations Manager NCIS: Hawaii (like the character Leon Vance or Hetty) along with a female Special Agent lead
Tamlyn Tomita wouldn’t work since she’s been in the NCIS universe as being a lawyers during the latter seasons of Jag… She is also probably too old.. They would need a female who would a good action person.. While McGarrett was white, he still had roots in Hawaii and was a former Seal ,,, So a good leader of 5-0… I think it’ll be someone new…
I would like to see some of NCIS New Orleans or Deeks and his partner get the head roles.
Then there Is continuity.
Do agents not get transferred?
I liked Grace Kim on Hawaii 5 O.
She could very well be part of the team.
I watch every NCIS show series.
They are wonderful second only to Blue Bloods.
NCIS LA isn’t cancelled yet…
I am very upset that you are taking NCIS New Orleans off. It is my favorite of the 3 NCIS shows. I don’t care for Los Angeles and loosing Perette ruined NCIS. I think you are making a huge mistake.
… do you think TVLine is responsible for this decision?
NCIS New Orleans’s new cast was boring and the chemistry was way off. They ruined a good thing because of bad management staff who didn’t protect cast members.
I have to get in on this conversation because I have been imagining a spinoff like this for a very long time. First off, I would much rather they went with the title NCIS: Pearl. Casting, as I envisioned it: Lead roles: Angie Harmon and Tim Olyphant. Supporting cast: Tracey Needham as “Meg Austin”, singer-actor Peter Noone as Ducky’s cousin, Keiko Agena, and Mykelti Williamson. I’d love that.
I didn’t like Red because of the female lead. Probably won’t be interested in Hawaii now.