‘NCIS: Los Angeles’ Wrapped Up Their Story and LL Cool J Says Letting Go Wasn't Hard
Updated May 25 2023, 8:26 p.m. ET
LL Cool J and Chris O'Donnell in 'NCIS: Los Angeles'
Fans are so protective of LL Cool J's character, Special Agent Sam Hanna, on NCIS: Los Angeles. In 2022, fans were given a little scare that he may be disappearing from the show when he didn't show up in a few episodes.
“By the way, is this the first episode we haven’t seen Sam at all?” a fan wrote. (Seems like it was: “All the Little Things” is the first of 291 NCIS: Los Angeles episodes in which LL is credited but didn’t appear, according to his IMDb filmography.)
Following the incident, he returned to his role and stayed as a main character until the show wrapped up in early 2023.
LL Cool J didn't find it hard to let go of Sam Hanna when 'NCIS: Los Angeles" wrapped.
LL Cool J held on to the role until the very end of the show. However, he also told ET that it wasn't actually hard at all to say goodbye to the character and the show.
"Well, I gotta tell you it's not hard at all," he explained. That doesn't mean that he isn't totally proud of CBS and the cast. After all, the show had wonderful ratings and was on for 14 years.
"I couldn't complain, I have nothing. All I could say is, 'Wow, what a ride,' you know what I'm saying?" he told ET.
In an interview with Australia’s Studio 10 last year, LL said it’s “pretty amazing” that the show lasted so long. “It’s definitely unexpected,” he said. “I figured we’d go two years and be done, so this is great.”
LL Cool J will be returning for 'NCIS: Hawai'i' and we couldn't be more excited.
We have good news for all you LL Cool J fans out there. The rapper-turned-actor will be back in NCIS: Hawai'i. Despite NCIS: Los Angeles wrapping up and LL Cool J being OK with that, he's still bringing the character back. At no point did he say this option was off the table.
"We'll see what happens. Maybe I'll come play a little bit," he teased at the time of the show ending. This teasing grew into reality and now we're expecting him to be back in NCIS: Hawai'i.
"Couldn’t keep Sam Hanna off the case for too long!!" he wrote on an Instagram post announcing Sam's return.
LL Cool J also said that he and his NCIS: Los Angeles coworkers are doing their best “to make sure the fans are entertained, keeping our eyes to the street in terms of what’s going on with humanity, not phoning it in, [and] appreciating the fact that we’re doing what we’re doing.”
We have to wait until the fall to watch the new season of NCIS: Hawai'i, but you can stream old episodes on Paramount Plus.