The fourth spin-off series in the expansive NCIS franchise, NCIS: Hawai’i is back next week at long last. After experiencing some delays due to last year’s strikes, season 3 returns in the US on Monday 12th February. Not only does it signal the return of Vanessa Lachey as lead agent Jane Tennant, but also sees the introduction of LL Cool J in the Hawai’i-based Naval Criminal Investigative Service.
Welcome to paradise… with a twist of danger. NCIS: Hawai‘i blends crime-solving with island vibes, and the show’s cast is a huge part of its charm. Whether you’re a die-hard NCIS fan or just getting started, this guide is your backstage pass to meet the main players behind the badges. Let’s dive deep into the team that keeps Hawaii safe — and makes your screen sizzle.
Now, NCIS fans know that LL Cool J is certainly no stranger to the franchise, having been at the helm of NCIS: Los Angeles as Sam Hanna for a staggering 14 years since it premiered in 2009. Well, the star made a surprise appearance in NCIS: Hawai’i’s season 2 finale and it looks as though Sam Hanna is here to stay. Unlike its other seasons, this NCIS spin-off deals with the gritty crimes as well as cases involving the glorious landscape of Hawai’i. We follow the team of investigators in the Naval Criminal Investigate Service, who solve naval and marine related cases, this time from the Pearl Harbor office in Hawai’i.
While the series focuses on Special Agent Jane Tennant, the cast also includes Alex Tarrant, Noah Mills and – for the upcoming season 3 – LL Cool J.
NCIS: Hawai’i cast – Full list of characters and actors in police drama
As with any procedural drama, there will be a whole host of guest stars across the new episodes of season 3. The following cast members make up the main cast of NCIS: Hawai’i and scroll on to find out more about the characters, plus where you’ve seen the actors before.
Vanessa Lachey as Jane Tennant
Noah Mills as Jesse Boon
Yasmine Al-Bustami as Lucy Tara
Alex Tarrant as Kai Holman
Tori Anderson as Kathrine Marie Whistler
Jason Antoon as Ernie Malik
LL Cool J as Sam Hanna
Vanessa Lachey plays Jane Tennant Who is Jane Tennant? Jane holds the distinction of being the first female Special Agent in Charge at the NCIS Pearl Harbor field office. A divorced mum of two (son Alex and daughter Julie), she worked for the CIA before joining NCIS. What else has Vanessa Lachey been in? Lachey began her career appearing in beauty pageants, before hosting TV shows for MTV and Entertainment Tonight, and co-hosting the Netflix series Love Is Blind alongside her husband, singer Nick Lachey. She also acted in episodes of How I Met Your Mother, 30 Rock, Hawaii Five-O and CSI: NY before winning the role of Jane in NCIS: Hawaii.
Alex Tarrant plays Kai Holman Who is Kai Holman? Born in Hawai’i, Kai joined the United States Marine Corps following his mother’s death and only returned to the islands when he learned that his father was ill. What else has Alex Tarrant been in? Fans of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power may recognise New Zealand actor Tarrant as Valandil, one of the Númenórean sailing cadets in the Prime Video series. He also appeared in the Australian drama series SeaChange, and as drug-addicted doctor Lincoln Kimiora in the long-running New Zealand soap opera Shortland Street.
