For over a decade, Daniela Ruah captivated audiences as the fierce, whip-smart Kensi Blye on NCIS: Los Angeles. Now, as the dust settles on the beloved CBS procedural, the star is proving that her talents run deeper than just delivering high-stakes performances on-screen. With a new episode of The Equalizer airing tonight, Ruah returns not as an actor, but as a director—stepping behind the camera with poise, purpose, and a drive to redefine her career.
Titled “Deception,” the episode offers more than just a weekly dose of vigilante justice. It also marks a new chapter for Ruah—one that places her firmly in the director’s chair of a high-profile, female-led procedural, further distancing her from the character that made her famous.
“It was actually a very seamless transition,” Ruah shared in an exclusive with Parade. “We put the work in, made calls, and told people, ‘I’m available, I’d love to direct on your show.’”
Finding Her Footing Post-NCIS
When NCIS: Los Angeles ended in 2023 after 14 successful seasons, many fans wondered what would come next for its stars. While LL Cool J made the leap to NCIS: Hawai’i, Ruah took a different route—one that has slowly but steadily built a solid foundation behind the camera.
Her directorial debut came while she was still playing Kensi, helming episodes of NCIS: LA and later expanding to both NCIS and NCIS: Hawai’i. But stepping into The Equalizer, starring Queen Latifah, pushed Ruah outside the familiar waters of the NCIS franchise and into the wider world of procedural television.
“For The Equalizer, we’re talking about a genre that is also procedural, so it’s definitely in my comfort zone,” Ruah said. “But I would love to start working outside of that too. It wasn’t that far-fetched of a step.”
Trust, Timing, and Talent
While Hollywood is a city built on relationships, Ruah’s journey to directing The Equalizer wasn’t a case of favoritism. Yes, she’d met Queen Latifah years before during her talk show days, and she knew showrunner Joe Wilson from his writing days on NCIS: LA. But familiarity isn’t enough in a business where reputations are built episode by episode.
“When they’ve never met you… that doesn’t necessarily translate into ‘you’re good at directing,’” Ruah explained. “It’s about showing people that you know what you’re talking about and you’re capable of taking on the challenge.”
Tonight’s episode of The Equalizer, “Deception,” centers on Robin McCall (Latifah) attempting to take a break from her crime-fighting ways to spend time with her daughter. Meanwhile, a potentially dangerous con artist threatens someone close to the team. The tone is classic Equalizer, but the direction? That’s distinctly Ruah—poised, paced, and filled with emotional resonance.
What’s Next for Daniela Ruah?
With this latest credit, Daniela Ruah continues to carve out a space for herself in a notoriously difficult industry pivot. Few actors successfully transition into directing, but Ruah appears to be doing so with deliberate intention, leaning into what she knows while slowly broadening her range.
And while she’s already proven herself within the NCIS universe, her work on The Equalizer hints at something bigger—a desire to tell stories on her own terms, with her own lens. Whether she continues to direct network procedurals or branches into streaming dramas, features, or even international projects, one thing is clear: Daniela Ruah is far from done.
“This is just the beginning,” she says. “I love the procedural world—it’s where I come from. But I’m excited to challenge myself beyond it.”
As fans continue to champion her work, one thing is certain: Kensi Blye may be off the case, but Daniela Ruah is just getting started on her most important mission yet—telling great stories, one episode at a time.
