Few relationships in the NCIS universe felt as inevitable as Kensi Blye and Marty Deeks — but their chemistry wasn’t accidental.
Before Eric Christian Olsen joined NCIS: LA, Kensi was written and performed as intensely serious. Daniela Ruah later admitted she interpreted “tough” as emotionally rigid, affecting everything from posture to delivery.
Olsen’s arrival changed that dynamic instantly. His comedic instincts clashed — intentionally — with Kensi’s stoicism. Showrunner Shane Brennan quickly stepped in, warning that if Kensi rejected Deeks too harshly, audiences would turn against him.
A simple shift — allowing Kensi to react, smile, and soften — transformed the pairing. That small creative choice turned a polar-opposites setup into one of the franchise’s most iconic endgame couples.