For NCIS: Los Angeles fans, no character looms quite as large — or as mysteriously — as Hetty Lange. Now, after her absence from the Season 14 premiere stirred concern and curiosity, executive producer R. Scott Gemmill is reassuring viewers: Linda Hunt will return.
Hetty’s last appearance dates back to the Season 13 premiere, when she was seen orchestrating secret operations from afar. Since then, the enigmatic operations manager has remained off-screen, her whereabouts and intentions shrouded in secrecy. But Season 14 has already teased her shadowy presence — in the most Hetty-esque way possible.
In the premiere episode, the NCIS team receives chilling news: a body has been discovered in Syria, carrying Hetty’s identification. The twist? It turns out to be a child’s body — and Hetty likely planted the IDs herself to stage her own death.
That kind of calculated misdirection is classic Hetty. And it sets the stage for a major reveal.
“Hetty has been an integral force within the agency and an especially important part of Callen’s past,” Gemmill told Variety. “As Callen starts thinking about his upcoming wedding to Anna, he would want Hetty present.”
The showrunner confirms that the plan is to rescue Hetty and bring her back into the story. While scheduling and safety logistics — especially given Hunt’s age and the lingering effects of the pandemic — have complicated her onscreen involvement in recent years, the creative team is determined to make her return meaningful.
“We’re just trying to figure out when we can pull it off. The goal is to make it happen this season,” Gemmill adds.
That goal now feels even more urgent as Season 14 doubles as the show’s final chapter. With the clock ticking toward the series finale in May, fans are hoping for a proper reunion between Hetty and the agents she mentored like family — especially G. Callen (Chris O’Donnell), whose very identity is deeply entangled with Hetty’s secrets.
Though she hasn’t appeared regularly since the pandemic began, Hunt remains a fan favorite and an essential thread in the NCIS: LA tapestry. Her voice, her wit, her air of quiet authority — all have helped define the show for over a decade.
Now, as NCIS: LA prepares for its final bow, there’s only one way to do it right: bring Hetty home.
