Photo: Erik Voake/CBS.Photo: Erik Voake/CBS
As fans anticipate the ending ofNCIS: Los Angelesafter its 14-year run,LL Cool Jadmits he also wanted to feel an element of surprise.
The first of the two-part finale aired May 14, leaving fans to wait a week for the final episode on Sunday, May 21, which the series teased as “earth-shattering” in a recenttweet.
Rather than reading the last script of the series, LL Cool J said he chose to focus on giving the best portrayal of his character, Senior Special Agent Sam Hanna.
“I just felt like I was in the zone of, I just wanted to do the work,” explained the actor, whose real name is James Todd Smith. “I mean, I knew where I was coming from, I did my homework, but I just didn’t want to read that last scene and get into that.”
Photo: Sonja Flemming/CBS.Sonja Flemming/CBS
“The experience was amazing because you mature, because you grow as a human being, because you make new friends, new relationships, all of that, right?” he explained.
“I think the only thing I’ll miss really is just the day-to-day working with all the men and women, all the people on the set,” he shared. “It was just so many relationships — you know, we’re talking about 14 years, so I’ve seen people have kids, babies go to college, I’ve seen marriages, I’ve seen everything in between, and so I will miss working day to day with people who became friends.”
He also recalled the exact moment when filming wrapped — and how reality set in for the cast and crew.
“It was amazing. You know, I mean this is 14 years later,” he noted. “Normally they’ll be like, ‘Alright, that’s an episode wrap,’ but this was an episode wrap and a show wrap and a series wrap. It was big, it felt big, but it felt like we accomplished something.”
“I know everybody’s got feelings and there’s a melancholiness on some levels, but you know, we made a huge accomplishment,” he continued, emphasizing the fact thatNCIS: LAis now the longest runningNCISspinoff.
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NCIS: LApremiered in 2009 and followed undercover agents Sam Hanna and Grisha Callen (Chris O’Donnell) as they work in the Los Angeles-based Office of Special Projects, a branch of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service that takes down criminals deemed a threat to national security.
The CBS series netted a total of 322 episodes, hitting a rare 300-episode milestone with last year’s season finale.
In addition to LL Cool J and O’Donnell, the show also currently stars Daniela Ruah, Eric Christian Olsen, Medalion Rahimi, Caleb Castille and Gerald McRaney.
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NCIS: Los Angeles' series finale airs Sunday at 9 p.m. ET on CBS.
source: people.com
