Image Credit: UsWeekly
LL Cool J is making a return to NCIS. The rapper-turned-actor announced via an Instagram post on March 20 that he will reprise his role as Sam Hanna in an upcoming episode of NCIS Season 22, set to air on April 21.
A video jointly posted by LL Cool J and the official NCIS Instagram account featured a cryptic opening, with a shadowed figure wiping the screen to reveal the actor. “Back on set, baby. NCIS. Let’s get it,” he was heard saying in the clip, which concluded with the episode’s release date.
The artist first portrayed the former Navy SEAL in NCIS Season 6 in May 2009, in an episode that served as the backdoor pilot for NCIS: Los Angeles. The spin-off ran for 14 seasons before concluding in May 2023. Following its end, LL Cool J transitioned to NCIS: Hawai’i, reprising his role in its second and third seasons. However, CBS announced in April 2024 that NCIS: Hawai’i would not be renewed, citing financial considerations and ratings as key factors in the decision.
CBS Entertainment president Amy Reisenbach had stated at the time that maintaining a fresh schedule required difficult choices. Vanessa Lachey, the lead star of NCIS: Hawai’i, expressed her disappointment over the cancellation through an Instagram post, describing herself as “gutted, confused, [and] blindsided.” Days later, she shared that explaining the situation to her daughter had been particularly difficult.
LL Cool J’s upcoming appearance in NCIS Season 22 marks his return to the franchise’s flagship series, bringing excitement to longtime fans of the character.
