LL Cool J Says Returning to New York for “NCIS” Spinoff Was ‘a Full Circle Moment’: ‘Never Forget Where You Came From’ (Exclusive)
LL Cool J Says Returning to New York for “NCIS” Spinoff Was ‘a Full Circle Moment’: ‘Never Forget Where You Came From’ (Exclusive)
Tereza Shkurtaj, Desiree AnelloSat, October 3, 2026 at 6:29 PM UTC
0
LL Cool J.Credit: Jason Mendez/Getty -
At the NCIS: New York premiere Oct. 1, 2026, LL Cool J reflected on bringing Sam Hanna back to his hometown
The 55-year-old actor called the return a “full circle moment” and said the city gives the spinoff a different energy
He also praised New York as a central part of the show’s identity
LL Cool J is bringing Sam Hanna to the Big Apple, but the move carries a meaning that goes beyond the latest chapter of the NCIS franchise.
After playing the character since 2009 on NCIS: Los Angeles, the New York native is now returning to the city where his own story began. At the NCIS: New York premiere at the Intrepid Museum on Thursday, Oct. 1, the 55-year-old rapper and actor reflected on what it really means to bring his beloved longtime character home.
“I mean, it’s incredible. It’s like Joseph Campbell. It’s like the hero’s journey or something. I return home to teach, you know what I mean? In a good way,” Cool J tells PEOPLE exclusively. “It’s new. It’s fresh. It’s a full circle moment, you know? It shows you that anything is possible. And it also reminds you, never forget where you came from.”
Scott Caan as Nick Schaeffer and LL Cool J as Sam Hanna in ‘NCIS: New York.’Credit: Emily Aragones/CBS
That connection to New York is especially meaningful as Sam enters a new chapter within the long-running franchise. After years of being associated with Los Angeles, the character is now part of a series where the city itself plays a central role in the plot.
Cool J says that difference is easily noticeable from the moment cameras begin rolling, describing the experience of filming in New York as something that carries its own atmosphere. “I love how it feels to shoot in New York,” he admits. “Filming in New York is incredible. It’s not Hollywood.”
The change, however, is not simply about location. LL Cool J sees the city’s presence as something that naturally shapes the series, particularly because filming in New York still has an element of unpredictability and immediacy. “In New York, it’s still new and fresh and it’s just a different vibe,” he explains. “I mean, it’s a whole different energy.”
Advertisement
That energy, Cool J says, is strong enough to make the city feel like another member of the cast. “New York is like a main character in the show,” he emphasizes. “I mean, you know, you have myself, Scott [Caan], Jennifer [Beals], and the rest of the team, but New York is the star, baby.”
LL Cool J in ‘NCIS: New York.’Credit: Cara Howe/CBS
— sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
As someone born and raised in the city, Cool J also feels a personal responsibility to get that energy right. When asked whether the series captures New York authentically, he was emphatic: “Oh, without a doubt.”
“We are, I believe we are truly bottling the energy of New York or [a] better word is channeling, because you can’t bottle it,” Cool J tells PEOPLE. “But we’re channeling New York for real.”
NCIS: New York premieres on CBS on Tuesday, Oct. 6, from 9–10 p.m. ET/PT and streams on Paramount+.
on People
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
