Things are always changing in the NCIS franchise, which means casts between shows can switch up quite a bit throughout the course of a series. Such is the case for NCIS: Los Angeles, though fans will be seeing more of a certain character as opposed to saying goodbye to another. Medalion Rahimi, who plays Special Agent Fatima Namazi, has been promoted to series regular.
Special Agent Fatima Namazi first appeared in the Season 10 episode "Smokescreen," and has appeared in a handful of episodes in Season 11. Fatima Namazi is a cryptological technician for the NCIS: Los Angeles team, and a go-to expert on the Middle East. Deadline reported Medalion Rahimi played Namazi in 9 episodes before her bump in status from recurring to series regular.
Fatima was last seen in the NCIS: Los Angeles episode "Concours D'Elegance," where the stage was set for a potential write-off of her character. After Fatima participated in a number of Ops with the team, Hetty convinced Fatima not to pursue a transfer to Washington D.C., and instead go on an off-the-books mission for her. This promotion for Medalion Rahimi suggests fans should learn the details of that mission in the coming episodes and how it will impact Fatima's arc on the series moving forward.
Medalion Rahimi's promotion is not the only casting news on the NCIS: Los Angeles front as of late, as someone from the franchise's past is due to return. Not too long ago, news broke that NCIS veteran Scottie Thompson will do a multiple episode arc on the CBS procedural. Thompson will play a new character in her return to the beloved franchise, and not her former character Jeanne Benoit who was seen mainly throughout Seasons 3 and 4 of NCIS.
There is no word on whether or not Scottie Thompson and Medalion Rahimi's characters are fated to meet. I would wager no for now, but only because Fatima's expertise in cryptology and the Middle East does not seem to mix with Thompson's Sarah Raines, who is tracking "unidentified aerial phenomena sightings." It's more likely Hetty sent Fatima on something a little more pressing and dangerous, though her series regular status probably means she'll ultimately be fine. That said, don't be surprised if she reconnects with the team after needing rescue from an operation similar to what happened with Eric Beale.
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