It was announced a short while ago that after 14 seasons, NCIS: Los Angeles will come to an end on CBS. Many of the stars have since reacted to NCIS: LA’s big news, and the impending conclusion of the long-running series feels all the more real with each passing day. All the while, the cast has seemingly been reflective when it comes to their time on the show. With that, Sam Hanna himself, LL Cool J, is now opening up about the biggest lesson he’s learned as a result of starring on the procedural for over a decade.
LL Cool J has portrayed NCIS Special Agent Sam Hanna since the show debuted in 2009, so it’s not surprising to hear that he’s taken in a few lessons while being a part of it. While speaking to ET, the rapper revealed that the NCIS spinoff has exposed him to different kinds of people, and it sounds like that's helped to enhance his view of the world:
Taught me a lot. Because day in and day out, I work with people from all over the country and all over the world. You know, I would have never been exposed in the same day. I have one guy celebrating Rosh Hashanah, and another guy from West Virginia and another guy who's in a biking thing, and another guy who's Irish, and... this person from the islands, and I'm working with all of these people every day. So you learn.
It’s interesting to hear what actors experience while filming projects, and it's even more intriguing when they just so happen to have starred on the same production for as long as the rapper has. There are so many storylines that can (and do) happen on shows like NCIS: LA but, given this particular show's diverse backdrop, it especially makes sense that it would include a wide array of people. And that can certainly make for an eye-opening experience for some.
It sounds like LL Cool J will surely hold onto what he's learned during his time on the CBS staple. Later in the same interview, he shared more warm thoughts that emphasize his desire to care for his fellow man:
You learn that people are people. You learn that people are human, and all of those unconscious bias that you have that makes you hesitate to embrace certain types of people, all that falls away because you realize everybody's the same. It's different, but we the same, you know what I'm saying?
If there's anything these past several years have taught us, it's that empathy is incredibly important. Not to get on a soapbox with this, but we live in a dangerous world, and we'd all be better if we showed genuine love and concern for one another.
Meanwhile, as fans prepare for the end of NCIS: Los Angeles, the stars are doing the same. Daniela Ruah explained why the CBS drama means so much to her, and LL Cool J opened up about what a ride the series has been. It’s going to be hard to say goodbye to the team, but the writers and producers will likely send off the characters on a high note. (I'm also hoping they show up in future episodes of NCIS and NCIS: Hawai’i.)
Although LA's conclusion does seem sudden, at least fans were able to get an NCIS franchise first this season when all three currently airing shows crossed over for the first time. All the while, NCIS: Sydney still on the way. The acclaimed TV property will surely continue for years to come but, as it does so, I'm hoping that its stars take an empathetic page out of LL Cool J's book and learn some of the lessons that he picked up.
Catch new episodes of NCIS: Los Angeles' final season on Sundays at 10 p.m. EST on CBS! You can take a look at CinemaBlend’s 2023 TV schedule for news on other shows headed your way this year also.
