NCIS: Hawai’i’s Jason Antoon Calls LL Cool J a ‘Wrench’ in 'Most Loving Way'
Jason Antoon has been part of NCIS: Hawai’i since its debut and he was just as surprised by the addition of LL Cool J in season 3 as viewers were.
“You’ve got to adjust to him. I say this in the most loving way, it’s like a wrench being thrown into the whole show for us,” Antoon, 52, exclusively told Us Weekly while promoting NCIS’ 1,000th franchise episode, which airs on Monday, April 15. “And I mean that in the best way possible.”
Antoon has played tech genius Ernie Malik since 2021. LL Cool J, meanwhile, starred on NCIS: Los Angeles as Sam Hanna from 2009 to 2023. He made a cameo as the special agent on NCIS: Hawai’i in season 2 in 2023 before becoming a recurring character during 2024’s season 3.
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“It sort of shakes things up to our sort of, ‘everybody’s cool ohana,’” Antoon said of the actor’s demeanor on set. “LL plays music between takes and he’s got his little Bluetooth [speaker] and he is blasting music.”
Antoon described season 3 as the “season of LL Cool J,” noting that the musician, 56, is the “most professional guy” and “knows everything” about his lines right out the gate.
“It’s like your cousin visiting for the summer and he just shakes everything up and your whole summer [is] so different. And that’s what this season has been,” Antoon explained. “I mean besides it being so weird with the [SAG-AFTRA and WGA] strikes and only doing half a season … that’s what it’s like. LL season 3.”
The Hawai’i star noted that he doesn’t know what will happen with LL Cool J’s role in the future, adding that the series has not been picked up yet for season 4.
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“He’s definitely been a fun addition for sure. CBS loves him and we love him and he’s great,” Antoon said, telling Us that the writers have done a great job of getting both the cast and the viewers invested in LL Cool J’s story line.
Antoon continued: “[The writers] get to know you so they can infuse that into your character and infuse that into the dynamic. And breaking up the dynamic, I think is really cool and important for all the characters, so it doesn’t feel so safe and easy all the time.”
When it comes to his own character’s future, Antoon is hopeful that should the show get renewed, Ernie will find a new love.
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“I say to my wife, it’s my only chance to kiss other ladies, even though it’s fake,” Antoon teased. “This season it’s such a strange season for everybody because after the strike there wasn’t room for so much to do to dabble in the character stuff that we normally like to do.”
He shared that season 4 would most likely feature Ernie in a different relationship phase. “There [is] definitely going to be some dating stuff. I think they’re definitely going to go back into the ladies’ man Ernie,” Antoon told Us. “Not in a cheesy lady [man] — not a bad ladies’ man. Ernie’s still a little sweet about it.”
If it was up to Antoon, Ernie would also get help from Lucy Tara (Yasmine Al-Bustami) when looking for the right partner. “She’s so into it and she loves to see Ernie experience that stuff. So she should be the wingman,” he said of Ernie’s office BFF.
NCIS: Hawai’i airs on CBS Mondays at 10 p.m. ET.
