CBS has announced major casting news in its upcoming “NCIS” spinoff set in Hawaii.
As reported last week, “NCIS: Hawaii” is set to premiere in the fall and will have a female lead. At the time, there had been no casting announcements.
The network has now disclosed Vanessa Lachey will headline the series, reported Variety.
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The move is historic for the long-running franchise, as Lachey, 40, will be the first female to headline one of the Navy police procedurals.
Lachey will portrayJane Tennant, the first woman Special Agent in Charge of NCIS Pearl Harbor, per the outlet.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the show will follow Tennant “as she and her team balance duty to family and country while investigating cases involving military personnel, national security and the secrets of the island.”
Lachey shared her excitement after the news was revealed.
"Honored is an understatement! To join the NCIS franchise as the first female lead and to do it on the Beautiful Islands of Hawai’i," she captioned an Instagram post. "I still can’t believe it! Thank You CBS for believing in me! Now let’s get to work!"
The news comes as “NCIS: New Orleans” is wrapping up its run after seven seasons, while the original “NCIS” series was recently given a go-ahead for a 19th season.
Lachey will now join the four male actors who have starred in lead roles in the various “NCIS” offshoots.
“NCIS” first launched in 2003 as a spinoff of “JAG” with Mark Harmon as the series lead.
In 2009, “NCIS:LA” premiered with Chris O’Donnell and LL Cool J as co-headliners. “NCIS: New Orleans” arrived in 2014 anchored by “Quantum Leap” star Scott Bakula.
Lachey, who is married to former 98 Degrees boy bander Nick Lachey, currently stars on the Fox series “Call Me Kat” and previously appeared on “BH90210,” “How I Met Your Mother,” and “Dads,” among others.
She began her career as Miss Teen USA and went on to host “Entertainment Tonight,” MTV’s “TRL,” and was a contestant on “Dancing with the Stars” in 2017.
An exact premiere date for “NCIS: Hawaii” has yet to be announced.
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