NCIS: Origins star Mariel Molino has dished some more details about her character Special Agent Lala Dominguez in the upcoming prequel series on CBS.
The action-packed drama will be premiering on the network in October, the same day the 22nd season of the flagship drama drops.
It features the long-awaited return of Leroy Jethro Gibbs (originally played by Mark Harmon), though this time with rising star Austin Stowell during the future team leader’s early years with the NIS in the 1990s.
He’ll be working alongside seasoned NCIS legend Mike Franks (Kyle Schmid), who partners up with fellow senior agent Lala.
She’s determined to make a name for herself in the male-dominated workplace, but fans are keen to know if she’ll be the only female agent on the task force.
Matt Webb Mitovich of TVLine recently explained she’s “far from it”, with Vera Strickland (Diany Rodriguez) and Field Operation Support Officer Mary Jo Hayes (Tyla Abercrumbie) also cracking cases for the NIS.
However, Lala is the most senior female agent on the roster, second only behind Agent Franks in the hierarchy when the show gets underway.
Speaking to Mariel herself, the actress explained: “She is kind of Franks’ righthand agent when we meet Gibbs at this time in his life.”
Only a few details about her character have been revealed thus far, namely her connection to Franks and the fact Lala is a former Marine.
The actress has since teased she has a “dry” and “dark” sense of humour which comes to light during one of her first scenes with Gibbs.
“When we meet her, there’s a very macabre scene around her, and she says to Gibbs, ‘Reminds me of when I was little,’” Mariel teased.
While fans eagerly await more footage from the upcoming NCIS spin-off, series lead Austin has recently shared the best look at his younger Gibbs yet on Instagram.
He was previously revealed with fairly long hair and a brown sweatshirt, but the new look brings him much more in line with the Gibbs fans have come to know in love in the present day.
Austin is now rocking a shorter crew cut and a smart, light-blue button-up shirt.
However, viewers will undoubtedly be seeing him in some more appropriate combat gear as well when he heads into the field for the NIS’ dangerous missions.
NCIS: Origins premieres Monday, October 14 on CBS. NCIS is available to stream on Disney+.