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As one door closes for NCIS, another opens. Just as NCIS: New Orleans is wrapping up it’s final season, more information about the franchise’s newest spinoff, NCIS: Hawaii is coming out. Since news leaked of a possible new show, fans have been wanting more details. Now, NCIS:LA stars Daniela Ruah and Eric Christian Olsen are spilling everything they know about the show.

Daniela Ruah (Special Agent Kensi Blye) and Eric Christian Olsen (LAPD Liaison Marty Deeks) try to find Sam's kidnapped daughter
Daniela Ruah (Special Agent Kensi Blye) and Eric Christian Olsen (LAPD Liaison Marty Deeks) | CBS via Getty Images

‘NCIS: New Orleans’ is cancelled

Last week, it was announced that the youngest member of the franchise, NCIS: New Orleans would not be returning for another season.

“From the start, NCIS: New Orleans was able to distinguish itself with its New Orleans authenticity,” Kelly Kahl, President of CBS Entertainment said, according to Deadline. “From the colors and music to the vibrancy and stories you can only find in the Big Easy. Thanks to the amazing talents of the producers, writers, cast and crew, ‘NOLA’ has played a key role on our schedule. We’re pleased to give it a big sendoff and that viewers will have the opportunity to say goodbye to their favorite characters as the final season wraps.”

Now, executive producers and showrunners Jan Nash and Christopher Silber will be focused on creating NCIS: Hawaii.

How do Daniela Ruah and Eric Christian Olsen feel about a new spinoff?

Though the franchise is sad to see New Orleans go, NCIS: LA stars Ruah and Olsen are ready for Hawaii.

“I think it’s an exciting opportunity because, listen, Hawaii is Hawaii. And if there’s anything that we want to watch on TV, it’s people in paradise running around catching bad guys,” Olsen told Entertainment Tonight.

Though the new show has not been cast yet, Olsen is eager to bring new people into the fold.

“I think it’s a great opportunity for an expansion of the franchise.”

“Yeah,” Ruah added. “And we obviously know that the recipe for this franchise has worked quite nicely. I mean, we have 18 seasons [for NCIS], 12 seasons [for NCIS: LA], seven for New Orleans and now a new one’s coming. It’s an attractive franchise. So hopefully they’ll do great.”

CBS Studios is set to use the production base they already have set up on the island from Hawaii Five-0 to shoot NCIS: Hawaii. Ruah and Olsen are already familiar with that set as NCIS: LA had a crossover episode in 2012 with Hawaii Five-0.

Daniela Ruah is now directing

While Ruah is excited about the new spinoff, she’s also trying her hand at some new things of her own. Yesterday’s episode of NCIS:LA was Ruah’s first time directing.

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Why Is ‘NCIS: New Orleans’ Cancelled After Season 7?

“This was more of a newborn passion that stemmed from opportunity,” she told the outlet. ‘I’m in a position where I’ve been on a show for a long time and it is in fact really hard to get into directing on network television and after a few friends talking to me and explaining these things to me, it was like, ‘You know, you’re right. If I don’t grab this opportunity now, I may never have it again.

“It just so happens that I fell in love with it,” she continued. “So I plan on continuing creating this parallel career with acting, which is my primary passion, but I but I really loved [directing].”

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