Although it’s no news that NCIS: Origins focuses on the early days of Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs’ (Austin Stowell) career, one special character also plays a major role in the prequel series’ narrative and who impacts Gibbs in the long run. That character is Special Agent Cecilia “Lala” Dominguez, played by Mariel Molino (Promised Land, The Watchful Eye), who recently sat down with TVLine to break down her character’s connection to the NIS newcomer.
When Molino was first cast in NCIS: Origins, it was revealed that the storyline would be “filled with sparks” for Lala and Gibbs. However, the actress clarified that while there’s a spark, it’s nothing romantic. “We’ve seen a spark, but I wouldn’t say it’s romantic thus far,” she said. “I think these sparks that are happening as of right now stem from tension and essentially frustration.”
With that, she noted that there’s also “a bit of mixed feelings” when it comes to Gibbs while explaining why Lala challenges him, saying:
“She challenges him. She believes that he’s not ready for this job, and she really questions his judgment. I think there’s a little bit of insecurity there because she sees that he is a really smart, really sharp guy who, in a way, is kind of coming to take her spot. There’s a bit of potentially mixed feelings in terms of what his position or rank will end up being. Again, I expressed this familial relation with Franks, but [with Gibbs] it’s like when there’s a new sibling who all of a sudden gets all this attention. It’s difficult for Lala, and we have to remember that this is 1990s, in a male-dominated field.”
Lala & Gibbs Will Learn to Trust Each Other in ‘NCIS: Origins’
As declared by Mark Harmon’s narrator Gibbs in NCIS: Origins, the police procedural series is an untold story about “her,” Lala, which Molino admitted was surprising as she learned of it when she read the pilot. Shedding more light on this, she shared:
“I learned that the story that Gibbs is telling was about “her” when I read the pilot. It was a surprise to me, too, and definitely something that piqued my interest in the character. Since then, [showrunners] Gina [Lucita Monreal] and David [J. North] have given me a little insight into where things are going, and I can say that she is someone who will impact Gibbs’ path in a major way. They are going to learn from one another and have to learn to trust each other despite their differences.”
NCIS: Origins airs on CBS on Mondays and is streaming on Paramount+.