Like the stealth criminals often hunted on the show, NCIS: LA is a bit of a silent threat in the ratings game. Now in its second season, the show is frequently on the list of top-rated shows each week, and yet, it has silently given birth to one of TV’s new, completely addictive (but not romantically attached) pairs, Marty Deeks (Eric Christian Olsen) and Kensi Blye (Daniela Ruah).
Since Olsen’s upgrade to series regular in season 2, the partners’ undeniable chemistry has attracted the attention of fans — and yours truly. So EW got the pair on the phone to chat about tonight’s episode that will give fans new peek into this pair’s growing (hopefully romantic) bond. What we learned? The actors’ hilarious chemistry is not just for the screen.
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: I’m so glad we were able to get you both at the same time.
ERIC CHRISTIAN OLSEN: It’s a terrible idea, by the way. Terrible idea. [Laughs]
DANIELA RUAH: Just before you came on the phone, all I was getting from Eric was this: [Clucks like a chicken]
ECO: I thought it would be super funny if during this interview, Dani answered all the questions, and I just made chicken noises the whole time.
That would make for an interesting transcript. “His cluck sounded very tortured.”
ECO: Yes. The tortured chicken.
Well, I’m really excited to talk to you about Deeks and Kensi. You’ve said before that there was chemistry between you both as actors from the beginning. Did you expect the ‘shipper aspect of this to be as strong as it has been?
ECO: What is that? What is “shipper”? What does it mean?
It’s when fans want two people to have a relationship. So they abbreviate it as “shipper.”
ECO: What is that abbreviation for?
“Relationship.”
DR: Answer the damn question. [Laughs]
ECO: I don’t know! Because I keep reading it, and I have no idea what it means. “What, I’m on a ship? You want us to go on a cruise?” I don’t know what that means.
It’s: relationship = “shipper.”
ECO: I see. Relationshipper.
DR: I don’t think we expected the fans to want this so much. I mean, when I said we had chemistry right from the beginning, we got along as people, and we realized very early on that it would be so easy to play around with each other and to make something fun out of the relationship of these characters. I certainly didn’t predict what people would want from it or see in it.
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AFTER A NAVY SEAL IMPOSTER IS SET ABLAZE, NCIS CONNECTS HIS DEATH TO A STOLEN CANISTER USED TO MAKE DEADLY BOMBS, ON “NCIS: LOS ANGELES” TUESDAY, MAY 10
Claire Forlani Guest Stars as Operations Manager Lauren Hunter
“Imposters” – After a Navy SEAL imposter is set ablaze, NCIS obtains new information regarding the whereabouts of the stolen Brachytherapy canister from a previous case that could be used to make a deadly bomb, on NCIS: LOS ANGELES, Tuesday, May 10 (9:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Claire Forlani guest stars as Operations Manager Lauren Hunter.
Claire Forlani has just been cast in CBS’ NCIS: Los Angeles in a recurring role this season, and the big news is her character description: Forlani plays Lauren Hunter, the NCIS: LA team’s new Operations Manager.
Which raises a crucial question: What does this mean for Hetty?
Hunter is described as attractive, authoritative, cool and calculating: “She rarely lets her guard down, but when she does she reveals a dangerous quality that suggests she is much more than your run-of-the mill operations manager.”
Forlani’s storyline begins on the NCIS: LA episode airing May 10. Sources say the new operations manager and Linda Hunt’s character are very much part of this season’s cliffhanger and that a big question for fans will be whether Hunt will continue on the show — as the operations manager, or doing something else — next season.
Forlani is currently playing Queen Igraine in Starz’ Camelot and had a recurring role for several seasons on CSI: NY. What do you think, should CBS keep Hetty around?
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DEEKS IS SENT DEEP UNDERCOVER TO PROTECT HIS BEST FRIEND AND PRIMARY INFORMANT FROM A GROUP OF ARMS TRAFFICKERS, ON “NCIS: LOS ANGELES” TUESDAY, MAY 3
“Plan B” – Deeks resumes an old alias he is not fond of in order to protect his best friend and chief informant from a criminal group that wants him dead, on NCIS: LOS ANGELES, Tuesday, May 3 (9:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.
WHEN A ROCKET ENGINE EXPERT IS KILLED IN A TEST CHAMBER, HETTY SENDS ERIC AND THE TEAM TO ENSURE THAT THE CLASSIFIED TECHNOLOGY REMAINS SECURE, ON “NCIS: LOS ANGELES,” TUESDAY, APRIL 12
“Rocket Man” – After a rocket engine expert is killed, NCIS tech operator Eric Beale goes undercover for the first time to ensure that the classified technology used to build satellites is safe, on NCIS: LOS ANGELES, Tuesday, April 12 (9:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.
Tuesday’s NCIS: Los Angeles may prove once and for all just how much agents Kensi Blye and Marty Deeks really care about each other.
When a secure facility housing sensitive materials on a Marine base is compromised, Kensi (Daniela Ruah) must go undercover to get close to Stanley King (guest star Victor Webster), a world-class thief suspected of several high-end heists. Kensi has to gain King’s trust by any means necessary, which isn’t good news for Kensi’s partner Deeks (Eric Christian Olsen).
NCIS: Los Angeles exclusive: Will Victor Webster come between Kensi and Deeks?
“Kensi and [Stanley] definitely get along,” Ruah says with a sly laugh. Now whether that’s for her to get closer or because she thinks he’s cool, the audience will have to figure out. But there’s definitely a little flirtation going on, and I think Deeks gets a little jealous.”
But Ruah also says it’s a safety issue. “This big-time robber seems to eliminate every partner he’s ever worked with, so she’s under some kind of risk,” Ruah says. “Deeks is feeling really protective. It’s not just the fact that they might like each other. It’s also the fact that, above all, they’re also partners and their job revolves around protecting each other. He has my back, I have his and that’s what we do. It’s a great bonding episode for Kensi and Deeks.”
Ruah says the fact that Kensi has allowed Deeks to get as close as he already has is telling. As a teenager, she lost her father. Last season, her former partner Dom (Adam Jamal Craig) was kidnapped and eventually killed, and earlier this year it was revealed that her former fiancé suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder and disappeared.
Check out photos of the NCIS: Los Angeles cast
“Kensi has a background of having lost every man in her life. She has this huge fear of losing someone else,” Ruah says. “She has these walls up and I think very slowly she’s letting them go down with Deeks. If something were to happen to him, it would be completely devastating.”
So can those Keeks (or Densi, depending on who you ask) ‘shippers look forward to something more between the characters?
“I think Kensi tries to fight against it as much as possible, but there’s definitely something there that’s going to be developed,” Ruah says. “You want to surprise the people who watch the show. I think we have to be careful with going too far too soon; it doesn’t leave a lot of places to go.”
NCIS: Los Angeles airs Tuesdays at 9/8c on CBS.
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