The 2022 cast of NCIS: Hawai’i is led by Vanessa Lachey as Special Agent in Charge Jane Tennant, the first woman to head an NCIS field office in the franchise. Joining her are Alex Tarrant, Noah Mills, Yasmine Al-Bustami, Jason Antoon and Tori Anderson, who anchor the CBS spinoff across late Season 1 and the start of Season 2 during 2022.
Main Cast and Characters
| Actor | Character | Known For |
|---|---|---|
| Vanessa Lachey | Jane Tennant | Love Is Blind, Disaster Movie, BH90210 |
| Alex Tarrant | Kai Holman | The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, Filthy Rich |
| Noah Mills | Jesse Boone | The Brave, The Enemy Within |
| Yasmine Al-Bustami | Lucy Tara | The Originals, The Chosen |
| Jason Antoon | Ernie Malik | Minority Report, Claws |
| Tori Anderson | Kate Whistler | No Tomorrow, Blindspot |
Vanessa Lachey as Special Agent in Charge Jane Tennant
Vanessa Lachey made franchise history at the center of NCIS: Hawai’i. An actress and television host, she first broke out as an MTV VJ on Total Request Live, later becoming a familiar face as a correspondent on Entertainment Tonight. She has headlined sitcoms and network dramas, and in recent years viewers have known her as the co-host of Netflix’s Love Is Blind with husband Nick Lachey. Taking on the NCIS mantle showed a different gear, pairing her easy charisma with steelier instincts.
As Jane Tennant, Lachey plays the top agent at NCIS Pearl Harbor. Jane balances high-stakes investigations with the realities of single parenthood, steering her team through island cases that touch the Navy, Marines and Pacific intelligence community. Through 2022 episodes, Tennant’s leadership style remains decisive and collaborative, often trusting her agents’ strengths while setting the tone for the office under pressing timelines. She also navigates complicated alliances with military command and other agencies based in Hawai’i.
Career highlights for Lachey include the Fox comedy Truth Be Told, the 2019 revival BH90210, and the 2008 spoof Disaster Movie. Hosting duties such as Love Is Blind and past pageant work display the public-facing side of her career, while guest spots on procedurals helped build to the action-forward demands of NCIS: Hawai’i. As the franchise’s first female SAC lead, she brings both warmth and authority to the role.
Alex Tarrant as NCIS Special Agent Kai Holman
New Zealand actor Alex Tarrant joined the series with a growing international profile. He has worked across New Zealand television and theater, and in 2022 he added a splashy global credit with Prime Video’s The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, playing the Númenórean warrior Valandil. Tarrant’s range and grounded presence translate smoothly to network procedural storytelling.
Kai Holman is a local son of Hawai’i who returns home to serve with NCIS. On the team, he brings a calm, unflappable energy, a deep respect for the islands and an ability to connect with witnesses and suspects who might be wary of federal agents. Storylines in 2022 continued to explore Kai’s family ties and sense of responsibility, adding dimension to his work in the field.
Beyond Rings of Power, Tarrant is known for the New Zealand drama Filthy Rich and other regional productions that helped him hone leading-man chops. His NCIS: Hawai’i turn leverages that experience, giving the ensemble a thoughtful counterweight to the unit’s more seasoned veterans.
Noah Mills as NCIS Senior Field Agent Jesse Boone
Noah Mills transitioned from a successful international modeling career into acting, building a steady track record in TV action and drama. He earned attention on NBC’s The Brave as part of a special operations team and later on The Enemy Within. The discipline and physicality from those series help define his presence on NCIS: Hawai’i.
Jesse Boone is Jane Tennant’s trusted second-in-command. A seasoned investigator and outdoorsman, Jesse knows his way around the terrain and the tight-knit communities that make up O’ahu. In 2022 episodes, Boone remains the team’s steady compass, often running point in the field and grounding the unit with practical instincts and a protective streak for his colleagues.
Mills’ earlier TV stints positioned him well for NCIS: Hawai’i’s case-of-the-week rhythms. He has also appeared in features and guest roles that showcase his timing for wry humor, something that slips into Boone’s banter as the character corrals suspects or calms tensions back at HQ.
Yasmine Al-Bustami as NCIS Special Agent Lucy Tara
Yasmine Al-Bustami built her fan base with memorable turns on supernatural drama The Originals and the historical series The Chosen. Born in Abu Dhabi and raised in Texas, she brings a distinct screen presence that mixes determination with approachable warmth, which fits seamlessly into the NCIS world.
Lucy Tara is the team’s quick-thinking junior agent, a sharp observer who is learning to trust her instincts. Throughout 2022, Lucy carved out a reputation for tenacity, whether sifting intel with Ernie or bluffing a suspect mid-interview. Her relationship with DIA liaison Kate Whistler also emerged as a standout thread, giving the procedural stakes a personal pulse that many viewers connected with.
Al-Bustami’s earlier roles in The Originals and The Chosen demonstrated range across genre, from modern Gothic tension to period drama nuance. That versatility carries into Lucy’s mix of levity and steel, helping the character pop in ensemble scenes and in riskier undercover beats.
Jason Antoon as NCIS Cyber Intelligence Specialist Ernie Malik
Stage-trained and screen-tested, Jason Antoon has decades of character work behind him. He broke through with moviegoers in Steven Spielberg’s Minority Report and later found a devoted TV audience on the darkly comic TNT series Claws. Antoon is the resident quip machine on NCIS: Hawai’i, but he also plays Ernie’s heart with care.
Ernie Malik is the tech and digital forensics whiz for Jane Tennant’s team. He is equal parts data diver and cultural connector, often bridging the hard facts of code with an intuitive read on people. In 2022, Ernie remained the office’s secret weapon, unspooling money trails, cyber intrusions and covert communications that crack cases wide open, then celebrating with a well-timed wisecrack.
Antoon’s balance of comedy and gravitas comes from years of television guest spots and ensemble experience. With Claws and recurring work across network comedies, he honed the timing that now punctuates Ernie’s scenes, giving the team levity without losing the urgency of an investigation.
Tori Anderson as DIA Special Agent Kate Whistler
Canadian actor Tori Anderson has been a steady presence on genre and network TV, leading The CW’s endearing rom-com No Tomorrow and recurring on Blindspot. She also popped up in the cult-favorite sci-fi series Killjoys. That mix of lightness and steel serves her well as a federal liaison caught between agencies.
Kate Whistler represents the Defense Intelligence Agency in Honolulu. Sharp, cautious and highly capable, she is tasked with protecting DIA equities, which can set her at cross-purposes with NCIS. In 2022, Kate found a better rhythm with Tennant’s team while navigating a stop-start romance with Lucy Tara, a fan-favorite relationship that added texture to both characters and the show’s office dynamics.
Anderson’s resume is dotted with roles that test a character’s loyalties under pressure. On NCIS: Hawai’i she plays those fault lines with restraint, letting professional priorities collide with personal stakes in ways that keep the procedural momentum alive.
Supporting Players You Saw Throughout 2022
Several recurring faces helped fill out the office and the island’s military-intelligence ecosystem during 2022 episodes. These performers shaped ongoing arcs and gave the cases added texture.
- Kian Talan as Alex Tennant – Jane’s teenage son, whose school life and milestones sometimes complicate his mom’s timetable. His scenes give the series a grounded home front.
- Mahina Napoleon as Julie Tennant – Jane’s younger daughter, a source of levity and a reminder of the personal stakes behind Tennant’s long hours and high-risk decisions.
- Julie White as Maggie Shaw – A CIA officer and Jane’s longtime mentor. White’s appearances in early 2022 brought agency rivalries and secrets to the surface, testing Jane’s trust.
- Enver Gjokaj as Captain Joe Milius – A senior Navy officer whose strategic priorities intersect with NCIS cases. His rapport with Jane added a human dimension to inter-agency coordination.
- Anthony Ruivivar as Daniel Tennant – Jane’s ex-husband and co-parent. His return to the islands and evolving dynamic with Jane shaped family beats across 2022.
Notable 2022 Guest Stars and Crossovers
NCIS: Hawai’i tapped into the larger franchise during 2022 with special appearances that thrilled fans and advanced multi-agency stories.
- Wilmer Valderrama as Special Agent Nick Torres – The NCIS veteran traveled to Hawai’i for a spring 2022 two-episode crossover, teaming with Tennant’s crew on a case that spanned jurisdictions.
- Katrina Law as Special Agent Jessica Knight – Valderrama’s NCIS partner joined the Honolulu action in the crossover, blending her tactical expertise with the Hawai’i team’s local knowledge.
Those appearances reinforced the interconnected NCIS universe while spotlighting the Hawai’i cast’s chemistry with franchise mainstays.
Why This Ensemble Works
The 2022 lineup strikes a clean balance. Lachey’s steady command sets the tone, Mills and Tarrant handle the heavy lift in the field, Antoon cracks the safe on the data side, and Al-Bustami with Anderson supply both sparks and investigative grit. The mix of local ties and federal muscle suits the show’s island setting, keeping stories character-first even as the cases escalate.
Crucially, the series allows its leads room for personal stakes without swamping the procedural. Tennant’s home life informs her leadership. Boone and Holman bring layered backstories that color their judgment. Tara and Whistler’s relationship gives the office dynamic an authentic push-pull. In 2022, that balance helped NCIS: Hawai’i feel distinct while honoring the franchise playbook.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who plays Jane Tennant on NCIS: Hawai’i?
Vanessa Lachey stars as Special Agent in Charge Jane Tennant, the first woman to lead an NCIS field office in the franchise.
Who are the main cast members featured in 2022?
The 2022 core cast includes Vanessa Lachey, Alex Tarrant, Noah Mills, Yasmine Al-Bustami, Jason Antoon and Tori Anderson.
Who plays Lucy Tara and what is her arc in 2022?
Yasmine Al-Bustami plays Lucy Tara, the team’s rising junior agent. In 2022 she continued to earn trust in the field while navigating a stop-start romance with DIA liaison Kate Whistler.
Which NCIS characters crossed over to NCIS: Hawai’i in 2022?
Wilmer Valderrama’s Nick Torres and Katrina Law’s Jessica Knight appeared in a spring 2022 crossover that linked cases between Washington and Hawai’i.
Is Kate Whistler part of the main cast in 2022?
Yes. Tori Anderson’s Kate Whistler is a series regular in 2022, serving as the Defense Intelligence Agency liaison and a key part of the show’s ongoing character dynamics.