The spin-off stars Chris O’Donnell and LL Cool J, with Oscar-winning actor Linda Hunt playing team manager Henrietta “Hetty” Lange. However, when the show returned for Season 10, fans were saddened not to see Hunt alongside the other cast members. The bad news is that Linda Hunt was in a car accident and wasn’t able to return right away, but the good news is that it’s not permanent and Hetty will be back.
When the first spin-off of CBS’ extremely successful NCIS hit the air in the fall of 2009, millions of fans of the flagship series tuned in to the new show as well, expecting — and receiving — the unique blend of elements that made the original such a juggernaut. NCIS: Los Angeles packs plenty of procedural drama, military intrigue, crackerjack action sequences, and bad guys resoundingly defeated by the good guys. Household names such as L.L. Cool J and Chris O’Donnell top-lined the cast, but before long, it became clear that the secret weapon of NCIS: Los Angeles was Supervisory Special Agent Henrietta “Hetty” Lange, the mysterious if not inscrutable manager of the NCIS team.