Kian Talan on What Makes ‘NCIS: Hawai’i’ Unique [Interview]

Kian Talan was living in New York City when he got the audition for NCIS: Hawai’i. When he learned he got the role, he said he was “in awe.”

I recently had the chance to ask Talan a few questions about his character on NCIS: Hawai’i and what we can expect from the season.

Talan plays Alex Tennant on NCIS: Hawai’i, the son of Vanessa Lachey’s Jane Tennant. He said there were several reasons he was excited to play this role.

“I really related to the character. We have similar stories and backgrounds, so I immediately connected to who Alex Tennant is,” Talan said. “Second, the fact that I could play a Filipino character in mainstream media was groundbreaking for me. I rarely see Filipinos on mainstream media.”

“I grew up with a single mother, so I really appreciated the way NCIS: Hawai’i created a story about a badass single mother who has to balance working a straining job while also taking care of her two kids,” he continued.

Even from the first episode, we’re able to see that the dynamic between mother and son isn’t always easy. “Alex and Jane are the same exact person. Stubborn, driven, but also sincere and empathetic,” Talan said. “You’ll see in Season 1 that even though they butt heads, Alex truly loves his mom and wants her to be happy.”

Kalan also discussed what makes the series special and why he thinks fans will be excited to watch this season.

“Procedural shows usually have a certain way of filming. Larry Teng EP/director brings such a moody and action-packed vision to this spin-off. One that I think fans will really appreciate. Larry and his team really set the tone for this show,” Talan said. 

He thinks the storytelling itself will be unique as well. “I think NCIS: Hawai’i will show more of what these agents go through outside of just the job. All the agents go through truthful struggles that they have to overcome.”

Talan’s passion for acting comes from a desire to see more authentic representation for Asian Americans on television, so the representation on NCIS: Hawai’i was especially important.

“What makes this show work is that we have a diverse group of people supporting the show,” Talan said. “From writers, directors, hair, makeup, production, you name it! They are the ones truly bringing this story to life and are advocating for more diverse voices in front of the camera.”

Of course, I had to ask Talan about filming on location in Hawai’i.

Filming in Hawai’i has been such a blessing and honestly has taught me so much about life. Sounds corny, I know, but people in Hawai’i have different priorities,” he said.

“These people truly value family and culture. They are hard-working people, but work is not their primary focus. It’s been nice to surround myself with this mindset, especially being from New York City, where everything is all about the ‘hustle.'”

Talan also shared his biggest challenges when it comes to working on the CBS series. 

“My biggest challenge would be trying not to eat all the food at crafty. The food is too good,” he joked. “But seriously, coming into this as a newcomer, I was very intimated. You kind of get imposter syndrome. I started to think that I didn’t deserve to be working on this massive franchise. But, as time goes on, that goes away. I’m fortunate to be surrounded with so much support and [I] get to work with talented actors. I have grown and learned so much from just being on set.”

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NCIS: Hawai’i airs Mondays at 10/9c on CBS.

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