Vanessa Lachey

OF ‘NCIS: HAWAI’I’

What are your thoughts about playing team leader and family woman Jane Tennant as you film “NCIS: Hawai’i” on location?

To see her on paper, I think, is a lot more daunting. This is actually my life; I have my three kids here now. (On one recent day,) for example, I went to work at 6:30 in the morning and I came home and it was around 9:45 (p.m.). And my oldest son was up, and I walked right in and I put him back down to bed, because he had gotten up

from a bad dream.

Then I had to do the dishes, and then I studied my lines for (the next day’s) work, so it’s about juggling your family as well as your work. And for Jane, it’s her family as well as her country and work, and I love that.

Do you appreciate being the performer to play a woman leading an NCIS team?

For me to be the one to represent that, I’m

honored. I’m humbled. It’s something I don’t take lightly, and I’m grateful every day. But it’s not just me ... it is this team. They complete me, not to sound like a cheesy TV line or movie line. Truly, together we are “NCIS: Hawai’i.” I think what it’s

going to do is just kind of normalize women in this position.

Does your own background help with your “NCIS: Hawai’i” work?

My childhood was as an Air Force brat, so there’s just layers of the military that are in my blood – the respect, the honor. I understand the sacrifice. But we all got to visit NCIS here on the base. We’ve all been to Pearl Harbor. We all got to sit there on the 4th of July and really take in what it means to be here, to be representing the Navy and their presence. So, I think while we take our

past into our characters, we all are feeling the true honor and love of our country in our roles.