NCIS: Origins’ Lala Dominguez is “marked safe” for now, but actress Mariel Molino isn’t convinced she’ll survive the series.
“If this is a story of her, and she’s never mentioned — [Gibbs] never mentioned Lala ever before, I want to think it’s probably because of something really bad that happened,” Molino, 32, exclusively told Us Weekly on Monday, October 20.
The actress, who plays Special Agent Lala, explained that while the NCIS prequel series centers around fellow agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs (Austin Stowell) finally sharing Lala’s “story,” her fate could be doomed despite surviving a nearly fatal car accident during the season 1 finale. (During season 1, Lala took Gibbs under her wing as he got his start at NIS. As the season progressed, they both started to fall for each other.)
“For Lala to have had such an impact on Gibbs, something major has to happen,” Molino mused. “We’ll see it play out and I’m in for the ride just as much [as fans].”
‘NCIS: Origins’ Season 2 Premiere Reveals Lala’s Fate: Did She Die?
During the season 2 premiere, which aired earlier this month, it was confirmed that Lala survived a crash that totaled her car. Prior to the accident, Lala almost kissed Gibbs, and at the start of season 2 it became clear that their feelings aren’t completely gone. However, they have been put on pause amid Gibbs’ budding romance with realtor Diane Sterling (Kathleen Kenny).
Lala, meanwhile, has started to show signs that her moral compass might not be the same as it was following her brain injury, which became evident during season 2, episode 2. On the Tuesday, October 21, episode Lala considered taking justice into her own hands after a known criminal asked her for a favor.
While she ultimately turned down the gig, Molino told Us Lala will continue to push the boundaries and blur the lines surrounding her job.
“It’s going to go in a really dangerous and potentially life threatening way where she’s at odds with why she’s at this job? What is the purpose of it? Why did she survive? What is right, what is evil?” Molino teased.
NCIS: Origins’ Austin Stowell Shares Lala Theory — That Might Get Debunked
She added, “Anytime you have a near death experience, it really shifts your perspective on life and what you’re doing here and what you’re called to do. This season, Lala is questioning a lot about the job and what her place in this world means.”
Although she is physically back on the job, her mental state is shaky at best. “She’s also trying to figure out how to get back to who she was, and realizing that there’s a before the crash and after the crash, and maybe she’s not going to be the same person,” Molino shared.
Despite putting herself in danger this season, Molino hasn’t ruled out the fan theory that Lala does survive it all and is living off-grid with grown up Gibbs (Mark Harmon) in Alaska, which is where fans saw him retreat to after retiring from NCIS on the flagship series in 2021.
“I mean, wouldn’t that be nice? In a way it would,” Molino told Us of Lala and Gibbs living happily ever after. “I don’t know how we get there and how she comes about [rekindling their romance].”
NCIS: Origins’ Austin Stowell Thinks Gibbs Has ‘Turmoil’ Over Lala Feelings
The actress revealed that she’s heard theories that Lala is a “secret agent that for years had to go undercover” before appearing in Alaska with Gibbs, which she hinted was “an interesting theory.”
“On a purely selfish level, I would love for them to maybe, like, put me in some prosthetics and make me old and, you know, maybe place me in a wheelchair and just have me roll up next to Mark Harmon,” Molino said with a laugh. “That would be great. I would love it.”
NCIS: Origins airs on CBS Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET.
