It’s been practically two years since NCIS: Los Angeles ended on CBS after 14 seasons, and forged member Daniela Ruah has nonetheless been working with the community. The actress not solely returned to NCIS for the 1,000th episode in 2024, however she additionally directed an episode of each the franchise’s Mothership collection and the Hawai’i spinoff. Now, she’s bringing her directing expertise to The Equalizer amid the 2025 TV schedule and revealing what the transition to the Queen Latifah-led collection has been like.
Ruah’s episode of The Equalizer, “Deception,” aired this previous Sunday, and it was her first time directing the collection. Contemplating she’s helmed eight episodes throughout a number of NCIS exhibits, one could also be tempted to suppose that there was a little bit of a studying curve when Ruah made the bounce to a different collection. Nonetheless, it truly appears like every little thing went swimmingly, as she defined to Parade:
It was truly a really seamless transition. We put the work in and made calls and instructed individuals, ‘I’m out there, I’d like to direct in your present.’ Then, for The Equalizer, we’re speaking a few style that can also be procedural, so it’s undoubtedly in my consolation zone.
Directing — whether or not it’s for TV or movie appears considerably daunting — particularly so far as a high-profile manufacturing is worried. It goes with out saying that Daniela Ruah, who performed Kensi Blye on NCIS: LA, should take into account plenty of variables as a director. I like listening to that she did not’ have a tricky time together with her newest gig, and it tracks that she would not have been too frightened, given she was nonetheless engaged on a procedural.
It appears like Ruah actually enjoys sitting within the large chair on set. Throughout her interview with Parade, she went on to speak about what she needs to do down the highway, and it will appear procedurals aren’t solely on her thoughts:
I’d love to start out working outdoors of that, in addition to sustaining the procedural world, as a result of I find it irresistible. It’s what I do know finest, clearly. So it wasn’t that far-fetched of a step.
I can perceive Ruah eager to department out into extra genres. She was on NCIS: Los Angeles and, in flip, an everyday a part of the better franchise for 14 years. (That is 15 years total, in the event you embody her 2024 visitor look that was camouflaged from Hawaii.) She’s additionally acted in and directed different tasks all through her profession that weren’t of the procedural style, with a piece of them being Portuguese exhibits. It is nice to see her thriving on this enterprise, and I hope she continues to land alternatives.
In 2024, when it was introduced that Daniela Ruah can be directing episodes of NCIS and NCIS: Hawai’i, she opened up about what it’s like returning to the franchise after NCIS: LA’s conclusion. She likened the expertise to “coming dwelling” since there have been many acquainted faces among the many forged and crew. Whether or not or not she’ll return to direct additional episodes throughout the franchise is unknown, however I’d hope that the administrators would invite her again sooner or later.
After all, let’s additionally hope that – ought to The Equalizer be greenlit for Season 6 that Ruah will work on that present once more as effectively and land different gigs, too. Try Ruah’s episode of The Equalizer now utilizing a Paramount+ subscription.