‘NCIS: Hawai’i’ begins filming on Oahu

“NCIS: Hawai‘i” kicked off its first season of production at Mokuleia Beach on Wednesday with a traditional Hawaiian blessing.

Cultural practitioner Ramsay Taum led the blessing at Mokuleia’s Army Beach, which was attended by the new series’ main actors, including Vanessa Lachey, Yasmine Al-Bustami and Jason Antoon, along with executive producer and director Larry Teng and director of photography Yasu Tanida.

From left are director of photography Yasu Tanida, Tori Anderson, Jason Antoon, Noah Mills, Yasmine Al-Bustami, Vanessa Lachey, Kahu Ramsay Taum, executive producer / director Larry Teng, executive producer Christopher Silber, producer Randy Sutter, co-executive producer Tim Andrew and unit production manager Eric Hays. (Courtesy CBS)

“NCIS: Hawai‘i” is the latest extension of the popular “NCIS” franchise named after the U.S. Navy’s Naval Criminal Investigative Service. The Hawaii version stars Lachey as Jane Tennant, a mother and the first woman to lead the NCIS unit based at Pearl Harbor.

Lachey told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser she was excited to play a character who could be seen as a role model “not only for young girls but for young people everywhere.”