Even the longest-running collection can profit from a brand new spark.
That rejuvenation is what has been occurring within the final couple of seasons on NCIS: Los Angeles, thanks partially to the intelligent Reserve Agent Shyla Dahr, performed by Kavi Ramachandran Ladnier (pronounced Kuvi Rama-chun-thrun Lad-ner).
In an unique interview with TV Fanatic, Ladnier talked about how she’s having fun with her recurring function in a name from Los Angeles.
Ladnier landed the function when she auditioned for a distinct function through which the character spoke the identical sort of technical dialogue as Shyla. She missed out on that function however was provided the a part of Shyla as an alternative.
“Which I love,” she mentioned. “I love playing Shyla.”
Ladnier joined a veteran forged, lots of whom had been collectively for greater than a decade. She mentioned they made the transition seamless for her.
“They’re so kind and generous .. the cast, the crew, everyone involved in the show,” she defined. “As an actor, you always dream about being a member of a set family. It’s been a really great environment to work in. I feel terribly grateful to be working with them.”
Shyla stays one thing of an enigma. When she was launched on NCIS: Los Angeles Season 13, it was defined that she had previously labored with Kilbride in Washington. This season, she advised Fatima that she’s getting divorced. That’s it to date for her background.
Will viewers study extra throughout the remainder of the season?
“To be honest with you, I’m not quite sure either,” she mentioned. “I hope so. I love that they’ve given her back story.”
Shyla has a familiarity with Kilbride that the remainder of the squad lacks.
“She’s probably the only one who can give him some shit,” Ladnier defined. “Shyla definitely knows how to push his buttons, and he hers. It’s great to have that kind of banter with Admiral Kilbride and Gerald McRaney.”
Shyla is a Kilbride whisperer. So what is the greatest false impression concerning the admiral?
“He’s a big teddy bear,” Ladnier mentioned. “He cares so much about the team. He’s seen so much in that stern father role. But he’s not all work. He cares about family. And right now, this is his family. He just shows it in a real gruff way.”
Ladnier’s character has labored predominately in Ops however has been out within the discipline as effectively. Which does she desire?
“She loves both,” she says. “The fact that she’s a reserve agent doesn’t mean that she isn’t equally qualified to be out in the field as in Ops. I love that she’s well-rounded. But it’s always great to go out and catch the bad guys.”
Shyla is entrance and middle within the third hour of the crossover. She’s supporting her teammates, in addition to visiting brokers from Washington and Hawaii, as they seek for the lacking Kilbride. Ladnier cherished the expertise.
“It was so much fun,” she gushed. “It was nice to be on set with individuals who aren’t usually there. My scenes have been largely with the visitor actors. I used to be simply honored to be part of this as a result of I do know NCIS followers have been actually clamoring for one thing like this.
Another current appearing job that Ladnier loved was portraying Reena, the mom of Bela, on HBO’s The Sex Lives of College Girls, a creation of fellow Indian-American Mindy Kaling.
“It was really so much fun,” she mentioned. “Mindy’s at the top of her game, creating really fantastic shows that audiences are loving. I loved playing Reena because she had such a great relationship with her daughter. It’s so different from Shyla, the other end of the spectrum.”
Two movies Ladnier is concerned with are making a splash on the film-festival circuit.
First is her one-woman film, “Now and Never,” through which she performs 5 roles and produces along with her firm Art Heart Love Productions.
The different is “East Bay,” the place she stars with Constance Wu. It was filmed a number of years in the past however was lastly accomplished in 2021.
Next up for her is the revenge thriller “The 8th Year,” which she will likely be producing within the first quarter of this yr in Vancouver.
Ladnier can also be writing a brief movie with McRaney and a kids’s e-book.
She was drawn to producing as a result of it “provides me the ability to place issues out into the world that will not in any other case be put out or not having to attend for another person to provide me permission. I really like the truth that once you’re producing, you are in control of not simply the content material however of the entire course of.
“It’s something I’ve always been interested in. I’ve done it in various ways throughout my whole career, and now I’m just stepping into it in a more full way. I love being able to have a say at the table.”
Finally, Ladnier is pleased with her 19-year-old daughter, Leela, who voices the primary South Asian protagonist on a Disney Junior present on Mira, Royal Detective.
Ladnier is getting into her twenty eighth yr as an actress. She has seen progress for South Asian actors throughout that point.
“Conditions have modified rather a lot within the sense that we’re not simply being requested to play stereotypical roles. Also, there are extra roles.
“There are so many more young people coming into the business. So there are more opportunities. It’s really important to honor the positive moves forward. We still have a lot of work to do.”
It helps that there at the moment are South Asian folks in any respect ranges of the enterprise.
“The good thing is that we’re seeing [Asian] people behind the camera, in the writing room,” she continued.
“People like Mindy are nice influences. We’re seeing folks do all of the totally different elements of what it takes to make movie or tv work. We’re seeing folks on the desk, loads of executives. It’s outstanding and fantastic.
“And we need to keep writing our stories so that we’re being represented fully and wholly,” she added. “We’re seeing more of the humanity of people rather than stereotypes. That’s the biggest shift.”
Ladnier’s hopes for the brand new yr? “Hopefully, more Shyla and more acting roles,” she mentioned. “I’m excited about 2023.”
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NCIS: Los Angeles airs Sunday nights at 10/9c, and you’ll be able to watch NCIS: Los Angeles on-line proper right here by way of TV Fanatic.
Dale McGarrigle is a employees author for TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter.
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