‘NCIS: Origins’: Mariel Molino Teases Lala’s Move That Makes Gibbs ‘Who He Becomes’

“This is a story I don’t tell. This is the story of…her,” was the intriguing promise made by Leroy Jethro Gibbs (Mark Harmon) in the premiere of this NCIS prequel about the life of young Gibbs’ (Austin Stowell) in the ’90s as a rookie agent working for what was then NIS. The NCIS: Origins Season 1 finale will revolve around the “her” we’ve come to know and love, his colleague, the determined Agent Lala Dominguez (Mariel Molino) who, to be respected in the boys’ club, “has to be more than capable, to be assumed to be capable,” Molino says.

The trouble starts with the arrival of Lala’s friend, ambitious military police investigator Lara Macy (Claire Berger), an NCIS mothership character (played by Louise Lombard in that series). “They’ve crossed paths at crime scenes, watch each other’s backs, and try to be scrappy and figure out how to get to where they want to go as women,” Molino says. “They are very able but have come across situations where they’re treated differently because they’re women.”

The wrinkle is Macy’s there to investigate suspicions about Pedro Hernandez, the drug dealer Gibbs secretly assassinated for murdering his family. Lala figured that out earlier this season while trying to track down the killer herself. Infuriated, she secretly confronted Gibbs, but later he revealed his vulnerable side to her. “In that moment she realized how much she loves him,” Molino says. “Loves, loves, loves, loves.”

As Gibbs, Lala, and Franks (Kyle Schmid) try to get their stories straight and protect themselves, “There’s a lot of disagreement. They could lose their jobs, go to jail. You see everybody’s worst side. Lala is between this friendship and loyalty to the guys,” Mariel Molino reveals. The actress previews more about the episode including romance with Gibbs, the toughest scene she’s ever shot, bickering with Austin Stowell, and the cliffhanger ending.

Do we see a new side of Lala in the finale?

Mariel Molino: You get to see things from my perspective. The episode is called “Cecilia” [Lala’s given name.] It’s also the Simon and Garfunkel song, which we’ll hear. In a way, Cecilia will be breaking your heart. This is the first episode that has Lala standing up for herself. There’s a big moment between Franks and Lala, where Lala finally sees the value in herself. She goes into crazy overdrive trying to figure out how to make sure that Gibbs is not arrested. She’s also incredibly protective of Randy [Caleb Foote]. Gibbs and Franks sometimes make decisions and don’t think of how it will affect everybody. Every relationship is tested. You see the strain.

Related

'NCIS: Origins' Finale Scoop: Pedro Hernandez Returns to Haunt Gibbs

You said that Lala “loves, loves, loves” Gibbs. Does this episode bring them closer?

In the finale, Gibbs catches Lala in a very vulnerable moment, something that she does to disconnect from the world. Everything that Lala has done thus far to put her walls up to remain professional shatters. We see her surrender to feelings she’s had since he came onto the team. For a split second, there’s a beautiful fairytale of what these two could be.

Why is Lala drawn to Gibbs?

She’s never felt like someone is looking out for her like he does. She sees a lot in him that she wishes she were. He’s honest to a fault and treats every case with so much compassion. There’s part of Lala that’s like, no, we work on the same team, and you deserve something better. She’s afraid: What if I hurt him?

Can Lala confide in anyone about this?

Mary Jo [Tyla Abercrumbie] can see everything. She pulls Lala aside and is like, “I know you’re feeling things for Gibbs. Stop trying to deny it.” Lala’s just like, “No, I’m not.” [I had to cry and] I always have difficulty crying as an actor. It’s not my forte. It’s probably because in real life I don’t like crying. I remember telling Tyla, “I’m so nervous.” She’s like, “Honey, you’re going to be acting against me. I’ll take care of you.” It didn’t matter what I was worried about, I was enveloped in her.

Let’s talk about that moment Lala knew she loved Gibbs.

When he starts to tell her everything that happened with [his landlady] Ruth [London Garcia] and how he got into NIS, it’s the first time he really opens up. He puts down his walls. In preparing for this finale, I was tracking everything Lala has gone through in the last 17 episodes and there’s stuff that isn’t written. We didn’t have the scene where he tells Lala, sentence by sentence, what happened. I had to invent that. I was in an airplane, and I just start writing as if I were Gibbs telling her, “I met this woman, and she was kind of a bitch. Then we started doing puzzles and talking about life.” I’m imagining everything that he told me and how much that would’ve taken for him. All of a sudden, I’m in the plane and I’m crying, just bawling, thinking, “Oh my God, I’m in love with him. I love him. I don’t want to be off his team. I want to make sure that I have his back.”

But Lala is still torn between loyalty to Gibbs/the team and her friend’s investigation.

There’s a ton of conflict. It’s the question of, “What is just, and do you protect your own?” Lara Macy poses a really good question to Lala: “Is it our job to protect these men from themselves and their bad decisions?” Lala does that all the time. It brings up a big question for Lala: Would they do it for her? It’s a moment of reckoning. She’s been the guys’ girl this whole time and she’s the tough one. But [through Lara] she’s presented with, “You said you stand for justice, and you stand for this oath that you took as a Marine.” Who is Cecilia? Can she serve both? And is that betraying herself?

CBS

Does the finale provide a definitive answer as to why this is “the story of her”?

The viewer will find out something so integral to who Gibbs becomes — that future Gibbs, who we saw and loved on NCIS — that even he does not know. Lala does something in the finale that he doesn’t know she did. It is the reason that Gibbs becomes who he becomes years later. It’s a question that is brought up in later seasons of NCIS that Gibbs himself doesn’t know the answer to.

Do we end on a big cliffhanger?

Huge! There’s a big question about Lala that will change everything and everyone and the team. There’s a scene at the end of the episode which was one of the most challenging things that I’ve done as an actor physically. It’s nighttime. Stunts were involved. So many different departments had to be so cohesive to pull it off. I wanted to make sure that I executed properly — because of the story and to get the shot the director wanted. That was one of the most surreal and scary experiences that I’ve had as an actor, which will make for a very exciting finale.

What’s your relationship with Austin like after shooting a season together?

We’re like an old married couple. We are bickering all the time. About anything. We’ve grown to know each other very well. There’s been ups, downs. We’ve tested each other. We’ve been there for each other. He’s created a place where everyone is so happy to come into work and spend 14+ hours. We’re incredibly comfortable with each other — enough to bring up things that might be uncomfortable at times or that maybe I’m struggling with.

The series has been renewed for a second season. Any hiatus plans?

I’m reading Wuthering Heights right now. I never read it in school. It’s just so beautifully written. It’s inspired me to book a trip to the English countryside. That’s going to be my decompress with my mom and my sister. We’re going to the Cotswolds, staying in country inns, and driving around. I’m going to have to drive on the other side of the road!

Which other NCIS franchise would you want to be on?

Let’s do a Lala spin-off! Just Lala in the ’80s.

NCIS: Origins, Season 1 Finale, Monday, April 28, 10/9c, CBS