AMP in the post
The Season 12 episode had given an impressive debut to actress Raquel McPeek Rodriguez’ that made viewers calling out for a recurring role for her in the CBS Drama.
NCIS: Los Angeles Spoilers – The Fight Without Sound
The latest episode had effectively discussed the struggles of people with disabilities who wish to be enlisted in the military. This was done with Eng. Sienna Marchione, who was the only survivor in her team after military-grade technology was stolen. This newbie has always dreamed to be in the military, but her disability to hear beyond a certain threshold had blocked her from reaching that dream.
Sienna was introduced to Kensi Blye (Daniela Ruah) and Marty Deeks (Eric Christian Olsen) while CBS series stalwarts Deeks and Nell Jones (Renee Felice Smith) were hesitant of her.
Sienna faced new opposition from the usually upbeat Deeks who grilled her for her loyalty: “I’m just, I don’t know, having a really hard time connecting the dots. So maybe you just help me out?”
AMP in the post
The newcomer described her backstory: “I come from a proud Navy family and it’s my dream to serve my country but I’ve never been able to because of my deafness.”
Deeks and Kensi have pieced together why Sienna landed as an engineer to still be able to protect her nation. “It’s the least I can do… While I wait for someone to realize how much I can offer my country,” Sienna explained.
It was her bond with Kensi that made fans wanting for more of her in the show. Kensi appreciated her bravery and resilience, and she took her on board with a little intervention from Admiral Kilbride (Gerald McRaney) despite Deeks’s hesitation and Nell rejecting the idea.
With Sienna’s deep knowledge of technology and the players, she has proven she was a great asset by taking down two thugs involved in the theft.
AMP in the post
NCIS: Los Angeles Spoilers – A Silent Place In A Noisy World
Surprisingly, Sienna’s portrayer the actress and activist Racquel McPeek Rodriguez relates to her character’s struggle as she was also born with an impaired hearing. She learned sign language and was admired for her acting skills. That led the John F. Kennedy Center to recognize her in the play “Electricidad.”
The star had recently updated her fans on Instagram and promised them she’ll be posting behind-the-scenes shots soon. She wrote: “So yeah.. that wasn’t a dream. I’m feeling incredibly grateful today. Thank you all so much for all the love you’ve been giving me, you guys are amazing.”
She was grateful to the cast and crew of NCIS for making her “feel right at home” with all of them. She also mentioned Kennedy Casting and the producers “for casting a Deaf actress in a Deaf role.”
Although fans would like to see her more on the series, Racquel might have only appeared as a guest on the show as she already thanked the show writers Indira Gibson Wilson and Jordana Lewis Jaffe lastly in her post for “telling Sienna’s story.”