Barrett Foa, the original NCIS Los Angeles star, reacts to missing the series finale by revealing that he would have been interested in returning.
Barrett Foa, the original NCIS: Los Angeles star, reacts to missing the series finale. The CBS spinoff debuted in 2009, following agents from the Los Angeles-based Office of Special Projects, a branch of the Naval Cr1minal Investigative Service that handles undercover assignments. Despite being one of the longest-running shows on television, NCIS: Los Angeles was announced in January that it would end after season 14. Throughout the majority of the series, Foa played Eric Beale, a technical operator with a distinct personality whose relationship with Nell Jones (Renée Felice Smith) became an important plot point.
When the series finale of NCIS: Los Angeles aired on May 21, viewers were likely surprised to learn that Eric did not return. In an interview with TVLine, the actor said that while reprising his role would be “a dream,” he was glad the character was mentioned. Showrunner R. Scott Gemmill also addressed Foa’s absence, revealing that there were scheduling conflicts. Read the following comments about Foa missing the NCIS: Los Angeles finale:
“Getting to play Eric Beale one last time would have been a dream, so I was disappointed when it didn’t work out,” Foa says. I’m glad he was recognized and that he’s out there making the world a better place. How wonderful that CBS gave the show the opportunity to give our fans a proper series finale.”
“That was about availability and what we could and couldn’t do,” Gemmill says. If I’d had the time and money, I’d probably have had everyone who had ever appeared on the show. Unfortunately, we were unable to complete all of our objectives.”
In NCIS: Los Angeles, how did Foa’s character arc end?
Foa’s most recent appearance on NCIS: Los Angeles was in the season 12 finale in 2021. Eric became wealthy after leaving the team to develop Kaleidoscope, and he revealed that he received funding to open an international headquarters in Tokyo, but he wanted Nell to lead the new office alongside him. While he was excited about the prospect of working together again, it presented a difficult decision for Nell. She eventually declined Hetty’s (Linda Hunt) job, and the two appeared to be on their way to their next adventure.
Despite the fact that the character was unable to return for the NCIS: Los Angeles series finale, as Foa pointed out, he was still mentioned. Nell revealed in the episode, “New Beginnings Part Two,” that Eric was in Singapore giving a TED Talk. It’s unclear what kept Foa from appearing again, but it’s nice to see that his character wasn’t forgotten.
Despite Eric’s absence, the finale of NCIS: Los Angeles featured a few other characters, including Nell, and served as an emotional send-off for the popular show. But it’s worth wondering what Eric would have been up to had he been able to return. Because the original series is still on the air, Foa may be able to reprise his role outside of NCIS: Los Angeles.
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