Wilmer Valderramas Torres Will Cause Some Romantic Drama
NCIS fans are still suffering after Jessica Knight and Jimmy Palmer’s divorce — but their relationship isn’t the only one to focus on in season 22.
Katrina Law, who portrays Knight, exclusively told Us Weekly earlier this month that Wilmer Valderrama’s Nick Torres is going to stir some trouble with his love life. “His romance is gonna cause some drama,” she hinted. “It’s gonna be awesome.”
Torres claimed on episode 3, which aired on October 28, that he was pushing for the workplace to obtain a new gym facility partially because he’s “trying to get my mind right.”
Torres revealed in Knight at the time that he wants to “get back out there, back in the game.” He emphasized he meant the “love game” after getting his heart shattered by Ellie Bishop (Emily Wickersham) three years before when she unexpectedly departed the squad and canceled her growing romance with Torres. (Wickersham quit the series in 2021 after eight seasons.)
“It’s been too long since I’ve had a special person in my life,” he said, saying that if he wants to meet someone new, “I have to put my best self out there.”
Brian Dietzen, who portrays Palmer, revealed that Torres’ dating life is simply the tip of the iceberg when it comes to new passions for the NCIS crew.
“There’s some romance that’s happening — I can’t give away too much — but not just with Torres,” Dietzen, 46, exclusively told Us in a joint interview with Law, 39. “There’s gonna be some other people on the team as well that might find some romance.”
He pointed out that viewers have previously witnessed that with Leon Vance (Rocky Carroll), who announced during season 22, episode 2, that he desired something more serious with his long-distance partner, Lena Paulsen (Marem Hassler). “He has something that he is exploring,” Dietzen said of Vance.
“That’s what I love so much about our show is that, you know, there are other TV shows or other procedurals that [are] the rip from the headlines sort of stuff and really focus on the case of the week, which our show does well,” Dietzen added. “But also, our shows are ripped from the characters. And we get to watch how these instances affect the people that are solving them.”
He added: “The heavy focus and character development [we have], it’s what keeps me coming back to work. I think it’s what keeps people watching this thing.”
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When it comes to their characters’ connection, Law and Dietzen told Us that Knight and Palmer haven’t “slammed” the door on romance, but it’s “gently closed at the moment.”
During the November 4 episode, Knight and Palmer finally chatted after splitting up at the end of season 21. While Knight intimated that she was open to getting back together, Palmer reminded her that they aren’t now what the other person needs.
“There’s definitely still looks between Jimmy and Knight. The attraction is still alive, and you know, these two are still kind of eyeing each other out,” Law teased of the pair. “It’s not gone.”
Dietzen remarked that viewers will have to wait and see if their separation is “set in stone” or if they’ll “trend back there again.”