Scott Bakula Hints at What’s Ahead for Pride on ‘NCIS: New Orleans’

Sam Lothridge/CBS ©2019 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

When production wrapped for the night, the NCIS: New Orleans cast and crew threw star Scott Bakula a birthday bash fit for a king, complete with a sheet cake decorated with the image of his character, Special Agent Dwayne Pride. The following day, Bakula was back in Pride’s shoes, dispensing New Orleans-style justice and telling us all about it.

NCIS: New Orleans continues its sixth season on CBS with Tuesday’s new episode “Matthew 5:9” (10pm ET/PT) in which Special Agent Christopher Lasalle’s (Lucas Black) desperate hunt for the truth about his brother Cade (Clayne Crawford) comes to a critical point when evidence suggests a drug-trafficking ring may be involved.

Pride travels to Alabama to join Lasalle in searching for clues and assisting local law enforcement to track Cade’s last known whereabouts. Of course, Pride is going to do this investigation his own way.

“This guy wears his heart on his sleeve, anyway, so when you start messing around with his family or extended members of his family, he has trouble doing both things — taking care of his people and also doing his business,” Bakula says of Pride’s not-by-the-book mentality. “It’s a battle. It’s something he fights all the time.”

The case of Lasalle and his brother is deeply personal for Pride. “He has those kinds of parental emotions, and he and Lasalle have been together the longest,” Bakula says. “He’s nurtured him and been his mentor. He knows Lasalle’s story and knows the challenges he’s faced with his brother. Hopefully, the rest of Pride’s team can handle what’s going on in New Orleans so he can really devote himself to being there to help Lasalle in any way he can. It’s a powerful arc, and it’s explosive in many ways.”

It’s been a rough year for Pride, as well. He’s been suffering from nightmares, insomnia and hallucinations stemming from his traumatic experience being kidnapped and drugged last season. Bakula hints that these visions will put Pride on the path to some important realizations in coming episodes.

“He gets some information about some events that happened when he was a very young person that kind of help organize his mind a little bit in terms of looking back on his life and understanding why he is who he is,” Bakula says. “I think that’s going to be satisfying for the audience and, I think, for his character.”

26 Comments

  1. Did the episode end in the restaurant? Is there a part II? I can’t believe we’ve lost LaSalle. Maybe it is a dream.

  2. This is bull! No warning at all, Need to figure out a way to put him back somehow.you are taking out the wrong people ! Him Pride an Mouse make this show.You all are full of it. Pretty soon. No one will watch the show anymore,if things don’t change before it’s too late!

  3. What’s up with killing him off? Is Black leaving on his own? Did some Idiot New York exce. think his accent was too southern? He gave the shoe authenticity! He was my favorite!!!
    What the heck is going on? NCIS: New Orleans has been my favorite one for years. I sure hope this was Black’s decision, but what an awesome
    gig for him!!! Can’t see him leaving on his own? WHAT THE FRICKING HELL, CBS?????

  4. I am devastated. I can not believe you killed him. Why not right him off? I love Scott Bacula and Mark Harmon but Lucas Black made this show great. When Michael Weatherly left you left a hole so he could come back. When Pauley left you left Abby alive. Why,why,why did you kill Christopher? I am a little angry at the show right now.

  5. Chris was my favorite character on the show. No need to watch it any longer. This was a bad move unless Lucas, himself wanted to move on for some reason.

  6. Unless Lucas Black is going through some unforeseen illness or tragedy in real life, I will no longer be able to watch the show due to the intense sadness it will bring me. My best to Lucas Black and his family . Roll Tide… Country girl from Tennessee

  7. I am surprised that there are only 21 comments. Lasalle makes the show. Of course he does his character is from Alabama. WHAT ARE YOU ALL THINKING???????? I am getting so tired of CBS writing off great characters

  8. I’m
    Actually shocked, like I
    Lost a part
    Of my own family….I’m so sad and
    Am
    Missing his
    Presence
    Already.

  9. Wow…unbeliveable…we have five TV’s in our house and they are all tuned in at 10pm on Tuesday night…everyone is so upset… Not sure who’s stupied idea this was but you’ve lost this household…Bye

    • I agree. Now that lucus Black won’t be on the show, I’m not watching it any more. Deb from West Texas USA

  10. That was such a shock, Somehow they have to bring him back. Like another fans say, hopefully it was a dream for Pride. It’s not fair.

    • Please find a way to bring LaSalle back!!!!!The show will not b the same without him as he is a staple of the show!!!! My heart is broken and I am utterly blown away and so very disappointed!!!!

      • Me too Susan. If they were to bring lasalle back, I’ll start watching it but not unless they do. To me, it was almost like a family member dying! I cried.

    • Absolutely agree. LaSalle was more than just a character on the show. He represented ‘the face of NCIS New Orleans’. Don’t see how anyone can replace him. Perhaps he can be resurrected?

  11. So heartbroken to see that LaSalle is gone. I was really hoping that he would wake up and see Loretta. Instead he only remembered going fishing with his brother. Heartbroken

  12. Is he ok? Does Lucas Black still want to be on the show or does he want to try something different? It will suck to lose his character, but I’m praying that he’s not terminally ill because that would be even worse!

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About Ryan Berenz 2186 Articles
Member of the Television Critics Association. Charter member of the Ancient and Mystic Society of No Homers. Squire of the Ancient & Benevolent Order of the Lynx, Lodge 49, Long Beach, Calif. Costco Wholesale Gold Star Member since 2011.