Is the NCIS Icon Unrecognizable at a Major Awards Event Almost 40 Years Ago?

Linda Hunt, known for her role as Henrietta “Hetty” Lange in the Los Angeles spin-off of NCIS, made her debut in the opening episode of the show. However, in a picture from over 40 years ago, one of NCIS’s most recognizable characters looks nearly unrecognizable.

Linda Hunt’s distinctive blunt hairstyle, which fans have come to adore, was not always her trademark when she portrayed Hetty on NCIS: Los Angeles. In fact, in the past, Linda Hunt looked quite different.

Back in 1985, Linda presented the award for Best Supporting Actor at the 57th Academy Awards, well before she gained recognition for her role as Hetty. This came after Linda’s Best Supporting Actress win the previous year when she became the first person to win an Oscar for portraying a role of the opposite sex. She received her prize at the 1984 event, presented to her by Dyan Cannon and Gene Hackman, who famously portrayed the male character Billy Kwan in the film “The Year of Living Dangerously.”

In the picture from the Academy Awards, Linda is seen wearing a high-necked sequin-adorned gown, with her hair styled shorter than what NCIS viewers are accustomed to seeing her with. She clearly doesn’t sport Hetty’s signature look from the popular CBS police procedural.

Prior to joining NCIS: Los Angeles in 2009, Linda had a diverse acting career, appearing in various films and television shows. She guest-starred on shows like “Without a Trace” and “The Practice” and appeared in movies such as “Kindergarten Cop,” “Stranger Than Fiction,” and the 1984 adaptation of “Dune.” She even lent her voice to the character of Grandmother Willow in the Disney films “Pocahontas” and “Pocahontas II: Journey to a New World.”

Despite her extensive body of work, most people readily recognize Linda Hunt as Hetty, a petite woman with one of the biggest personalities on the NCIS: Los Angeles team.

In recent years, Linda has made sporadic appearances on the show for various reasons, including taking time off to recover from a car accident and facing challenges related to the pandemic. Unfortunately, NCIS: Los Angeles concluded after its 14th season. Nevertheless, fans of the NCIS franchise can still enjoy the original NCIS series, NCIS: Hawaii, and NCIS: New Orleans.

Currently, due to the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strikes in Hollywood, it remains uncertain when new episodes of the NCIS universe will be released. It seems that any subsequent seasons will not air until at least 2024.