Actress Yasmine Al-Bustami stars in the new series NCIS: Hawai’i. She now has a regular role in this spin-off of the highly popular series NCIS.
Al-Bustami previously appeared on shows The Chosen and S.W.A.T. She has starred in numerous films and tv shows since she started her acting career in 2013.
Yasmine Al-Bustami: acting career
Making her acting debut in The Originals, Al-Bustami played a villain in season 1 of the show. She then starred in an episode of musical soap opera series Nashville in 2014. A year later, she appeared in teen drama series Switched at Birth.
In 2016, Al-Bustami landed a recurring role in crime drama series The Inspectors. 2017 saw her appear in the music video for John Legend’s “Surefire” and the feature film You Get Me. She then became a series regular on the series I Ship It, a musical rom-com. Al-Bustami also got a regular role on the live interactive sci-fi series Orbital Redux.
Her biggest role to date came with the advent of The Chosen, the world’s first multi-season series on the life of Jesus. The Chosen’s season 1 represents the top crowdfunded TV series or film project of all time, surpassing the $20 million mark.
Yasmine Al-Bustami’s complex origins
Al-Bustami originally hails from the United Arab Emirates, from Palestinian and Filipino parents. Her and her family lived in Abu Dhabi until the age of three when they moved to Texas. Growing up in the US and not feeling much of a connection to her native country, her parents sent her back to live there at thirteen. She’s since developed a love for middle-eastern food and a connection to her origins.
Being an actress wasn’t always on the cards for Al-Bustami. Her parents actually wanted her to be an investment banker, and she studied a degree in finance at the University of Texas. Not massively enthused by the corporate world, she considered becoming a band manager because of her love for music. However, she discovered her passion for acting at the university. Responding to casting calls from its film department, she loved acting in her first student film and hasn’t looked back since.
Al-Bustami enjoys traveling in her spare time and has lived in Paris for a little while. On her website she proudly lists two wonders of the world she has visited: the Giza pyramids and Petra. Her love of comedy sees her calling Michael Scott from the Office her “spirit animal”.
Yasmine Al-Bustami: “NCIS: Hawai’i”
The fourth series in the NCIS franchise has now aired and features Al-Bustami as a series regular, playing the role of Lucy. The franchise’s first LGBTQ+ agent, Lucy enters into an on-off relationship with DIA officer Kate Whistler.
NCIS delves into their relationship from the first episode. Producer Jan Nash wanted to give the audience a sustained and serious engagement with queer love. “We want these characters to feel like they have full lives. They have families, they have interests, they struggle with things — and certainly relationships are a part of that,” she says.
The relationship has since become a fan favorite, with many discussing its twists and turns online. With its stunning tropical scenery and diverse cast of characters, NCIS: Hawai’i comes highly recommended.
Check out the show here and follow Al-Bustami on Instagram for all her latest news.
