Editing LL Cool J (section)

==Acting career==
While LL Cool J first appeared as a rapper in the movie ''[[Krush Groove]]'' (performing "I Can't Live Without My Radio"),<ref>{{cite web |title=LL Cool J's Journey From 'Krush Groove' To The Grammys |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/1678974/ll-cool-j-grammy-host/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191020170840/http://www.mtv.com/news/1678974/ll-cool-j-grammy-host/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 20, 2019 |website=MTV |access-date=20 October 2019}}</ref> his first acting part was a small role in a high school football movie called ''[[Wildcats (film)|Wildcats]]''.<ref>{{cite web |title=Movie review : 'Wildcats' doesn't put points on scoreboard |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1986-02-13-ca-23413-story.html |website=L.A. Times |date=February 13, 1986 |access-date=20 October 2019}}</ref> He landed the role of Captain Patrick Zevo in [[Barry Levinson]]'s 1992 film ''[[Toys (film)|Toys]]''.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Military Industrial Toy Chest: Barry Levinson's Toys at 25 |url=https://consequence.net/2017/12/the-military-industrial-toy-chest-barry-levinsons-toys-at-25/ |website=Consequence of Sound |date=December 17, 2017 |access-date=20 October 2019}}</ref> From 1995 to 1999, he starred in his own television sitcom ''[[In the House (TV series)|In the House]]''. He portrayed an ex-[[Oakland Raiders]] running back who finds himself in financial difficulties and is forced to rent part of his home out to a single mother and her two children, one of whom moves out with her before the third season.<ref>{{cite web |title=LL Cool J's Defense : With the Rapper 'In the House,' His Street Rep Is on the Line |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-03-21-ca-49744-story.html |website=L.A. Times |date=March 21, 1996 |access-date=20 October 2019}}</ref>

In 1998, LL Cool J played security guard Ronny in ''[[Halloween H20]]'', the seventh movie in the ''[[Halloween (franchise)|Halloween]] franchise''.<ref>{{cite news |title=FILM REVIEW; Monster and Victim: Older, Not Wiser |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/08/05/movies/film-review-monster-and-victim-older-not-wiser.html |website=The New York Times|date=August 5, 1998 |last1=Gelder |first1=Lawrence Van }}</ref> In 1999, he co-starred as Preacher, the chef in the [[Renny Harlin]] horror/comedy ''[[Deep Blue Sea (1999 film)|Deep Blue Sea]]''.<ref>{{cite news |title=FILM REVIEW; Superjaws: Lab Sharks Turn Men Into Sushi |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1999/07/28/movies/film-review-superjaws-lab-sharks-turn-men-into-sushi.html |newspaper=The New York Times |date=July 28, 1999 |access-date=20 October 2019|last1=Holden |first1=Stephen }}</ref> He received positive reviews for his role as Dwayne Gittens, an underworld boss nicknamed "God", in ''[[In Too Deep (1999 film)|In Too Deep]]''.<ref>{{cite news |title='In Too Deep': The Charisma of Human Evil |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/movies/reviews/intoodeephunter.htm |newspaper=Washington Post |access-date=20 October 2019}}</ref> Later that year, he starred as Julian Washington—a talented but selfish running back on fictional professional football team the Miami Sharks—in [[Oliver Stone]]'s drama ''[[Any Given Sunday]]''. He and co-star [[Jamie Foxx]] allegedly got into a real fistfight while filming a fight scene.<ref>{{cite web |title=LL Cool J, Jamie Foxx Exchange Blows On Set Of Oliver Stone Football Flick |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/1431099/ll-cool-j-jamie-foxx-exchange-blows-on-set-of-oliver-stone-football-flick/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140715081757/http://www.mtv.com/news/1431099/ll-cool-j-jamie-foxx-exchange-blows-on-set-of-oliver-stone-football-flick/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 15, 2014 |website=MTV}}</ref> During the next two years, LL Cool J appeared in [[Rollerball (2002 film)|''Rollerball'']],<ref>{{cite web |last1=Simmons |first1=Bill |title=Dropping the 'Rollerball' |url=https://proxy.espn.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/020214 |website=ESPN |access-date=20 October 2019}}</ref> ''[[Deliver Us from Eva]]'',<ref>{{cite news |title=FILM REVIEW; Dreaming Up a Riddle for a Know-It-All |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/02/07/movies/film-review-dreaming-up-a-riddle-for-a-know-it-all.html |website=The New York Times |date=February 7, 2003 |access-date=20 October 2019|last1=Holden |first1=Stephen }}</ref> ''[[S.W.A.T. (2003 film)|S.W.A.T.]]'',<ref>{{cite news |title=FILM REVIEW; Working Up A S.W.E.A.T. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/08/08/movies/film-review-working-up-a-sweat.html |website=The New York Times |date=August 8, 2003 |access-date=20 October 2019|last1=Mitchell |first1=Elvis }}</ref> and ''[[Mindhunters]]''.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Ebert |first1=Roger |title=Mindhunters movie review & film summary |url=https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/mindhunters-2005 |website=RogerEbert.com |access-date=20 October 2019}}</ref>

In 2005, he returned to television in a guest-starring role on the [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]] medical drama ''[[House (TV series)|House]]''; he portrayed a death row inmate felled by an unknown disease in an episode titled "[[House (season 2)|Acceptance]]". He appeared as [[Queen Latifah]]'s love interest in the 2006 movie ''[[Last Holiday (2006 film)|Last Holiday]]''.<ref>{{cite news |title=From Bad News Springs a Newfound Joie de Vivre |url=http://movies2.nytimes.com/2006/01/13/movies/13holi.html |website=The New York Times |date=January 13, 2006 |access-date=20 October 2019|last1=Dargis |first1=Manohla }}</ref> He also guest-starred on ''[[30 Rock]]'' in the 2007 episode "[[The Source Awards (30 Rock)|The Source Awards]]", portraying a hip-hop producer called Ridikulous who [[Tracy Jordan]] fears may kill him.<ref>{{cite news |title=Why you should revisit '30 Rock' this St. Patrick's Day |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/act-four/wp/2015/03/17/why-you-should-revisit-30-rock-this-st-patricks-day/ |newspaper=Washington Post |access-date=20 October 2019}}</ref> LL Cool J appeared in ''[[Sesame Street]]'''s 39th season, introducing the word of the day--"Unanimous"—in episode 4169 (September 22, 2008) and performing "The Addition Expedition" in episode 4172 (September 30, 2008).<ref>{{cite web |title=See What Happens When Rappers Visit Sesame Street |url=https://www.ifc.com/shows/comedy-bang-bang/blog/2015/01/see-what-happens-when-rappers-visit-sesame |website=IFC |access-date=20 October 2019}}</ref>

In 2009, he began starring on the CBS police procedural ''[[NCIS: Los Angeles]]''. The show ran for 14 seasons and is a spin-off of ''[[NCIS (TV series)|NCIS]]'', which itself is a spin-off of the naval legal drama ''[[JAG (TV series)|JAG]]''. LL Cool J portrayed [[Naval Criminal Investigative Service|NCIS]] Special Agent Sam Hanna, an ex–[[Navy SEAL]] who is fluent in [[Arabic]] and is an expert on [[West Asian]] culture. The series debuted in autumn of 2009, but the characters were introduced in an April 2009 [[crossover episode]] on the parent show.<ref name=ncislegends>{{Cite magazine |title='NCIS' spinoff officially lands LL Cool J |url=http://popwatch.ew.com/popwatch/2009/02/ncis-ll-cool-j.html |date=February 25, 2009 |access-date=February 25, 2009 |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |first=Mandi |last=Bierly |archive-date=March 1, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090301143416/http://popwatch.ew.com/popwatch/2009/02/ncis-ll-cool-j.html |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=There's something familiar about 'NCIS: Los Angeles' |url=https://www.newsday.com/entertainment/tv/ll-cool-j-stars-in-ncis-los-angeles-1.1460231 |website=Newsday |access-date=20 October 2019 |archive-date=October 20, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191020143010/https://www.newsday.com/entertainment/tv/ll-cool-j-stars-in-ncis-los-angeles-1.1460231 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In 2013, LL received a Teen Choice Award for Choice TV Actor: Action for his work on the program.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-et-teen-choice-2013-awards-winners-list-story.html|title=Complete list of Teen Choice 2013 Awards winners|date=August 12, 2013|website=Los Angeles Times}}</ref> In May 2023, following the series finale of ''NCIS: Los Angeles'', it was announced that LL would reprise the role of Sam Hanna as a recurring guest star in the third season of ''[[NCIS: Hawaiʻi]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2023/05/ll-cool-sam-hanna-cast-ncis-hawaii-season-3-1235376371/|work=[[Deadline Hollywood]]|title=LL Cool J Joins Cast Of 'NCIS: Hawai'i' Season 3 Reprising Sam Hanna Role|first=Rosy|last=Cordero|date=May 22, 2023|access-date=May 23, 2023}}</ref>

In December 2013, LL co-starred as a gym owner in the sports dramedy ''[[Grudge Match]]''.<ref>{{cite web |title=In Grudge Match, Not Quite Rocky Balboa Against Raging Bull |url=https://www.villagevoice.com/2013/12/24/in-grudge-match-not-quite-rocky-balboa-against-raging-bull/ |website=The Village Voice |date=December 24, 2013 |access-date=21 October 2019}}</ref> From 2015 to 2019, LL hosted the show ''[[Lip Sync Battle]]''.<ref>{{cite web |title=LL Cool J to Host Spike's 'Lip Sync Battle' for EP Jimmy Fallon |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/ll-cool-j-host-spikes-761618 |website=Hollywood Reporter |date=January 7, 2015 |access-date=20 October 2019}}</ref> He was also cast to play Beth's father in ''[[Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising]]'', as shown in a trailer for the film, but his scenes were cut from the final product.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/arts-and-entertainment/wp/2016/05/23/jokes-from-the-neighbors-2-trailer-arent-in-the-movie-should-we-be-angry/ |title=Jokes from the 'Neighbors 2' trailer aren't in the movie. Should we be angry? |date=2016-05-23 |author1=Stephanie Merry |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |place=Washington, D.C. |issn=0190-8286 |oclc=1330888409}}</ref>