Whenever Vostanik Sabatino appears on the NCIS: Los Angeles cast, it is foreshadowing of the team trying to track down a formidable villain.
That appears to be the case again on Sunday night when Sabatino returns during the same episode as mercenary Pietra Rey.
On paper, this has all the makings of a really exciting episode, which would be a change of pace from the character-building component of Season 12.
Action has been pretty sparse during NCIS: LA Season 12, partly because of the coronavirus pandemic. It has forced the producers to introduce new safety protocols, cut down on the extras used on the set, and adjust how actors and actresses physically interact.
We have had some good stories already, leading to fans wondering if Marty Deeks is leaving NCIS. Due to the filming strategies, there were also concerns that Hetty Lange was gone. Regardless, the action has been sparse.
Who plays Vostanik Sabatino on NCIS: Los Angeles cast?
For the NCIS: LA episode that airs on January 10, actor Erik Palladino returns to play Vostanik Sabatino. It isn’t always easy to remember his name on the show, but Sabatino has appeared in quite a few seasons over the years.
The sneak peek from an episode in Season 10 that is shared below can serve as a good visual reminder of him on the show. It aired in October 2018.
Erik Palladino’s career highlights
In addition to appearing on 16 episodes of NCIS: Los Angeles (before his character pops up again on the one called Love Kills), Erik Palladino has appeared in a number of movies and television shows.
Palladino played Kevin Miller on Suits, Leo Foster on The Fix, Tony DeMeo on 666 Park Avenue, and Lt. Michael Daghlian on Joan of Arcadia.
His most notable appearance on television is still playing Dave Malucci from 1999-2001 on ER. The character appeared in 47 episodes of the hit NBC medical drama.
In guest-starring appearances, Paladino has appeared in an episode each of Designated Survivor, Party of Five, Blue Bloods, Arrow, Watchmen, Private Practice, and CSI.
Palladino also starred as Mazzola in the Matthew McConaughey film, U-571.
A younger Palladino can be seen in the ER clip shared below.
More NCIS news
New episodes of NCIS: LA and NCIS: New Orleans air over the next two Sundays, with the shows getting aired at a “special time” during CBS primetime.
As for NCIS itself, the show is finally returning for its winter premiere with a double feature. Those two episodes will work to wrap up the Gibbs-Fornell investigation and bring back McGee’s wife to the NCIS cast.
NCIS: Los Angeles airs Sundays on CBS.
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