As Queen’s Surf Beach drank in the beauty of another sunset over Waikiki, cast and crew gathered with fans for Hawaii Five-0’s Season Seven red-carpet premiere.  And what a memorable event it was – and a starlit night so clear the white canopy that has enveloped so many Five-0 premieres was nowhere in sight.

First to arrive at mytake’s spot on the carpet was Teilor Grubbs (Grace).

MyTakeonTV (MTOTV):  I understand you’re really into sports.  Tell me about your favorites.
Teilor Grubbs (TG):  Ummm, well, I do a competitive type of cheer.  I do gymnastics.  I tumble, and things like that.  I played softball for a year, but I’m not very good at it.  But, I tried it.

Tell me how you’ve grown as an actress since you started working on Five-0.
I’ve been taking a lot of classes.  My character is starting to grow a lot, especially this season.  I’m starting to relate it to more of my everyday life with things that are happening in my life.  Boys are coming into the picture and things like that.

Good to know Grubbs’ role is expanding a bit.  Word on the carpet was that she and her family are moving to Los Angeles, presumably to pursue her acting career, in the coming weeks.

Coming our way next was Dennis Chun (Duke).

I’ve been wanting to talk to you for a long time.
Dennis Chun (DC):  My pleasure

I’ve been reading and doing some research on Hawaii Five-0, the past and present, and what your father meant to the show and what he stood for – it was just amazing.  I’d like to know in what ways you as an actor are continuing his legacy.
Well, I always feel that an actor has a special responsibility, and I especially have a special responsibility because I worked with Jimmy (MacArthur).  I worked with Dad (Kam Fong).  I worked with Jack Lord.  I learned so much from them.  I learned about excellence and commitment and hard work and focus.  And, I feel that I have a responsibility to carry that forward and teach young actors today to bring some of that Aloha to the current Five-0, and I’m just very privileged and honored to be a part of Hawaii Five-0, both past and present.  Do you realize, in two years, we’ll be celebrating the 50^th anniversary of the show?

Cool.
I think about that, and it almost makes me cry sometimes. because you just want to make sure we honor both the past and the present.

Taylor Wiley (Kamekona) was next to arrive.

I was wondering if you could just tell me what’s up with Kamekona this year.
Taylor Wiley (TW):  Oh, Kamekona’s all entrepreneur this year.  He’s looking for more businesses, trying to hustle everybody.

Up to the same old stuff, huh?
TW:  Same old stuff.

“Are you two related?” interrupted Jorge Garcia (Jerry).

A little bit.  That’s my twin sister, Meryl.  She’s my photographer.
Jorge Garcia (JG):  Cool.

You’ve been working on a lot of different projects other than Hawaii Five-0, and I was wondering if you could tell me about some of them.
Ah, man, everything has kinda already come out.  Last year, I was lucky enough to do Ridiculous 6, which we shot in Santa Fe.  It’s on Netflix.  It’s definitely a part unlike anything I’ve ever done before, and I’m a bit unrecognizable.  A lot of people find out later that that character was me, and that was something I was really proud of.  And then other things are kind of waiting to see if they come together and happen.

Of course, no Hawaii Five-0 red carpet would be justified without an interview with the man himself, Alex O’Loughlin (Steve McGarrett).

I loved you in Criminal Minds as Vincent.  I thought that was the best work that you’ve ever done.  I really liked it.
Alex O’Loughlin (AO):  Oh, thank you very much.  That’s very kind.

I read somewhere that you sometimes look back at your notes from the National Institute of Dramatic Art to play roles.  I’m wondering how those particular notes, what things in them, helped you to play that role and to prepare for it and also for the role of McGarrett.
Well, I had a bit of OCD as a kid, so I actually didn’t look at my notes.  I went back and sort of tapped into a childhood experience for that role.  I rarely watch what I do afterwards, so I don’t know how it came out, but there were definitely moments when I was doing it that felt authentic, so I guess that’s something.  And McGarrett’s just been, he’s still a work in progress man.  He’s different than me in so many ways.  He’s like – I have fear where he doesn’t.  He has like, I don’t know, we’re quite different, but I like playing him.  It’s like there’s an ease between us now.

As the sun set on beautiful Waikiki, the curtain opened for Five-0’s first episode of the season.  Though the premiere had already been seen on 10 million small screens nationwide, it was the atmosphere that spoke the loudest here.  And, the series continued to hold its own, with 9 million viewers catching up on its second episode.

Hawaii Five-0 airs on Friday nights at 9:00 on CBS.  Other red-carpet walkers of the night included Executive Producer/Showrunner Peter Lenkov, Scott Caan (Danny), Chi McBride (Grover), and Daniel Dae Kim (Chin Ho).  Grammy-winner Darius Rucker brought the house down as the night’s entertainment.