Over the last seven seasons, “Hawaii Five-0” has stacked their show with some amazing guest stars. These guest actors have helped the show stay at the top of the Friday night lineup by lending their star power, as well as their considerable acting talents to the show. There have been many guest stars who have left a lasting impression on the fandom. Some guest stars have returned for additional episodes because of the response to their characters. And several guests even returned as recurring cast members.

Often enough, a guest spot on “Hawaii Five-0” doesn’t always mean “one and done.” Guests offer credibility to the strength of the show, but also allow for new and interesting conflicts for the series regulars. And so many guests have become as beloved to the Five-0 fans, as the series stars.

Yet, there are times when guest actors have become fan favorites even if some of us may not have recognized their names the first time around. Many guest actors may not be as well-known as powerhouse names like Carol Burnett, Melanie Griffith, or Michael Imperioli, just to name a few.

So Five-0 fans chimed in this week about possible guest stars for the upcoming season eight. Many of their suggestions are actors they have seen on other series or in popular movies, and many have ties to Hawaiʻi either personally or professionally. All of these suggestions are incredibly talented actors, regardless if you recognize their names or faces.

Many of the actors fans want as possible guests are names you will immediately recognize, but if you don’t– I hope you will know them once they have done a turn on “Hawaii Five-0.”

I love when actors who are born and/or raised in Hawaiʻi snag a guest spot on “Hawaii Five-0.” It just makes so much sense to have an actor who understands the subtle nuances of speaking pidgin, or the reality and truth about traffic; who can throw a shaka, and eat at Kamekona’s World Famous Shrimp truck without looking completely awkward.

My choices for guests with Hawaiʻi ties are Maggie Q and Auliʻi Cravalho, and fans chose Jason Momoa and Dwayne Johnson. All four actors spent some or all of their formative years growing up in Hawaiʻi and would fit right in with the multi-ethnic ‘Five-0’ cast. For the most part, all four could play good or bad guys– depending on what kinds of roles are created for these often overlooked actors.

Maggie Q is most famous her roles in “Mission Impossible III,” “Live Free or Die Hard,” and as Tori Wu in all three films of the “Divergent” series. She also starred as Nikita in the 2010 CW reboot of the same name, and currently plays FBI Agent Hannah Wells on the ABC political drama “Designated Survivor.” Q grew up on Oʻahu and attended Mililani High School. After graduation she left Hawaiʻi for Asia to model, and began to act in Chinese films and television shows, after training with international film star, Jackie Chan. Q’s martial arts training and strong experience on both television and movie sets– besides her true kamaʻāina status– would make her an excellent friend to Five-0, or a equally spectacular villain.

Like Maggie Q, young actress Auliʻi Cravalho, is also from Mililani, yet her acting career is just beginning. Cravalho, a high school student from Kamehameha Schools-Kapālama, is best known as “Moana” from the animated film of the same name. In February, Cravalho was cast in the NBC drama “Rise” as Lilette. While Cravalho is slowly building her resume, I think we’d love to see her play a teenage crime fighter working on an interesting case with McGarrett and the team. And once they solved the case, she could hang out with the gang at Kamekona’s and sing a couple of songs with cousin Flippa.   

While some fans may not realize this, Carvalho’s fellow “Moana” star, Dwayne Johnson, spent some of his teenage years in Hawaiʻi, where he attended McKinley High School in Honolulu. Johnson is known for his action roles, like Luke Hobbs in the “Fast and the Furious” franchise; Raymond “Ray” Gaines in “San Andreas”; and as Hercules and the Scorpion King from films of the same name.

He is also a great comedic actor, as seen most recently in his roles in “Central Intelligence” and the film “Baywatch.” Really, a guest spot on “Hawaii Five-0” for Johnson would work only if his role was as physical and as fast paced as his action roles. Johnson would make a great friend to the team, or a very dangerous villain. If nothing else, the potential for great comedic timing between the Five-0 team and Johnson would be reason enough to have him as a guest on the show.

Another fan pick was actor Jason Momoa, who was born in Hawaiʻi and got his start on television after being cast as lifeguard Jason Ioane in “Baywatch Hawaii.” He is also known for his roles in “Stargate Atlantis” and as Khal Drogo in the cable series “Game of Thrones.” Momoa was also “Conan the Barbarian” in the film of the same name, and is currently playing Aquaman in the DC Justice League Extended Universe films.

While Momoa has certainly played his share of action heroes, I’d love for him to play an old Football/Kukui High School pal of McGarrett’s who comes to Five-0 for help. And then he helps solve the case along with his former teammate, #50 Steve McGarrett. I bet we would get to see a lot of cool fight scenes, water scenes, even motorcycle stunts– as Momoa is quite a proficient rider. His independent film “Road to Paloma,” which he co-wrote, directed, and starred in, has his character, Wolf, riding a motorcycle across the country as he runs from the law.  Momoa could definitely play  a man who is being hunted by police for avenging the murder of someone he loves. Vengeance as justice is always an interesting conflict for Five-0 to face.

While most of my possible choices are actors who have birth or family ties to Hawaiʻi, there are other actors who have professional ties to Hawaiʻi. Actor Max Arciniega, who is most famous for his portrayal of Domingo Gallardo Molina or “Krazy 8” in “Breaking Bad” and “Better Call Saul,” guest starred on the short-lived ABC series “Off the Map,” which was filmed on Oʻahu. Most recently, Arciniega played Xavi Moreno, an ex-special forces sniper, on the Amazon Prime series, “Bosch.”

While Arciniega’s latest roles have him playing villains, his strength as an actor comes through as he plays Xavi with more depth and loyalty than our typical bad guy. No one likes a completely evil character, and Arciniega adds far more dimension to his portrayal in “Bosch.” Xavi is a trained killer, but much of his performance deals with his ties to the team he fought with in Afghanistan. He is such an interesting actor to watch, as his face and actions seem to be based on his own version of twisted loyalty to his Captain and their new– albeit illegal– mission. Sadly, he is killed off in season three of “Bosch,” but that leaves the door wide open for his return to Hawaiʻi to either terrorize Five-0 or help them solve a case. Either way, Arciniega, would be a very intense potential guest star for “Hawaii Five-0.”

There are so many different types of actors and actresses who could guest star with the Five-0 crew. There were suggestions of Alex Baldwin to guest star as a third Delano Brother, who returns to avenge brother Frank’s death, and brother Paul’s incarceration. Other fans suggested Jason Dohring and Sophia Myles, who starred alongside Alex O’Loughlin in “Moonlight,” as well as Walton Goggins, who worked with O’Loughlin on “The Shield.”

Still, fans realize that whoever guest stars in season eight, will most likely be as amazing as the actors they have had these last seven years of “Hawaii Five-0.” The list of possible great guest stars are pretty long, and these five briefly mentioned are just a few. Now we have to wait three more months to see what the show has in store for us. No pressure to the Five-0 crew. No pressure at all.

REDUX SIDE NOTE

This week’s summer repeat was the episode that introduced us to Danny’s sister Bridget, played by yet another terrific guest star, Missy Peregrym. “Ka Luhi” (“The Burden”), had the team investigating a 10-year-old cold case of a missing teen and befriending the lone witness to the case– who is severely  suffering from PTSD because of what he thinks he saw the night of a neighborhood girl’s disappearance.

Wendie Burbridge is a published author, playwright, and teacher. Reach her via Facebook and follow her on Twitter and Instagram.