Don't Worry, 'S.W.A.T.' Fans — Kenny Johnson (AKA Luca) Won't Be Gone Forever

It’s been a long time since we’ve seen Dominique Luca on S.W.A.T. The officer, who’s played by actor Kenny Johnson, last appeared on the Nov. 6 episode "Kingdom," and has barely gotten a mention since then. So, what’s going on with the transport truck driver?

We’re still waiting for details about the 56-year-old’s absence, but both Kenny and the S.W.A.T. writers have hinted at his return. 

On Dec. 2, the Bates Motel alum wrote "Back at it!!!" next to a photo from the set of the CBS crime drama. He also teased followers by retweeting an article that asked: "Is Luca leaving [S.W.A.T.]? What happened to [Kenny Johnson]? Fans want answers!"

Meanwhile, the S.W.A.T. writers’ room Twitter page confirmed ahead of the Nov. 27 episode that "Luca [is] still hurt," but added, "Can’t wait to get him back!" In response to one fan who tweeted, "Gonna miss Luca this week!" the account replied, "We miss him too! Wishing Luca [a] speedy recovery!"

Viewers found out in the episode "Sea Legs" that Luca is MIA because he’s receiving treatment for hip and back problems. Jim told Chris that the mechanic would be back in the field soon because he’s "indestructible."

Several theories are floating around the internet about Kenny’s disappearance, including one that suggests he’s a contestant on Season 2 of The Masked Singer. But the fan account @KennyJFanLove noted that he might have taken some time off from the series to film two upcoming movies. 

According to IMDb, Kenny’s latest projects include the horror film Howl and the thriller Don’t Look There. No matter the reason behind his hiatus, we can’t wait to see Kenny (and Luca) back on the squad in 2020!

We were thrilled to hear that Kenny’s absence isn’t permanent because we’re not sure we could handle another major departure after Stephanie Sigman’s exit earlier this year. The 32-year-old, who played Captain Jessica Cortez on the show’s first two seasons, confirmed that she is no longer on S.W.A.T. in October.

"The word is out! Jessica Cortez is on to new adventures! And so am I,” the brunette beauty wrote in an Instagram story. “Happy with the work done for the past 2 seasons (45 episodes). Thankful & proud of the strength this character gifted me throughout the intense learning experience it was playing Captain Cortez.”

She added, "Lastly and most importantly, my eternal thanks to the fans who cared for Cortez and enjoy my work, all my love to you out there, couldn’t do it without you."

Neither Stephanie nor the show’s producers revealed whether the actress left on her own accord, but writer Shawn Ryan sent his well wishes on Twitter. "Much thanks to [Stephanie] for her tremendous work on S.W.A.T. It was a pleasure to write for her & see what she did with the role each week," he said. 

"Stephanie’s an extremely talented actress. I look forward to seeing what she conquers next professionally. We’ll be rooting for her."

CBS’ S.W.A.T. returns with an all-new episode on Wednesday, Jan. 15 at 10 p.m. ET.