Mark Harmon, widely known for his role as Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs on the hit CBS drama NCIS, will be behind the camera as executive producer and narrator for the new spinoff prequel NCIS: Origins. are.
After playing the role for nearly 20 years, Harmon is now helping bring Gibbs’ early days to life, with actor Austin Stowell playing a younger version of the iconic character.
“You come here, you audition for years, and all of a sudden you get a badge with your name on it,” Stowell said of now working on the Paramount lot.
The show’s set features scenes from Camp Pendleton, including locations such as Daley’s Tavern, a bar just outside the base. For Stowell, it’s the role of a lifetime.
“I was very confident about what I could bring to this character, but the moment I walk into the room, everything goes out the window,” Stowell said.
Casting the role of young Gibbs in NCIS: Origins was an important decision for the team, as it meant finding someone to take on the character that Harmon made so iconic. The first part, set in 1991, depicts Gibbs’ early days as a rookie agent.
Harmon saw the project as an opportunity to delve deeper into the character’s backstory and introduce a Gibbs never seen before in the original series.
“This is an opportunity to dig deeper into that,” Harmon said.
The role also offers a more personal and emotional storyline for Gibbs, exploring his grief after losing his wife and child.
“His health has been rough,” Harmon said.
Stowell draws on his own personal experiences to depict Gibbs’ pain. His father died by suicide four years ago.
“Loss is something we all deal with, and for Gibbs, this one cracked him to the core, Stowell said.
Harmon is a steady presence on set, providing guidance to Stowell and the rest of the cast.
“Mark has been responsive since day one,” Stowell said. “He’s very good at making the people on this show feel supported.”
Harmon revealed that this new chapter of NCIS will feature a younger cast.
“I’m there to help them and talk to them and tell them what I remember from being in this situation for a while. But this is their job,” Harmon said.
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Natalie Morales
