Mark Harmon is finally coming back as Leroy Jethro Gibbs… just not on NCIS. David J. North, co-showrunner on NCIS: Origins, recently confirmed that Harmon will appear in new footage shot for the premiere episode of the hotly-anticipated NCIS prequel series about the early days of Gibbs.
Per Deadline, North told reporters on Thursday that new footage of Harmon as Gibbs was shot for the prequel series, which is set to premiere on CBS on Oct. 14. “That was a discussion between Mark, myself and Gina Monreal,” explained North about including Harmon. “I hope the audience will be excited to see him after so many years.” Harmon last appeared as Gibbs in the Season 19 episode, “Great Wide Open,” which aired on Oct. 11, 2021, meaning that it will have been just over three years since fans have seen the character onscreen.
In addition to appearing in the first episode of NCIS: Origins, Harmon is attached to the prequel series as an executive producer. He will also narrate every episode as the older Leroy Gibbs. As for whether fans can expect to see more of Harmon’s Gibbs, North said, “We are focusing on him telling the story of 1991. As far as Mark appearing again, we are open to anything.”
Origins focuses on Gibbs’ early career “as a newly minted special agent at the fledgling NIS Camp Pendleton office, where he forges his place on a gritty, ragtag team led by NCIS legend Mike Franks.” Austin Stowell will portray Gibbs in Origins, a role that Arrow alum Stephen Amell recently revealed that he auditioned for before landing the lead role in Suits: L.A.
Amell disclosed the near-casting during an appearance on Inside of You With Michael Rosenbaum that he had auditioned to play young Gibbs on NCIS: Origins. Amell recalled feeling like “the audition went extraordinarily well. I got great feedback.” Unfortunately, he “found out on Thursday afternoon, after getting not just good feedback, but, like, good intel, like, ‘We think this is actually gonna move forward,’ all of a sudden, it was dead, and I felt like someone, somewhere along the line, had, like, cock-blocked me… So I didn’t know what was going on, and I was really frustrated.”
Austin Stowell Praises Mark Harmon for Helping Him Understand Gibbs
Stowell recently shared his thoughts about taking on the role of Gibbs after Harmon, admitting that he has big shoes to fill. “Mark Harmon has done a job that actors dream to do,” he said. “He’s captured the world and so that is just slightly daunting. The actor then praised Harmon for taking the time to help him understand the character. “Getting to know Mark has really been paramount to me stepping into these shoes and trying to fill them,” he added.
Besides Stowell, the cast for NCIS: Origins includes Kyle Schmid as Special Agent Mike Franks, Mariel Molino as Special Agent Lala Dominguez, Tyla Abercrumbie as Field Operation Support Officer Mary Jo Hayes, and Diany Rodriguez as Special Agent Vera Strickland, with Caleb Martin Foote, Daniel Bellomy, Robert Taylor, Patrick Fischler, and Julian Black Antelope set to appear in a recurring capacity.
The two-episode premiere of NCIS: Origins is set for Oct. 14 on CBS.