Sean Murray has embarked on a fascinating journey since his humble beginnings, resulting in some impressive credits, including the classic feature “Hocus Pocus” and as Senior Field Agent Timothy McGee on the long-running series “NCIS.” And his achievements don’t stop there, as he also had the opportunity to act alongside his real-life daughter Cay Ryan Murray in an entry, a moment so cherished that tears aren’t far behind when it gets brought up.
When it came to how Murray’s initial feelings about working with his kid, despite being a bit flustered at the sight of his daughter as Teagan Fields on the plasma screens in Season 19, Episode 19 (“The Brat Pack”), he managed to get past any concerns he had rather quickly and reminiscing about the father-daughter moment caused Murray to get emotional in the process. “I was like, oh, man, I hope she doesn’t get overwhelmed, and Cay took it like a champ, ” the actor said to Entertainment Weekly. “She was a total pro. I’m like, I wish I was as cool as she is because she handled it so well. I’m so proud. It’s hard to… I’ll get choked up.” And he made it clear he is very thankful it happened, saying, “I will always have a piece of film — or digital video — of my daughter and I both doing what we love together on screen. So that’s something that will always be there, and I’ll always be thankful for that.”
While Murray has fond memories of how good her first gig went, some may be surprised to learn how he feels about his little girl pursuing a career in acting.
If acting makes her happy, Sean Murray is all for it
There is no denying that Sean Murray is very proud of his daughter’s efforts, as he mentioned several times, including in a post on Instagram. But while that outing was a meaningful experience that will not be forgotten, many may be curious to know if he is on board with Cay Ryan Murray making a career out of acting. “You have these preconceived notions as to what you want your kids to do and all these sorts of things,” the actor said to Parade. “And then you learn, ultimately, at least in my case, that you really want them to be happy and you want them to do what makes them happy as long as it’s not something destructive. Acting is where she gets her joy.” Ultimately he wants happiness for her, and if following in his footsteps is what brings her bliss, he will remain supportive of her dream. And he wasn’t afraid to let people know that just because her dad’s in the business doesn’t mean she isn’t playing the game like a pro, saying about her demeanor on set, “it didn’t feel like I was hanging with my daughter. I felt like I was with another actor. Which I was, but I think it spoke to her professionalism quite a bit.”
Given the support from her loved ones and how well she has done so far, it will be rather interesting to see how things unfold for Cay Ryan Murray on her own acting journey and, most importantly, if she will ever return to act alongside her dad again on “NCIS.”