10 Actors You Forgot Were On NCIS
“NCIS,” the long-running procedural drama, has featured a plethora of guest stars and recurring characters throughout its 18 seasons. Here are 10 actors you may have forgotten appeared on the show.
Jamie Lee Curtis
With nearly 500 episodes comprising the original series, it’s easy to forget about famous actors who have appeared on “NCIS.” However, some pretty well-known names have contributed to what has become a television institution. While many famous actors who appeared in “NCIS” were at the beginning of their careers, the show has also featured some guest appearances by actors in their prime. Many exciting guest appearances exist in the complex shared “NCIS” universe, but some certainly stand out against the rest.
Zac Efron
Aside from its guest stars, the series has a compelling cast of characters on “NCIS.” Mark Harmon’s Leroy Jethro Gibbs was at the center of the franchise for the 19 years that he portrayed the character on the small screen. As such, every character on the list appeared alongside Mark Harmon in some form. Many were interviewed or briefly interacted with the Agent in Charge, but one of the characters was his lover, and another saved his life.
Zac Efron made an iconic appearance in “NCIS” Season 3. Efron portrayed Daniel Austin, a typical high school kid who Tony and Ziva question after they find him and his friends using a missing cell phone linked to their case. They find Efron’s character and his friend drinking beer and talking to girls on the phone, which they bought from their classmate, portrayed by Jesse Plemons. Efron’s character doesn’t experience the usual drama that guest stars face, which can include ending up on the “NCIS” autopsy table. He’s just in the wrong place at the wrong time.
“Deception” aired on Tuesday, January 17, 2006, and just three days after his “NCIS” appearance, Efron would debut as Troy Bolton in “High School Musical” on the Disney Channel. Efron’s career has continued steadily since, with the actor receiving attention for his role as Chris Cole in “A Family Affair.” In the 2024 flick, Efron portrays a movie star alongside Nicole Kidman. Efron also appeared in the 2023 film “Iron Claw,” about the Von Erich wrestling dynasty.
Jesse Plemons
Jesse Plemons also appears in “NCIS” Season 3, Episode 13, “Deception.” While he doesn’t appear alongside Zac Efron in the episode, they know each other. Plemons’ character is a classmate who bullies Daniel Austin and sells them a cell phone. Plemons’ character thinks he is cunning for mistreating his classmates until McGee digs into his interrogation. McGee pretended to identify with the kid, at first, as a bully but then quickly switched the narrative, saying he experienced bullying in high school. Plemons perfectly portrays the range of emotions his character experiences during the interview.
Jesse Plemons has had an enormous career since appearing in “NCIS.” His projects from 2024 include a small stint as a soldier in “Civil War” and his roles in “Kinds of Kindness” with Emma Stone and Willem Dafoe. Plemons plays three characters in “Kinds of Kindness”: Robert, Daniel, and Andrew.
Jamie Lee Curtis
Jamie Lee Curtis’ “NCIS” appearances happened in Season 9, long after the actor achieved stardom. Curtis portrayed Dr. Samantha Ryan, the head of the Department of Defense’s PsyOps Division. She initially debuted in Episode 16, “Psych Out,” concerning a case the team is working on. Curtis plays a bubbly character but a vicious investigator. She even bugs Gibbs’ basement to get information and protect her team. As Curtis made recurring appearances, she and Gibbs became lovers briefly until her ex-husband left prison, and she was motivated to go into hiding.
Her “NCIS” stint isn’t the only time Jamie Lee Curtis appeared alongside Mark Harmon. The actors also played lovers in the 2003 film “Freaky Friday.” Her career has not slowed since Curtis made it big after her 1978 role as Laurie in “Halloween.” She reprised the role many times in the “Halloween” franchise, including “Halloween Ends” in 2022. Curtis has had massive roles lately, appearing as Deirdre Beaubeirdre in “Everything Everywhere All at Once” and in seasons 2 and 3 of “The Bear” as Donna Berzatto. What’s more, Curtis will feature alongside Harmon in the “Freaky Friday 2” reboot.
Glen Powell
In “Top Gun: Maverick,” Glen Powell is tied to the Navy, but it isn’t the actor’s first rendezvous portraying a service member. In 2012, Powell appeared in two episodes of “NCIS” Season 10 as Marine Sergeant Evan Westcott. Powell appeared in episodes 6 and 7, the two-part “Shell Shock” feature, as “NCIS” investigates Westcott’s brother. While the episode centers on Powell’s family, his role is worthy of a watch when revisiting Powell’s work. The role was certainly a precursor to his more central roles as military personnel, such as the role of Lieutenant Jake “Hangman” Seresin.
The actor has maintained a robust presence in the limelight since his role in “NCIS,” and Powell rose to a new level of fame following his appearance in “Top Gun.” Powell played the lead role in the 2023 film “Hitman,” appearing as Gary Johnson, a professional killer. He also appeared as Ben alongside Sydney Sweeney’s Beatrice in “Anyone But You.”
Josh Holloway
Holloway appeared on “NCIS” in Season 1, Episode 12, “My Other Left Foot.” When a junk dealer finds a leg that seems to belong to a Marine, the team goes to Clarksburg, West Virginia, to investigate. It’s clear that it belongs to a Marine because of the “Semper Fi” tattooed on the mutilated leg’s calf. When the team arrives, Holloway is the sheriff waiting to brief Gibbs. Holloway’s character is humored that the leg landed animatedly when the junk dealer tossed it aside, but Gibbs barks at the sailor for thinking it’s funny.
While Josh Holloway’s “NCIS” stint lasted just one scene, the actor went on to star in several culturally significant television shows. After appearing on “NCIS” in 2004, Holloway debuted as James “Sawyer” Ford in “Lost” until 2010. Holloway also had an essential role in portraying Roarke Morris in “Yellowstone” Season 3.
Abigail Breslin
Abigail Breslin appeared in “NCIS” Season 2, Episode 1 as Sandy Watson, a girl who is blind and an incredibly gifted pianist. She is the daughter of a Navy Captain who works at the Pentagon. The episode follows the case of Sandy and her mother, abducted from their home and held hostage for two million dollars from a special fund Commander Watson can access. Even though Sandy is returned and uses her hearing to help the team, the episode has a sad ending. Watson had his family abducted so that he could keep the money.
The actor had a long career ahead of her after “NCIS.” She starred as the peculiar girl in “Little Miss Sunshine” in 2006, and roles in movies such as “Nim’s Island” and “Zombieland” followed. Abigail Breslin is also recognized for her role in films like “Signs,” “Definitely, Maybe,” and “August: Osage County,” where she portrayed a demented Meryl Streep’s granddaughter.
Lily Tomlin
Lily Tomlin appears as Penelope Langston in “NCIS” Season 9. When Penelope’s name concerns the case they’re investigating, Timothy McGee immediately panics and has to leave “NCIS.” Tony goes with McGee to visit Penelope, and McGee reveals Tomlin’s character is his grandmother. She gives them vital information about one of her students. Watching McGee interact with Lily Tomlin as his grandmother is enthralling every moment she is on-screen. They have great chemistry, and it would be great to see Tomlin back on the series.
There have been many memorable Lily Tomlin movies and television shows throughout the actor’s legendary career. She is an institution in female comedy and is known for appearing alongside Jane Fonda. Tomlin most recently returned to the big screen as Lou in “80 for Brady” alongside Fonda, Sally Field, and Rita Moreno.
Colin Hanks
Colin Hanks appeared in “NCIS” Seasons 10 and 11 as Richard Parsons, a Department of Defense officer. Hanks portrays an investigator tasked with scrutinizing the “NCIS” team regarding how they handled the death of the Deputy Director of Mossad, killed at the hands of Ziva David, seeking revenge for the murder of her father. Hanks’ character initially has it out for Gibbs, under the impression that the Agent in Charge utilizes poor judgment. However, after he sees Gibbs spring into action, Parsons closes the inquiry. Hanks’ character was vital in transitioning from “NCIS” Season 10 to 11.
Hanks appeared in “NCIS” in 2013 amid his robust career. Colin Hanks has appeared in many movies and TV shows, including “Life in Pieces,” “Fargo,” “Dexter,” “The House Bunny,” “Untraceable,” “Orange County,” and “King Kong.” He most recently appeared as the voice of Orion’s adult self in Netflix’s “Orion and the Dark.”
Millie Bobby Brown
Millie Bobby Brown appeared in “NCIS” Season 12 as Rachel Barnes,
