“She may deny it, but she did.”
NCIS star Mark Harmon has provided an interesting glimpse into the audition process for NCIS: Origins. The veteran actor, who portrayed Leroy Jethro Gibbs on the long-running series before stepping down in 2021, shared insights on selecting a younger version of his beloved character for the prequel series. This new series will feature Austin Stowell from The Hating Game as the young Gibbs.
As an executive producer on the prequel, Harmon was present during Stowell’s first audition for the role of young Gibbs. Speaking at the Television Critics Association, he recounted fellow executive producer Gina Lucita Monreal’s reaction to Stowell’s performance.
“I joked about Gina swooning, but the truth is she did. She may deny it, but she did,” Harmon told USA TODAY. “And when [Stowell] walked out of the room, she said, ‘Now that guy is a star!'”
Executive producer David North humorously contested the swooning claim, asserting that he was the one mesmerized by the star. “Let’s just be clear,” Stowell concluded. “Somebody swooned.”
NCIS: Origins is set approximately 12 years before the original NCIS and follows a young Gibbs as a fresh-faced special agent at the NCIS Camp Pendleton office. Besides his role as an executive producer, Harmon will also narrate the series.
“I’m fine with the stepback role and [to] let the [new] cast do the work,” Harmon explained. “I’m pleased to be part of it. I’m a distant part. I’m just here to support.”
Regarding his return to the original NCIS series, Harmon remains uncertain. “I don’t know. It’s really about feeling you’ve fulfilled a role,” he said. “I’ve always let the writers do what they want to do.”
NCIS: Origins will premiere this autumn. NCIS airs on CBS in the US, and seasons 1-20 are streaming on Disney+ in the UK.
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