CBS has an NCIS prequel series about a younger Gibbs in its crosshairs. But who is fit to fill a thirtysomething Mark Harmon‘s shoes?
Well, we have some ideas!
Ordered to series earlier this month, NCIS: Origins will be set in the year 1991 and pick up with Leroy Jethro Gibbs as a “newly minted Special Agent at the fledgling NCIS Camp Pendleton office where he forges his place on a gritty, ragtag team led by NCIS legend Mike Franks.” TVLine has also learned that producers will be introducing a young version of Special Agent Vera Strickland, Franks’ onetime partner played by Roma Maffia in a Season 11 NCIS episode.
In addition to executive-producing the well-watched franchise’s latest spinoff, Mark Harmon — who of course starred on the original NCIS for its first 19 seasons — will narrate NCIS: Origins.
And while Sean Harmon (Mark’s son) over the years has played a younger Gibbs in seven total NCIS episodes via “flashbacks,” he is focusing on his first EP gig. (We repeat, Sean Harmon will not be playing Gibbs.) A new actor is thus being sought to play Jethro on NCIS: Origins. Specifically, sources tell TVLine the spinoff is looking for an actor in his mid-30s, who ideally has blue eyes (like Mark Harmon).
The TVLine staff brainstormed some, and offer below a list of 11 possibilities, many of whom sport blue peepers. Review our picks, then weigh in with your own, ideal “Young Gibbs.”
We know, Upload — on which he stars as a digitally “resurrected” computer programmer — theoretically could get a Season 4 at Prime Video. But if that’s not in the cards, Amell could be a fine fit as Young Gibbs.
PREVIOUS TV CREDITS: Upload, The Flash, The Tomorrow People, Revenge and others
EYE COLOR: Blue!
We really like Barr for this. He brings a vitality to his roles, as well as swagger and charm, and he is no stranger to the Paramount/CBS/The CW family. Surely he’s on their radar.
PREVIOUS TV CREDITS: Walker Independence, Walker, Blood & Treasure, Valor, Hellcats, Harper’s Island and others
EYE COLOR: Blue!
OK, this is one of our wilder wild cards, seeing as Hansen’s resume is comedy-heavy. But we are admittedly curious to see if he could dial things in enough to lead a procedural. CBS, though, may not be as curious; plus, he’s one of the oldest (north of 40) picks on our list.
PREVIOUS TV CREDITS: Veronica Mars, Party Down, A Million Little Things, Ryan Hansen Solves Crimes on Television (web series), 2 Broke Girls and others
EYE COLOR: Hazel
You kinda like this one, right? Lanter proved his leading-man chops on the gone-too-soon Timeless, and frankly he is due for a sure thing such as an NCIS spinoff.
PREVIOUS TV CREDITS: Timeless, Jupiter’s Legacy, Star-Crossed, 90210 and others
EYE COLOR: Blue!
With How I Met Your Father‘s cancellation, he’s available. Though his previous drama roles have leaned a bit on the lighter side.
PREVIOUS TV CREDITS: How I Met Your Father, GLOW, Graves, Enlisted, Private Practice, Veronica Mars and others
EYE COLOR: Blue!
CBS has twice before bet on McDorman, to headline its adaptation of Bradley Cooper’s Limitless movie and to play no less than Murphy Brown’s son. It’s almost hard to see how he doesn’t get this role.
PREVIOUS TV CREDITS: Class of ’09, Mrs. Davis, Murphy Brown, Limitless, Manhattan Love Story, Greek and others
EYE COLOR: Blue!
With Ride cancelled and Good Trouble ending, we put forth Mirchoff, because he deserves nice things. Blue eyes? No. But his age (a reported 35) is right in the sweet spot NCIS: Origins aims to cast.
PREVIOUS TV CREDITS: Ride, Good Trouble/The Fosters, Narcos: Mexico, I’m Dying Up Here, Awkward., Desperate Housewives and others
EYE COLOR: Green
Like, how could we not suggest Mitchell? Yes, he’s about to recur on Chicago Med, with an option to maybe become a series-regular. But if a spinoff of TV’s most-watched drama came knocking with a leading role, that’d be quite the temptation.
PREVIOUS TV CREDITS: Chicago Med (upcoming), Big Sky, Blindspot, The Code, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., The Tomorrow People, Home and Away and others
EYE COLOR: Blue!
Let us stop you right there: If our list had a “reach school,” yes, Pine is it. He’s a total long-shot, given his big-screen bonafides. But if he’s tired of Trekking… man, he’d be quite perfect (if one of the older, 40-plus candidates on our list).
PREVIOUS TV CREDITS: I Am the Night, Netflix’s Wet Hot American Summer sequel and prequel series, Angie Tribeca and others
EYE COLOR: Blue!
If Somerhalder, after so many years of genre-TV, is ready to settle down with a procedural, he in some ways does favor a young Harmon. That said, he appears to be the oldest, 40something actor on our list.
PREVIOUS TV CREDITS: V-Wars, The Vampire Diaries, Lost, Tell Me You Love Me and others
EYE COLOR: Blue!
The star of CBS‘ five-season MacGyver reboot is perhaps the youngest of our picks, south of 35. And with FX’s Lee Daniels-EP’d The Spook Who Sat by the Door pilot being redeveloped, he is 100% available. A perfect fit for all…?
PREVIOUS TV CREDITS: MacGyver, plus guest spots on Blue Mountain State, House, Medium and others
EYE COLOR: Blue!
I like Lucas Till and Matt Lanter would give a coolness factor since he was the voice actor for Anakin Skywalker in The Clone Wars tv series.
When I first heard the show’s premise, I immediately thought that Lucas Till would be the perfect young Gibbs.
Lucas Till!!
Matt Lanter or Lucus Till either one of them would be great I like them both for the roll.
Either Lucas chill or Chris Pine either one I think would be good
My vote is Lucas Till! He did a great job leading MacGyver
Isn’t MacGyver technically in the same continuity as NCIS? I’m sure plenty of actors have played multiple characters across the various shows, but never a full-on main lead. Would fans care?
They are technically, yes (MacGyver crossed over with Hawaii 5-0 which crossed over with NCIS: LA) but there is a kind of a precedent. Although not the series lead, Zoe McLellan is (AFAIK) the only actor to have been a series regular on two NCIS/JAG-verse shows (JAG and NCIS: NO)
Only indirectly as MacGyver only crossed over with Hawaii Five-0 in one episode. Hawaii Five-O did have a crossover with NCIS Los Angeles but then they broke the idea of a shared universe by hiring an actor to be a regular in the later seasons who appeared on an NCIS episode so I don’t think it would really matter.
The female lead role in Ncis Hawaii played as a criminal in Hawaii Five 0 in a season 2 episode so i dont think i would be weird to see Lucas Till play Gibbs
Lucas Till and Chris Lowell they are good to be young Gibbs.
Chris Pine is Michael Weatherly. . . . . .not Mark Harmon at any age.
Jake McDorman all the way!
I don’t know why this man isn’t a huge star. He’s absolute perfection.
Limitless, gone way too soon.
Ian Somerhalder might be a good one forgives
No, it should be Sean. He can EP and star. A lot od stars do it these days.
That will not be happening.
He is clearly not comfortable doing both.
Jake McDorman……perfect!
Matt Lanter is my pick
All I know is if the show is a rating success, they need to pick someone who will stay with the program for at least five years and not run out after one season.
I think actors typically sign seven year deals for this reason
How about Jesse Lee Soffer
Oooh, I like this idea!
Matt Lanter or Chris Lowell.
Pine and Somerhalder are too old being in their 40s.
Lucas Till 100%.
Lucas till is too short. 5′ 6″
It’s already been cast Mark Harmons Son Sean Harmon is playing young Gibbs
No, Sean Harmon is producing, not acting in this.
“…while Mark’s son Sean Harmon over the years has played a younger Gibbs in seven total NCIS episodes (via “flashbacks”), a new actor is being sought to fill the plum role on NCIS: Origins”
Something is going wrong. I have replied to others on this thread and the reply shows up right away. But twice I have tried to post a comment of my own slamming Lucas Till and recommending Jensen Ackles. Neither comment has showed up, I have refreshed and put up a new tab.
Lukas Till would be great. He’s got the tone and swagger to be a Younger, Special NCIS Agent, Leroy Jethro Gibbs
No. He played him in the regular series, but he is producing the spinoff and said they will cast someone else to play Gibbs.
Not true did you not READ this article he backed OUT
If he was a bit older (but what’s age in TV casting?) I’d nominate Logan Shroyer – he played late-teens/college-era Kevin on This is Us.
.
Otherwise I like Chris Lowell, Matt Lanter, or Jake McDorman from this list.
Upload is only 8 eps per season – no reason Robbie couldn’t do both!
Most of the above sound good – esp. Amell, Barr, Lanter, McDorman, Mitchell, Pine and Till.
Lucs till is better he has the look of Harmon
Matt Barr. He reminds me of a young Gibbs
Matt Barr is also a good choice, but I’ve never heard Gibbs speak with any discernible accent, so Barr would have to “neutralize” his twang/accent to convey a young Gibbs!
Lucas Till can’t because of MacGyver, which is kinda sort of in the NCIS universe because of the MacGyver connection with Hawaii 5-0 and their crossover. Hawaii 5-0 had a crossover with NCIS: Los Angeles. This is only if you want be technical on the details. lol.
But can’t wait for Origins to come out.
This is a prequel to everything so it could easily work.
I don’t think it would be a big hurdle to overcome. There have been several actors who played multiple characters in the NCIS universe. Before joining NCIS, Katrina Law played Quinn Liu during season 10 of Hawaii 5-0. Also, Zoe McLellan played Jennifer Coates on JAG and then played Meredith Brody on NCIS: New Orleans. And Meredith Eaton played Abby’s friend Carol Wilson on NCIS and then played Matilda Webber on MacGyver. A 1990s Gibbs would be quite different than the modern MacGyver, so I don’t think it would be weird to see Lucas Till playing another role in the NCIS universe.
This has never been an issue in the past (should of been but..)
As Katrina law, Zoe McLellan both have played series regulars as two characters each on two different shows within there shared universe.. However a lot of of other acters have played multiple characters. Terry Quinn is the actor who probably has played the most different characters. But Katrina played a series regular on Hawaii 5.0 and a different regular character on NCIS. while Zoe played a regular on JAG and NCIS New Orleans. So what you say here is not a factor.
Personally I don’t like this on any show, but like or not. They have done so in there shared universe.
Lucas Till is my pick.
They will cast a “unknown” in the part…someone who’s the right age and look who’s done good work on screen and stage, but not a known name.
Only actors between 25 and 30 should considered
To play a character in his mid-30s? Why?
Gibbs was 18 in 1976, making him 34 in 1992 (when NCIS: Origins is supposedly set)
My choice would be Matt Czuchry!
Ryan Hansen has my vote. He looks like a younger Gibbs as he is closer to looking like Mark Harmon than the others
Ryan Hansen, he can wear contacts.
These choices suck. Either looks nothing like him or not young enough. Maybe the last one. How old is his real life son?
I think Lucas looks more like a young Gibbs than the others. I vote for him.
Robbie Abell or Chris Lowell
Lucas Till or Chris Pine
My vote is Lucas Till or find a up in commer.
Please do not cast this role based solely on how much a random dude looks like Mark Harmon. Please have more consider than that and cast someone who has the chops and the long-haul commitment to carry an entire show for long enough that they can catch us up to Gibbs meeting Tony in Baltimore or maybe even two years beyond that to Gibbs hiring Kate! I think we will adapt to literally anything if the actor can capture the Gibbsian attitude!
My top pick from this list is Lucas Till, please and thank you! (And if they’re looking to cast Franks, what is George Eads doing these days? I can’t be the only one who loved the Till-Eads vibes of brotherhood and family in the Macgyver reboot, can I?)
Second: Chris Lowell (he is good at doing that smart ass but charming bastard factor that could work for a young Gibbs!)
I love this SO MUCH! MacGyver just wasn’t the same after Jack left (and yes I know George Eads had some bts trouble but that doesn’t change that the vibe, though still good cuz I also liked the character of Desi, was off after he left). Seeing Lucas back with George would be amazing and I could totally see them in the roles of young Gibbs and Mike Franks
George Eads is a good actor but has he has a somewhat problematic carrier in the shows he has been a regular in, I would rather he was not in it.
On the other hand I guess NCIS had always had a revolving door of cast members, so maybe it won’t be an issue in any case. As he could be written out if the same happens again
They had a episode showing Gibbs and Tony meeting, so they don’t have to in the new series.
I have watch NCIS from the beginning what episode did you see them meet on and what year
It was an episode called “Baltimore” in the 8th Season where they show flashbacks of when Tony was a cop in Baltimore and he met Gibbs whilst Gibbs was on an under cover op
I vote for Lucas Till.