Shocking Revelation: Mark Harmon’s ‘Gibbs Slap’ on NCIS Was Completely Unscripted!

Mark Harmon’s character Gibbs in NCIS became known for the “Gibbs Slap,” a distinctive gesture involving slapping his coworkers on the head to assert authority and keep them focused. Surprisingly, this iconic quirk originated as an impromptu incident, unplanned and driven by instinct. The first recipient of the Gibbs Slap was Michael Weatherly, Harmon’s former co-star.

During the early years of the show, in a scene set on a Navy ship with Weatherly conversing with a female petty officer, the incident occurred. Harmon recalled, “And he was doing his thing, which is to sometimes stick to the script and sometimes not. I simply reached out and struck him. I attempted to reconnect him. It was instinctual. It wasn’t deliberate; I didn’t consider it; I just did it.”

Harmon emphasized the talent of the entire cast, including Weatherly, highlighting the spontaneous and dynamic nature of their interactions on set.