NCIS star Mark Harmon has offered a glimpse into the audition process for NCIS: Origins. Harmon, who portrayed Leroy Jethro Gibbs in the long-running series before stepping down in 2021, is now an executive producer for the prequel series. The younger version of Gibbs will be played by Austin Stowell, known for The Hating Game.
Harmon shared his experience of Stowell’s first audition at the Television Critics Association, revealing the reaction of fellow executive producer Gina Lucita Monreal. “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!'”
This moment of swooning was humorously contested by executive producer David North, who claimed he was the one captivated by Stowell. “Let’s just be clear,” Stowell concluded. “Somebody swooned.”
Set around 12 years before NCIS, NCIS: Origins follows a young Gibbs as a fresh-faced special agent at the NCIS Camp Pendleton office. Harmon will narrate the series in addition to his executive producer role.
“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 a potential return to the original NCIS series, Harmon remained 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 is set to be released this autumn. NCIS airs on CBS in the US, and Seasons 1-20 are available for streaming on Disney+ in the UK.