‘NCIS: Origins’ Casts Young Mike Franks – The Shocking Choice That No One Saw Coming!

Kyle Schmid is set to take on the role of Mike Franks in NCIS: Origins, a character originally portrayed by Muse Watson in the main NCIS series.

NCIS: Origins, the newest chapter in the franchise, will explore the story of how Leroy Jethro Gibbs became an NCIS agent. The series recently announced that Schmid will play Mike Franks, the mentor who famously called Gibbs “probie.” In the original series, Mike Franks was portrayed by Muse Watson.

The character of Franks is described as “a proud Texan who practically lives in his cowboy boots and sports a perfectly groomed mustache as thick as his skin. As NCIS fans know, Franks is a natural leader with an unwavering moral compass, determined to seek justice by any means necessary.”

Schmid joins a cast that includes Austin Stowell, who was previously announced as the young Gibbs, and Mariel Molino, who will play a newly introduced character, Special Agent Lala Dominguez, a former Marine with a dark sense of humor.

Narrated by Mark Harmon, who originally brought Gibbs to life, NCIS: Origins will begin in 1991, following Gibbs as he embarks on his career as a newly minted special agent at the fledgling NCIS Camp Pendleton office. There, he carves out his place on a gritty, ragtag team led by the legendary Mike Franks.

Schmid is best known for his roles in History’s limited series Six, BBC America’s Copper, Syfy’s Being Human, Netflix’s The I-Land, and ABC’s Big Sky.

NCIS: Origins has received a straight-to-series order for the 2024-2025 broadcast season.