Mark Harmon reveals why son Sean isn’t playing Gibbs in NCIS: Origins

Austin Stowell plays Leroy Gibbs NCIS: Originsa prequel show about the special agent’s backstory and formative years. Original Gibbs actor and series producer Mark Harmon explained why his son Sean did not reprise his role as the younger Gibbs.

The two-part premiere of NCIS: Origins aired this week, kicking off the NCIS Sixth part of the franchise. The new show offers a unique perspective as it revolves around a much younger Leroy Gibbs (played by Austin Stowell), the main protagonist of the original NCIS. Mark Harmon reprises his role, albeit as a narrator chronicling his early years with the Naval Investigative Service. Fans expected Harmon’s son Sean to reprise his role as the younger Gibbs NCIS: Origins; Sean Harmon played Gibbs in flashbacks from the original series. Mark Harmon told Variety Sean is still very much involved NCIS: Origins but behind the scenes.

“[Sean’s] “As an actor, writer, producer and surfer, he does a lot of things,” Harmon explained. “You have to make decisions about what you want to do in life or what you think is important. I just think he made a choice and in some ways had to make a decision. He enjoys being an executive producer.” Harmon played the lead role in the original NCIS 19 seasons long, while Sean appeared in seven episodes of this series. Both are now executive producers of NCIS: Origins. The premiere showed that Gibbs was always stoic, even after his life-changing tragedy. Stowell proved to be perfect for the role, with Harmon seemingly passing on the role as the story’s voice actor.

Austin Stowell is the perfect choice for the young Leroy Gibbs

Harmon told People that there is competition for the lead role NCIS: Origins was intense, but They knew Stowell was the right guy the moment he auditioned. “There were a lot of good people,” he recalled. “I would say there were really few that caught Austin’s attention. I felt the room shake a little as Austin walked in before he said anything. … He went out [after the audition] and someone said, “I’ll just say it – that’s a movie star.” Stowell’s film credits include: Whiplash, 12 StrongAnd Bridge of Spies. He also played recurring roles in television series The Secret Life of the American Teenager, Catch-22And Public morality. The actor was cast in the role of Gibbs in March.

Stowell said he was drawn to the audition schedule NCIS: Origins; The series is set in 1991, the year Gibbs’ family was murdered. “This is obviously so different than the version that NCIS Fans have seen it for 19 years and this wonderful character that Mark Harmon created, of course he has this backstory and there are moments of that, but this is a character who lives in it, who lives in the grief, who lives in “The dark hole and trying to get out of it,” he told TV Insider. Fans can expect more of Gibbs’ backstory to unfold as he takes on new cases that remind him of a very recent tragedy.

New episodes of NCIS: Origins airs every Monday on CBS.

Source: Diversity