Before NCIS became the procedural powerhouse it is today, the role of Leroy Jethro Gibbs was up for grabs, and boy, was it a star-studded showdown. Imagine walking into an audition room and seeing not one, but two Oscar-winners eyeing the same role. But Mark Harmon didn’t just walk in, he owned it.
While the others had shiny trophies, Harmon brought that quiet intensity and those “don’t mess with me” eyes that’d define Gibbs for nearly two decades. And just like that, Hollywood’s most unexpected casting twist was sealed. Curious who the A-listers he beat were? Let’s find out…
Mark Harmon beat Chris Cooper and Tom Berenger for NCIS role
Before Mark Harmon locked down the role of Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs on NCIS, two Oscar-winning heavyweights almost got the part. Adaptation’s Chris Cooper and Platoon’s Tom Berenger were both in the mix.
But it was Harmon, the TV vet from St. Elsewhere and Chicago Hope, who brought the signature scowl and steely stare that defined NCIS for nearly two decades. According to CBS casting head Peter Golden, Harmon wasn’t even the top pick at first. In a 2023 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Golden alluded:
Susan said, “What about Mark Harmon?” Mark was a big deal, and everybody thought, “We’ll make an offer to Mark Harmon, and when we don’t get him, let’s go through the list of who else we could get.” Mark had a meeting with Don Bellisario, and they hit it off, and Mark agreed to do it. All of a sudden, the show took on much more importance in my mind.
Chris Cooper, known for American Beauty, The Bourne Identity, and Oscar-winning brilliance in Adaptation, was no stranger to serious, brooding roles. Same with Tom Berenger, who turned heads (and earned an Oscar nom) as Sgt. Barnes in Platoon, and made waves in Major League and Sniper. Either one could’ve made an intense Gibbs, but neither stuck.
Instead, Harmon stepped in for the JAG spinoff in 2003 and stayed for 19 seasons, becoming the backbone of the CBS juggernaut. And even after his 2021 exit, he’s still part of the franchise, narrating the new prequel series NCIS: Origins with Austin Stowell as young Gibbs.
Looking back, it’s almost wild to think Mark Harmon wasn’t the first call. But once he signed on, the tone of the show shifted. The character clicked, and the audience locked in. And just like that, Oscar winners or not, no one else stood a chance.
Mark Harmon says NCIS was sold as true crime, not TV drama
NCIS was almost a whole different beast, at least according to Mark Harmon. The longtime Gibbs actor told The Hollywood Reporter that the show was originally pitched as “based on real cases.”
Harmon, who led NCIS for 19 seasons, said it all started with a name. He alluded,
I was sent the NCIS script, and I just know that I read the name “Leroy Jethro Gibbs,” and the name stopped me. People say, “What attracted you to the story?” I said, “The name.” (Laughs.) There’s more to it than that, obviously, but I didn’t expect to be taken in like I was. That’s also a credit to storytelling and thinking you have something to potentially offer that role.
Even after stepping away, Harmon stayed close. He now narrates and executive produces NCIS: Origins. New Gibbs actor Austin Stowell called Harmon “a wonderful leader” who offered advice and presence from day one.
The show may’ve changed course early on, but clearly, it still struck gold.
Watch NCIS on Hulu & Apple TV.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
