Mark Harmon Reveals Crush on New ‘NCIS: Origins’ Star Austin Stowell

PASADENA, Calif. — Mark Harmon has recognized the star quality of Austin Stowell, who is set to portray a younger version of the iconic character Leroy Jethro Gibbs on the upcoming “NCIS: Origins.”

Harmon, serving as an executive producer on the “NCIS” prequel spinoff, was present during Stowell’s audition for the role of young Gibbs, set during the early 90s. Fellow executive producer Gina Lucita Monreal notably “swooned” when “The Hating Game” actor walked in for his audition, following numerous other hopefuls, according to Harmon.

“I’ve joked about Gina swooning, but the truth is she did. She may deny it, but she did,” Harmon shared with USA TODAY at the Television Critics Association on Saturday. “And when (Stowell) walked out of the room, she said, ‘Now that guy is a star!'”

The “NCIS” franchise is banking on that star quality as Stowell, at 39, takes the lead in “NCIS: Origins,” which is set to premiere on October 14 on CBS. The spinoff is scheduled to air on Monday nights following the original “NCIS,” which will begin its 22nd season.

Stowell’s character, young Gibbs, is expected to bring a fresh dynamic to the role made famous by Harmon.

Harmon’s portrayal of Gibbs turned him into a standout when the CBS series premiered in 2003. As a former U.S. Marine Corps Scout sniper-turned-special-agent, Gibbs led his NCIS team for 18 years until Harmon’s final episode in October 2021.

Besides his role as an executive producer, Harmon, 72, will narrate “NCIS: Origins,” which follows a young Gibbs as a newly appointed special agent at the NCIS Camp Pendleton office, set approximately 12 years before the events of the original “NCIS.”

“I’m fine with taking a step back and letting the new cast do the work,” Harmon expressed about his behind-the-scenes involvement. “I’m pleased to be part of it. I’m a distant part. I’m just here to support.”

During his tenure on “NCIS,” the younger version of Gibbs was often portrayed in flashbacks by Harmon’s son, Sean Harmon. It was Sean who conceived the idea for the spinoff while filming the 400th episode of “NCIS” in 2020.

“It was a lightning-bolt moment. Gibbs is a guy who has something broken within, someone who at one point could have gone down a darker path,” Sean Harmon explained. The prequel aims to show the TV audience the backstory of Gibbs, including the devastating loss of his wife and child early in his career.

Sean Harmon, 36, stated he never intended to play Gibbs on a full-time basis. “It was an absolute honor to step into the role; it will always be something I’ll hold close to my heart,” he shared. “In truth, I never intended to make a career out of it.”

During the TCA presentation, there was a playful debate regarding who actually swooned during Stowell’s audition. “NCIS” and “NCIS: Origins” executive producer David North claimed he was the one who felt weak in the knees.

“Let’s just be clear,” Stowell ended the debate jokingly, “somebody swooned.”

Stowell emphasized that the young Gibbs character deals heavily with the loss of his wife and child. “It’s not the Gibbs the world knows. This is someone broken and searching for his identity,” said Stowell. “During the screen test, Mark came up to me and gave me two words that I’ll remember forever — ‘trust yourself.'”

After just a week of filming, Stowell compared himself to baseball legend Lou Gehrig, who famously felt like the luckiest man in the world. “That’s how I feel here. It’s only Week 1. But we’re doing something very special here,” he stated.

Source: USA TODAY