Mark Harmon’s New Gig After ‘NCIS’ Is a Thrilling Blast From the Past

NCIS fans were saddened when Special Agent Gibbs swapped his badge for a serene life in Alaska. Yet, there’s a comforting mix of old and new to look forward to soon. Mark Harmon, who was synonymous with Gibbs since 2003, has been cast in Freaky Friday 2.

Harmon’s portrayal of Gibbs began with a 2003 appearance in JAG and continued in NCIS until his departure in 2021. Around the same time as his NCIS debut, Harmon embodied the character Ryan in 2003’s Freaky Friday. Now, Freaky Friday 2 will mark his return to acting since leaving NCIS.

The 2003 film had Harmon starring alongside Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan in the third adaptation of the iconic body-swapping story. In it, Harmon played Ryan, the fiancé of Curtis’s character. The film, focusing on a mother and daughter who swap bodies amidst their tumultuous relationship, proved to be a financial hit, grossing over $160 million worldwide on a $26 million budget. Curtis even netted a Golden Globe nomination for her role.

In May 2023, Disney confirmed the development of Freaky Friday 2, with many original cast members returning. Alongside Harmon as Ryan, Curtis will reprise her role as Tess Coleman, and Lohan will return as Anna Coleman. Other returning stars include Chad Michael Murray, Haley Hudson, Lucille Soong, Christina Vidal, Stephen Tobolowsky, and Rosalind Cho.

Filming for the eagerly anticipated sequel began on June 24, 2024.

Harmon has shown significant enthusiasm for the sequel. In November 2023, he expressed his excitement about the project during an appearance on The Kelly Clarkson Show. “If [Jamie]’s talking about it, then it’ll happen because all things happen,” he remarked, punctuating his hopefulness.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the sequel continues several years after the first film, diving again into the lives of the mother-daughter duo. This time, Anna is welcoming a stepdaughter into a family that already includes another daughter. The plot teases that Tess and Anna might experience a second round of body-swapping chaos.

Mark Harmon’s return to the screen in Freaky Friday 2 is set to blend nostalgia with a fresh narrative, making it a must-watch for both fans of the original film and newcomers alike.