Ahead of its premiere, a new NCIS: Origins behind-the-scenes video reveals the first look at Austin Stowell as young Leroy Jethro Gibbs, and he now looks so much like Mark Harmon’s version. CBS’ premier police procedural franchise is once again expanding, but this time, instead of launching a satellite office, it is going back to the past for its new spinoff. The ’90s-set NCIS: Origins will tackle the earliest years of Gibbs in the agency as part of Mike Franks’ team that works at Camp Pendleton. Production has been quietly progressing for the show in the last few weeks.
The official Instagram account of NCIS shares a new behind-the-scenes video that debuts the proper look at Stowell’s young Gibbs.
The video chronicles Stowell’s transformation as Gibbs which starts with a haircut. After he gets the character’s signature short hairdo, he dresses up as the character — complete with his white t-shirt and polo shirt combo. Overall, he looks similar to Harmon when he played the character compared to the very first promotional poster for NCIS: Origins.
Why Young Gibbs’ Look Is So Important In NCIS: Origins
There Were Concerns About Stowell’s Overall Look As Young Gibbs.
Stowell is actually a recast for young Gibbs in NCIS: Origins. Harmon played the present-day version of the character in NCIS, but his son, Sean Harmon, portrayed the role for the majority of the flashback scenes (some of them were also played by the older Harmon). Considering this, there have been concerns about how Stowell can sell the idea that he is playing the same iconic character who was a staple of network TV for almost two decades. It didn’t help that CBS used an image of him that doesn’t nearly resemble Harmon for the first NCIS: Origins one-sheet.
However, recasting Gibbs for NCIS: Origins was unavoidable. They can’t simply de-age Harmon so he could reprise the role for the prequel. To be able to properly do the prequel, the series needs a much younger actor to play its lead character. The best that CBS can do is make sure that all other movable elements are changed to ensure that Stowell looks as closely as possible to Harmon’s famed character. That includes his wardrobe and grooming. As a Marine, Gibbs was a creature of habit, and it also manifested in his appearance.
Now that Stowell better resembles Harmon’s Gibbs, long-time viewers of NCIS can be assured that there’s a commitment to preserve the integrity of the character. The great news is that NCIS: Origins has previously nailed Kyle Schmid’s look as young Mike Franks, who will also be integral in the show’s success. Besides the pair, the prequel has some creative room to craft the rest of the ensemble since the rest of the characters weren’t as prominently featured in the flagship series.
NCIS: Origins will debut on CBS on Monday, October 14, at 10 pm ET.