Fans of NCIS, prepare to see Gibbs like you’ve never seen him before.
CBS said Friday that NCIS: Origins, a prequel series set in the 1990s, will follow a younger version of Mark Harmon’s popular character, Leroy Jethro Gibbs, as a newly minted special agent forging a name for himself at Camp Pendleton.
While Harmon will return to the NCIS franchise to narrate and executive-produce Origins, he will not be starring, which begs the issue of why.
Who should portray the role of young Gibbs?
Of course, big names like Glen Powell and Austin Butler come to mind. However, they are already movie stars and are unlikely to commit to starring in a network show. (Sean Harmon, who played a young Gibbs on NCIS, is also executive producing Origins with his father.)
So, the EW crew has some suggestions for your grandmother’s latest crush.
Lucas Till
With MacGyver, Lucas Till has previously proven he can manage a fan-favorite prequel character. Furthermore, that jawline screams young Mark Harmon. – Sydney Bucksbaum
KJ Apa
KJ Apa demonstrated he can handle the most ludicrous network television settings as Riverdale hottie Archie. He can now graduate and swap in his ginger curls for a new blond look! – Maureen Lee Lenker
Robbie Amell
I’m no NCIS expert, but I think Robbie Amell looks a lot like a young Mark Harmon and is at the ideal stage in his career for another network show. – Wesley Stenzel
Kevin Zegers
Zegers needs another platform to exhibit his federal agent talents now that The Rookie: Feds is no longer on ABC. He may also pass for a young Harmon. – MLL
Jaren Lewison
I’d never seen an episode of NCIS, and Jaren Lewison was the first young TV actor I could think of who was buff enough to look like he’d recently completed special forces training or whatever NCIS people do. That would actually make sense for his character on this program. – From Jillian Sederholm
Chris Zylka
Chris Zylka also has the jawline of a young Mark Harmon. I don’t know why, but he looks just like his son (even more so than Harmon’s actual son and the show’s EP, Sean Harmon). – SB
Trevor Lawrence
Sure, Lawrence is a star quarterback for the Jacksonville Jaguars who is vying for a Super Bowl ring. But Harmon began his career as a brilliant quarterback (at UCLA), and there’s something about Lawrence’s hair that makes us think he could sell it. – MLL
Patrick Schwarzenegger
Patrick Schwarzenegger, fresh from physically blazing up the screen in Gen V, has the looks, charm, and moxie (not to mention last-name awareness) to play a young Gibbs. However, could we not direct all of this young Mark Harmon casting enthusiasm toward bringing a Summer School remake to fruition instead? – Dalton Ross
