Before NCIS, Mark Harmon was often seen as just a pretty boy, but one standout role proved he had the grit to play Gibbs. His performance exuded quiet strength and control — exactly what the showrunners needed to see. It shattered any doubts and made him the obvious choice for NCIS’s no-nonsense leader.
So, which role changed everything? And how did it convince CBS that Harmon was more than just a charming face?
How Mark Harmon’s West Wing role proved he was more than just a ‘pretty boy’ for NCIS
When NCIS creator Don Bellisario first considered Mark Harmon for the role of Leroy Jethro Gibbs, two words popped into his head — pretty boy. Harmon, the charming heartthrob of St. Elsewhere and Chicago Hope, didn’t exactly scream tough-as-nails federal agent.
But then Bellisario saw Harmon’s Emmy-nominated arc as Agent Simon Donovan in The West Wing, and everything changed. Bellisario admitted during a 2006 interview with Entertainment Weekly:
What I saw was a very controlled presence, a quiet strength…That’s what I was looking for. Leroy is Mark’s kind of guy. Mark has that jock mentality — you tough it out no matter how tough it is.
That was Gibbs. That was his guy. He even reworked the character’s dialogue, keeping it to a minimum to amplify Harmon’s steely demeanor.
But Harmon wasn’t always the frontrunner. Casting director Susan Bluestein had him on her radar from the start, but big names like Harrison Ford, Alec Baldwin, and Clive Owen were also in the mix (via THR). Bluestein stood firm — she had seen Harmon as John Dillinger in a 1991 TV movie and knew he had the gravitas for Gibbs.
Once NCIS took off, so did behind-the-scenes tensions. Bellisario’s demanding work style clashed with Harmon’s approach. Script delays, long hours — Harmon had enough. The breaking point was a scene Bellisario wanted to reshot. Harmon refused and never spoke to him again. Shortly after, Bellisario was out.
With new showrunners, the series thrived. Harmon alluded (via Today),
We’re all part of favoring growth … they [Brennan and Johnson] have pushed that forward this year and the audience has responded…The actors have, too, but sometimes the actors respond and the audience doesn’t.
And despite cutting down from 16-hour to 12-hour days, he insisted,
We work hard to keep this show what it is. That we’re working 12 hours a day versus 16 hours doesn’t mean we’re working less hard. There’s a pride that drives us.
Turns out, Harmon wasn’t just another pretty face. He was Gibbs, through and through.
Mark Harmon reunites with Jamie Lee Curtis for Freakier Friday
Mark Harmon is stepping back into a familiar role — but it’s not as Agent Gibbs. The NCIS veteran is reuniting with Jamie Lee Curtis for Freakier Friday, the long-awaited sequel to Freaky Friday (per The Mirror).
Harmon, who played Ryan, Tess Coleman’s fiancé in the 2003 comedy, is reprising his role alongside Curtis and Lindsay Lohan. This time, the body-swapping chaos extends to multiple generations, as Anna (Lohan) juggles motherhood and a blended family.
Reflecting on working with Curtis again, Harmon called it comfortable and a reunion he truly enjoyed. Meanwhile, he’s still tied to NCIS, narrating the upcoming prequel NCIS: Origins. From crime scenes to comedy, Harmon proves he can do it all.
Watch NCIS on Hulu & Apple TV.
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