--- title: "The making of Gibbs: Mark Harmon and Austin Stowell talk ‘NCIS: Origins’" date: "2026-10-13" modified: "2026-10-13" authors: - name: "Jessica Manfre" job_title: "Coast Guard Spouse, Contributor" link: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/authors/jessicamanfre.md" url: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/entertainment/the-making-of-gibbs-mark-harmon-and-austin-stowell-talk-ncis-origins/" categories: - "Entertainment" - "Movies and TV" tags: - "Entertainment" - "Television" --- # The making of Gibbs: Mark Harmon and Austin Stowell talk ‘NCIS: Origins’ ![ncis origins gibbs harmon stowell]() *(CBS Entertainment)* For nearly two decades, Mark Harmon played the role of Leroy Jethro Gibbs on "NCIS." The beloved character was a former Marine scout sniper known for his quiet leadership, strict personal rules, and his loyalty to his team. Though Harmon stepped away from "NCIS" in 2021, the legacy of Gibbs has continued to permeate the seasons that followed. And despite almost 20 years of Gibbs, there was so much about his history left unknown. Until now. In 2024, CBS and Paramount+ premiered "NCIS: Origins" with Austin Stowell playing the younger version of Gibbs on screen and Harmon narrating, as well as executive producing the show. The concept was simple: how did Gibbs become the man audiences knew and loved for those nearly 20 years on "NCIS?" **Also Read: [This is what it’s like to play a petty officer on ‘NCIS’]()** We Are The Mighty sat down with both actors to talk about the evolution of Gibbs, the responsibility of stepping into a character with decades of history, and why authentically representing the military community remains central to the story they are telling. ### Origins “Honestly, watching Austin the last couple years, I just am so every day aware of how difficult it was,” Harmon said. “This is hard work and I’m impressed by Austin and this crew and this cast in this time period and trying to do this well every week.” Set in the early 1990s, in the wake of the Gulf War and unimaginable personal tragedy, Gibbs’ story follows his transition from Marine to NIS agent while he is still reeling from the loss of his wife and daughter. “My version of Gibbs is just stoking the fire to sharpen the blade,” Stowell said. “We had to show the hard knocks first.” Those hard knocks are part of why this version of Gibbs is so different. With "NCIS," audiences already know where he ends up, so Stowell isn’t creating a new character. He is working toward one of television’s most recognizable ones. When asked whether he felt pressure stepping into the role, Stowell did not shy away from it. “A good friend of mine, Billie Jean King, says that pressure is a privilege,” he said. “And I believe that.” For Stowell, it’s a clear signal that what he’s doing is important. “It only means that you’re doing something that means something to you,” he said. “From the very beginning, Gibbs meant something to me, and if anybody was gonna tell this version of it, I wanted it to be me.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4JNQsnCHaM Harmon certainly understands the responsibility that comes with carrying a character audiences have known for decades. “There is a weight. There is a weight. And I think he’s handled it well,” Harmon said. That weight comes not only from portraying Gibbs, but from stepping into a history that has already been built. “The history of this character, the opportunity to go back and introduce our audience to some of these people that I never had an opportunity to know,” Harmon added. The pressure and weight weren’t lost on audiences either. When "NCIS: Origins" premiered, there was a good amount of public skepticism about how anyone else could convincingly play Gibbs or if a prequel could add anything meaningful to the story. We voiced those same concerns during the interview, and Harmon was quick to laugh, thanking this writer for the vote of confidence. Despite that skepticism, the show found its footing. Over the first two seasons, audiences increasingly embraced Stowell’s portrayal of Gibbs and the show’s willingness to tell a darker, more vulnerable story about the man before he became the leader fans came to know.By the end of the second season, "Origins" moved beyond simply honoring Gibbs’ legacy and began building one of its own. Part of what gives "NCIS: Origins" its weight is the effort to ground Gibbs’ story in the military community he comes from. For Stowell, that responsibility is never far from mind. “There’s not a single scene that goes by where I’m not carrying this,” he said, holding up a challenge coin given to him by a Marine master gunnery sergeant. “I’ve got tremendous respect and gratitude for our armed forces and I know who I’m representing,” he added. “My worst fear is that they would feel misrepresented.” ![ncis origins cast bts cbs]() *(CBS Studios)* That constant awareness follows him onto the set, where he said he has even handed the coin to others when they needed a reminder of the people behind the uniforms and the sacrifices they make. “It’s a tremendous sacrifice. Time away from family, time away from friends, in order to protect us, protect this country, protect all the freedoms and rights that we enjoy and have here,” Stowell said. Harmon echoed Stowell and touched on how the show has worked to humanize the military community. “They go through the same stuff we all do,” Harmon said. “It’s just there’s an added challenge to it all, one that they willingly accept.” The commitment to authenticity goes beyond the actors portraying the characters in the show and extends to ensuring there is representation throughout the process. From writing to producing, there is a military consultant on staff to work alongside the team, helping them get it right. “He is there with us every day on set,” Stowell said. “He is watching and is there to answer any question you might have or to help you fill in some ideas of what the reality of the situation is.” Sometimes, Harmon added, that means simply being told, “Don’t do it that way.” The attention to detail is critical, for sure, but Harmon admits that "Origins" is going further and unearthing parts of Gibbs that he never fully explored. Even now, the show continues to surprise him. “We’re digging into that bible of his life… finding out about these people who were so important to make him make huge changes in his life and decisions,” Harmon explained. He joked that a man who rarely spoke on camera suddenly “can’t shut up” in the narration, but beneath the humor is something "Origins" is doing differently because the series is allowing Gibbs to look back on the people, choices, and losses that shaped him in ways the original show rarely could. ### The Next Chapter Season 3 raises the stakes and puts Harmon physically back on the big screen, connecting Gibbs’ quiet retirement in Alaska to a mystery rooted in his years at Camp Pendleton, allowing the series to move between the man audiences first knew and the younger version Stowell is still becoming. ![harmon ncis origins]() *Mark Harmon in "NCIS: Origins."(CBS Entertainment)* For viewers, this means the divide between the present and the past is getting smaller. Relationships will continue to be explored, including the one between Gibbs and Lala. Both Harmon and Stowell are excited for fans to watch the new season and see the evolution of the character they both say they feel privileged to play. We asked if either had anything they wanted to add or say to the readers and military community. Harmon smiled and uttered a very Gibbs-like line, “Give ‘em one, Marine.” "NCIS: Origins" premiered on Oct. 6, 2026 and the new season will drop episodes on Tuesdays at 10 p.m. ET/PT [on CBS and Paramount+](). **Don’t Miss the Best of We Are The Mighty** **• [5 episodes of ‘JAG’ that actually, really happened]()** **• [The controversy around ‘Lanterns’ is real—and makes for a better show]()** **• [The real star of David Ayer’s ‘Heart of the Beast’ is Uber (the K9)]()** ## Author Jessica is a clinical social worker, writer, and military advocate whose work for We Are The Mighty focuses on the lived realities of military service, especially the moments that come after the uniform comes off. Her writing centers on veterans, military spouses, and families navigating transition, identity, resilience, and healing, often blending clinical insight with deeply human storytelling. She covers leadership, service, community impact, and the cultural shifts shaping today’s military-connected population, frequently drawing from interviews with senior military leaders, influencers, and grassroots voices across the space. Beyond writing, Jessica serves as Director of MilSpouseFest and works as a Military Events Manager, leading national campaigns and large-scale events that bring military communities together. She is the author of Never Alone (Moody Publishers) and is currently developing her next book, After the Battle. When she’s not writing or advocating, Jessica can usually be found with a good cup of coffee in hand, tackling her ever-growing TBR, hiking with her dog, or spending quality time with her family. She is a proud military spouse of an active-duty U.S. Coast Guard member and draws inspiration from the resilience, humor, and heart of military life every day. ### Author social links [Facebook]() [Twitter]() [Instagram]()