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NCIS fan-favourite Eric Christian Olsen returns to franchise with key but very different role
The actor will be behind the scenes.
- Molly Moss
Published: Wednesday, 1 July 2026 at 5:04 pm
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NCIS fan-favourite Eric Christan Olsen is coming back to the franchise – but this time behind-the-scenes.
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The actor played Detective Mary Deeks in all 14 seasons of the spinoff series NCIS: Los Angeles.
And now, he's set to return to the world of NCIS in the upcoming third season of prequel show NCIS: Origins, according to Deadline, although this time he's joined as an executive producer under his Cloud Nine Productions banner.
He joins original executive producer David J North, who will serve as showrunner in season 3, as well as Mark Harmon, Sean Harmon and Michele Greco.
Olsen has been under a first-look deal at CBS Television Studios since 2018, developing projects under his Cloud Nine Productions. His other projects include the hit legal drama Matlock, which was recently renewed for a third season.
Austin Stowell as Leroy Jethro Gibbs in NCIS: Origins. Greg Gayne/CBS
NCIS: Origins is set in 1991, preceding the events of the original show, and stars Austin Stowell as a younger version of Leroy Jethro Gibbs. The show follows Gibbs as he begins his career at the Naval Investigative Service under the leadership of NCIS legend Mike Franks (Kyle Schmid).
The prequel series also stars Mariel Molina as Lala Dominguez, Tyla Abercrumbie as Mary Jo Hayes, Diany Rodriguez as Vera Strickland, and Caleb Foote as Bernard Randolf, while Harmon – who plays Gibbs in the original series – will narrate the action.
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When the series was greenlit back in 2024, Harmon said he was "thrilled" to serve as a producer on the show, which will "reveal a new side of this beloved character".
"The character of Gibbs has been an important part of my life for 20 years, both in watching my father craft the role and previously having the honour to play young Gibbs myself," he said, adding that he "always felt there was a tale worth telling about his earlier years".
Alongside NCIS: Origins, there are two current spinoffs in the franchise: NCIS: Sydney, which was recently renewed for a fourth season, and NCIS: New York, which is scheduled to premiere later this year.
NCIS: Origins season 3 will premiere on CBS and Paramount+ in late 2026.
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Authors
Molly MossTrends Writer
Molly Moss is a Trends Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest trends across TV, film and more. She has an MA in Newspaper Journalism and has previously written for publications including The Guardian, The Times and The Sun Online.
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