The series universe surrounding the crime hit NCIS is being diligently expanded. This October, the US broadcaster CBS will launch a prequel series called NCIS: Origins, which will examine Leroy Jethro Gibbs’ beginnings as an agent at the NIS (still without the C!) in 1991.
While original star Mark Harmon narrates the crime story, the younger version of Gibbs is played by Austin Stowell. But there was another star in the running for the role: Stephen Amell, known from DC series such as Arrow, was keen to play the later NCIS legend. However, the rejection turned out to be a stroke of luck for him.
Arrow star Stephen Amell failed at NCIS casting
As TVLine reports, Stephen Amell was recently a guest on the podcast Inside of You With Michael Rosenbaum and talked about his failed casting for the new NCIS series.
Shortly after the cancellation of his wrestling series Heels, Amell immediately began searching for his next role. Within a week, he auditioned for two new series, but his main focus was auditioning for the young version of Gibbs:
So this came in and I thought the audition went exceptionally well. I got great feedback […] Suddenly the rejection came and I had the feeling like someone was trying to ruin my tour somehow. […] I didn’t know what was going on and I was really frustrated.
Just one day after the NCIS cancellation, Stephen Amell had his next audition – for a leading role in the Suits spin-off Suits: LA.
Stephen Amell was angry about the NCIS failure and immediately landed another series role
“I was really angry“, he sums up his emotional state on the way to the casting. The pent-up frustration of a week full of professional and private challenges turned out to be a stroke of luck:
I came in and I had no fear whatsoever. I tried to be a lot more relaxed and spontaneous than a lot of other people probably were because the guy is a lawyer. This guy was supposed to be the smartest guy in the room, but at the same time I thought I was going to play him as ice cold and serious, so let’s just have some fun.
The frustration over the lost NCIS role paid offAmell was offered the new Suits series just four days later and was eventually cast as top lawyer Ted Black. He is no longer sad about Gibbs’ rejection: “Looking back, I got the job I was meant to get and everything happens for a reason.“
The series Suits LA will premiere on the TV channel NBC in 2025. NCIS fans, however, don’t have to wait that long. NCIS: Origins will start in the USA on October 14, 2024 on CBS. When and where the Gibbs series will be shown in Germany is not yet known.