Meet the cast of NCIS on Disney Plus
Everything you need to know about the actors currently starring in the long-running crime drama.
One of the longest running shows currently on air, NCIS, is returning to US screens next week for what is set to be an explosive and emotional 21st season.
As well as the usual cases for the team to solve, the new series will be without its last remaining original cast member David McCallum. The actor passed away aged 90 last September and the new season is set to pay tribute to his beloved character Dr Donald “Ducky” Mallard.
The usual main cast members are all set to return for the new series, with NCIS being home to one of the biggest casts ever assembled, too – and that's before you even start to factor in the four spin-offs, with a new Origins prequel series also on the way.
If you want to know more about the cast and characters who star in everyone's favourite procedural, we've pored through the records and assembled all the information you need so you don't have to.
Read on for everything you need to know about the cast of NCIS.
NCIS cast: Full list of characters and actors in season 21
The main cast of NCIS season 21 is as follows, scroll on to find out more about their characters and where you may have seen the actors before.
- Gary Cole as Alden Parker
- Sean Murray as Timothy McGee
- Wilmer Valderrama as Nick Torres
- Katrina Law as Jess Knight
- Brian Dietzen as Dr Jimmy Palmer
- Diona Reasonover as Kasie Hines
- Rocky Carroll as Leon Vance
Gary Cole plays Alden Parker
Who is Alden? Alden Parker replaced Leroy Jethro Gibbs to become the current Supervisory Special Agent of the NCIS Major Case Response Team in season 20. It was a shock for fans to see Gibbs leave the role after so long, but Parker has quickly established himself as a favourite in his own right.
Where have I seen Gary Cole before? Cole has been a TV mainstay for decades, starring in a wide range of legendary shows including American Gothic, The West Wing, The Good Wife and Veep, which won him an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series.
On top of that, Cole is also a prolific voice actor with roles in Family Guy, Kim Possible, and Bob's Burgers, not to mention his various live-action film projects such as One Hour Photo and Pineapple Express.
Sean Murray plays Timothy McGee
Who is Timothy? McGee has come a long way from the timid, inexperienced agent first introduced as a guest star in season one. From season two onwards, he joined the main cast, and since then, Timothy's confidence has grown to the point where's now confident enough to be the show's new main lead from season 20 onwards.
Where have I seen Sean Murray before? NCIS has understandably taken up a lot of Murray's time over the past two decades, but prior to this role, he appeared in several episodes of JAG and also made his feature film debut as Thackery Binx in the iconic Disney movie, Hocus Pocus.
Wilmer Valderrama plays Nick Torres
Who is Nick? Torres started out as an undercover agent who made his debut in the season 14 premiere, but when his cover was blown, a chance team-up with Gibbs's team eventually led to a permanent role on the team.
Where have I seen Wilmer Valderrama before? Before NCIS, Valderrama made a name for himself as Fez in That '70s Show, but that's not all he's appeared in.
Over the years, Wilmer has also played roles in Grey's Anatomy and The Ranch, as well as From Dusk till Dawn: The Series — and he even voiced the character of Agustín Madrigal in Disney's Encanto.
By entering your details, you are agreeing to our terms and conditions and privacy policy. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Katrina Law plays Jess Knight
Who is Katrina? Jess first appeared in the penultimate episode of season 18 where her tenacious, no-nonsense attitude led to an eventual spot on the main team. Knight is fluent in Chinese and her experience in dealing with hostage negotiations has proven invaluable in recent years.
Where have I seen Katrina Law before? Law is a TV mainstay thanks to prominent roles across multiple shows including Spartacus: Blood and Sand, Spartacus: Vengeance, The Oath, Hawaii Five-0 and The CW's Arrow, where she played Nyssa al Ghul,.
Brian Dietzen plays Dr Jimmy Palmer
Who is Jimmy? After playing a recurring role for many, many years, Dr James "Jimmy" Palmer took over as NCIS's Acting Chief Medical Examiner in season 15. The promotion was temporary at first, but when Ducky announced his official retirement, the role became permanent.
Where have I seen Brian Dietzen before? Ten seasons in, Dietzen was promoted to a season regular in 2012. Aside from NCIS, Brian has also appeared in The WB series My Guide to Becoming a Rockstar and the film From Justin to Kelly starring Kelly Clarkson.
Diona Reasonover plays Kasie Hines
Who is Kasie? Kasie was a huge fan of Abby's work as the chief NCIS forensic scientist, so when Abby left for good, Kasie had her blessing to take over as the team's current forensics specialist.
Where have I seen Diona Reasonover before? Following her recurring role in season 15, Reasonover was upped to a series regular the following year after Pauley Perrette's departure. Prior to NCIS, Diona starred as Charmaine Eskowitz in the TV series Clipped.
Rocky Carroll plays Leon Vance
Who is Leon? Leon James Vance made his debut in the season five episode Internal Affairs, where he was introduced as the assistant director of the NCIS. After the death of Jenny Shepard, he was named the new Director as the next candidate in the line of succession.
Where have I seen Rocky Carroll before? Before NCIS, Carroll starred in the '90s Fox comedy-drama Roc, as well as the CBS medical drama Chicago Hope. He's also appeared in the NCIS spinoffs Los Angeles and New Orleans.
Additional cast members for NCIS
Anyone who's stuck with NCIS since the beginning will know that there have been plenty of other members on the team over the years. Unfortunately, the new season will be without the show's last remaining original cast member David McCallum, who starred as Ducky.
Here are some of the most prominent characters who left during the show's two decade-span on screen:
- Mark Harmon as Leroy Jethro Gibbs
- Cote de Pablo as Ziva David
- Michael Weatherly as Anthony "Tony" DiNozzo
- Pauley Perrette as Abby Sciuto
- Emily Wickersham as Eleanor "Ellie" Bishop
- Sasha Alexander as Caitlin "Kate" Todd
- Maria Bello as Jacqueline "Jack" Sloane
- Duane Henry as Clayton Reeves
- Lauren Holly as Jenny Shepard
- David McCallum as Dr. Donald “Ducky” Mallard
In the end-times, all that will be left is cockroaches and NCIS, so expect to see plenty more new faces join as NCIS reaches its 30th and even 40th seasons on air.
NCIS is available to stream on Disney Plus. Sign up to Disney Plus for £7.99 a month or £79.90 for a year. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on.
Try Radio Times magazine today and get 10 issues for only £10, PLUS a £10 John Lewis and Partners voucher delivered to your home – subscribe now. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Authors
David Opie is a freelance entertainment journalist who writes about TV and film across a range of sites including Radio Times, Indiewire, Empire, Yahoo, Paste, and more. He's spoken on numerous LGBTQ+ panels to discuss queer representation and strives to champion LGBTQ+ storytelling as much as possible. Other passions include comics, animation, and horror, which is why David longs to see a Buffy-themed Rusical on RuPaul's Drag Race. He previously worked at Digital Spy as a Deputy TV Editor and has a degree in Psychology.
