Fans of the NCIS franchise are about to see the early days of one of New Orleans’ most iconic agents. NCIS: Origins is casting a young version of Dwayne Pride, the role famously played by Scott Bakula on NCIS: New Orleans from 2014 to 2021.
The upcoming Season 2 episode will explore Pride’s beginnings as a Probationary Special Agent and shed light on his relationship with Leroy Jethro Gibbs (Mark Harmon). Their bond, which started long before the events of the backdoor pilot Crescent City in 2014, was forged during their time as part of the Fed Five — a tight-knit team that also included Mike Franks, Dan McClane, and Felix Betts.
A Look Back at Pride’s Early Career
In the prequel, Pride is portrayed as a newly minted Probationary Special Agent from the NIS Panama office. The storyline promises to explore his early interactions with Gibbs, including unresolved tensions that surface as they go undercover together. Viewers can also expect to see Pride navigating his dynamic with senior team members like Mike Franks during the 1990s.
“One of the special things about NCIS: Origins is being able to explore the early days of so many beloved characters from the franchise,” said co-showrunners Gina Lucita Monreal and David J. North. “We’re excited to meet the 1990s version of New Orleans’ pride and joy, the legendary Special Agent Dwayne Pride, and learn more about his history with Gibbs.”
Origins of the Fed Five
The Crescent City episodes first introduced the Fed Five and highlighted one of their past cases, the Privileged Killer. At the time, Pride and Gibbs were both rookies, learning from senior team members like Dan McClane and Mike Franks. The prequel episode will dive into this early dynamic, showing how the two future legends of NCIS went from “past tension” to mutual trust — the foundation of their long-standing friendship.
This follows NCIS: Origins’ previous flashback portrayals of other franchise favorites, including Adam Campbell as the younger Ducky, revealing how he began his career in the agency.
The series is produced by CBS Studios, with executive producers David J. North, Gina Lucita Monreal, Mark Harmon, and Sean Harmon. Casting directors are Jason Kennedy, Krysti Baxter, and Meredith Goble.
Fans can look forward to seeing how Young Pride navigates his early career while forming the bonds that will define him in NCIS: New Orleans. What are you most excited to see when Pride appears on Origins?
