NCIS is bringing back a familiar face—just not the version fans remember. Four years after NCIS: New Orleans wrapped, CBS is officially recasting Dwayne Pride, the beloved team leader originally played by Scott Bakula.
Introduced in the second NCIS spinoff, Pride quickly became one of the franchise’s standout leads. Though NCIS: New Orleans never reached the prestige of the flagship series or the popularity of NCIS: Los Angeles, it developed a loyal audience and solidified Pride as an essential figure in NCIS history.
Young Dwayne Pride Joins ‘NCIS: Origins’
According to TVInsider, NCIS: Origins is actively casting a younger version of Dwayne Pride. The character is described as a newly minted Probationary Special Agent stationed in the NIS Panama office. When he appears in Season 2, he will reunite with a young Leroy Jethro Gibbs, forcing the pair to confront unresolved tensions from their past as they go undercover on a case.
Fans already know that Gibbs and Pride eventually repaired their friendship, but Origins will explore the roots of that conflict—and how they became part of the legendary “Fed Five,” the elite NIS team Gibbs, Pride, and Mike Franks belonged to in the early ’90s.
What Young Pride Means for the Prequel
As the franchise’s first prequel, NCIS: Origins has been steadily expanding its roster of younger legacy characters. Season 2 recently introduced Young Ducky (played by Adam Campbell) and previously featured a young Lara Macy, the original team leader from NCIS: Los Angeles. Bringing Pride into the mix opens the door to new storylines grounded in established canon.
Set in 1992, the show has a limited two-year window before the Fed Five officially disbanded in 1994—meaning the series has a tight timeline to explore their biggest missions and the evolution of their friendship.
The challenge now will be balancing Gibbs, Pride, and the Fed Five’s backstory with the ongoing weekly cases at Camp Pendleton, especially since the current cast has already established strong chemistry with viewers.
How to Watch
The NCIS Tuesday lineup airs weekly on CBS beginning at 8 p.m. ET.
