Catherine Bell’s journey into the NCIS universe almost never happened — and that’s what makes it so remarkable. Before becoming synonymous with JAG’s Sarah “Mac” MacKenzie, Bell briefly appeared in season 1 as a completely different character, a doomed love interest seen only in flashback. At the time, the series itself was facing cancellation, and Bell assumed her role would be a one-off footnote.
Behind the scenes, however, fate had other plans. When JAG was revived, producers searched for a new female lead to star opposite David James Elliott. Bell fit the bill perfectly — strong, confident, multilingual, and physically commanding. After six callbacks and a handwritten letter she sent directly to creator Don Bellisario, Bell landed the role that would define her career.
The moment was especially powerful because it came just as she was considering leaving acting altogether. Bell has since described learning she’d been cast as “magical,” a turning point that lifted her out of financial uncertainty and into television history. Her performance not only anchored JAG for eight seasons, but helped launch the entire NCIS franchise that followed.
