Chris O’Donnell may be stepping into a new television role soon, but he hasn’t forgotten his long-standing run on NCIS: Los Angeles. In a recent chat with TV Line’s Matt Webb Mitovich, the actor, who portrayed Special Agent G. Callen for 14 seasons, reflected on the efforts made behind the scenes to keep the popular CBS spin-off alive after its conclusion.
O’Donnell revealed that the cast had pushed for a follow-up project after the series wrapped — specifically a made-for-TV movie that would revisit the characters’ lives. “We actually brought it up,” O’Donnell shared. “But I don’t think that format is something CBS really embraces.” He added that during the writers’ strike, the cast had regrouped and tossed around the idea of shooting a movie in six weeks, but unfortunately, the plan never materialized.
“It was hard to walk away, especially because the cast genuinely enjoyed working together,” he said. Fans of the franchise can still find traces of NCIS: LA characters in other series within the NCIS universe. During the interview, O’Donnell was surprised to hear that his character Callen is still married to Anna and expecting a baby, while Sam Hanna (played by LL Cool J) has popped up in other NCIS storylines — including a stint in a demilitarized zone.
Now, O’Donnell is preparing for a new chapter in his acting career. Several years after the end of NCIS: LA, the Batman & Robin star is heading back to procedural drama with 9-1-1: Nashville, a spin-off of the popular 9-1-1 franchise. The main show features Angela Bassett and Jennifer Love Hewitt and has already expanded with 9-1-1: Lone Star — now joined by the Nashville installment.
At a recent industry event, O’Donnell confirmed he’ll be playing Captain Don Sharpe in the upcoming series. While filming hasn’t started yet, he did share that his character is married to Jessica Capshaw’s character, and the couple has a son who also works at the firehouse. Though he stayed tight-lipped on further plot details, O’Donnell emphasized that Sharpe is a very different personality from the stoic and tactical Callen.
9-1-1: Nashville is slated to premiere in September 2025. Fans of O’Donnell — and procedural dramas in general — can expect more updates as production gets underway.
