NCIS has welcomed many celebrity guests since its premiere in 2003 — and Michael Weatherly has a few favorites.
The 57-year-old actor portrayed Special Agent Anthony “Tony” DiNozzo in the hit TV series for 13 seasons until 2016. He later returned to reprise his character for a cameo in 2024.
Weatherly is now playing the charismatic agent once again in the new Paramount+ spinoff NCIS: Tony & Ziva opposite Cote de Pablo.
Speaking with PEOPLE at a screening event in New York City, the actor reveals some of his favorite celebrity guest stars from his time on the mothership series. “Wow. I mean, there are so many funny stories,” he begins, before naming a select few.
“Charles Durning was a really amazing guest star. Bob Newhart was hilarious, and I got to watch him do something that, it’s too long a story for here, but I’ve probably told it somewhere,” Weatherly says, adding that Newhart’s time on the show “taught me something too.”
“Robert Wagner became the guest star that recurred as my father,” he continues. “We got to meet so many Hollywood royalty. Lily Tomlin. Just so many people. It’s hard to pick a favorite.”
The late Durning, known for his early roles in Dog Day Afternoon and Tootsie, had an Emmy-nominated turn in the procedural drama for his season 2 appearance as a Marine veteran.
Newhart, who died at age 94 in 2024, starred in the show as former NCIS Chief Medical Examiner Walter Magnus, who pays a visit to his previous place of employment in season 8.
Meanwhile, Wagner, as Weatherly mentions, portrayed Tony’s father in 13 episodes throughout the seasons. The two actors already had an unusual connection as Weatherly portrayed a young Wagner in the 2004 TV movie The Mystery of Natalie Wood.
In 2018, Weatherly shared a snap on social media of him and Wagner catching up. “Hanging #oldschool with the incomparable Robert Wagner last night. Beautiful, baby,” he captioned the pic.
Other acclaimed guest stars that have starred on the series include Jamie Lee Curtis, Zac Efron, Millie Bobby Brown and Taye Diggs.
The original NCIS cast included Mark Harmon, Sasha Alexander, Weatherly, Pauley Perrette, Sean Murray and the late David McCallum. The show has spawned six spinoffs, including NCIS: Origins, NCIS: Los Angeles and NCIS: New Orleans. Season 23 of the main series will premiere in October.
Tony & Ziva sees the titular characters on a run across Europe after finding out that someone is targeting them and their daughter. The synopsis teases that the fan-favorite couple may “learn to trust each other again so they can finally have their unconventional happily ever after.”
John McNamara serves as showrunner and executive producer alongside de Pablo and Weatherly. Amita Suman, Maximilian Osinski, Lara Rossi, Isla Gie, Nassima Benchicou, Terence Maynard, Julian Ovenden and James D’Arcy also star.
New episodes of NCIS: Tony & Ziva air Thursdays on Paramount+ until the season finale on Oct. 23.
