The NCIS franchise is a massive institution, so it’s no wonder some actors have played multiple characters within its expansive storyline. It would throw off the narrative in most television shows to have the same person appear as different characters, with many only running for a few years. However, NCIS’ rich tapestry of more than two decades on television allows actors to weave in and out of the narrative as different NCIS characters seamlessly. Moreover, the fact that NCIS has so many spinoffs means some actors can always show up on a different show as a new character.
The franchise has tackled over a thousand cases between NCIS and its many spinoff shows, meaning there have been thousands of opportunities to play a character attached to a weekly case. The television institution continues to grow, expanding opportunities for its favorite actors to return without compromising the integrity of its complex web of narratives. Even fan-favorite characters like Timothy McGee and Mike Franks once had their actors play different roles within the shared NCIS universe, adding another layer of complexity to their established presence.
10
Sean Murray
JAG, NCIS
The most prominent figure playing multiple characters in the shared NCIS universe is Sean Murray, who plays Special Agent Timothy McGee in the NCIS season 22 cast. Before his stint on NCIS, which started in season 1, Murray appeared in JAG. The 1990s legal procedural is the predecessor to NCIS, which hosted its backdoor pilot.
Murray plays two different characters in JAG. In season 4, episode 3, “Innocence,” Murray appears as Ensign Terry Guitry. The actor returns for a more substantial stint in JAG season 6, playing Danny Walden in five episodes throughout, with his stint ending in 2001. Murray would appear as a rookie agent on NCIS just a few years later, in 2003.
9
Tom Schanley
JAG, NCIS, NCIS: Los Angeles, NCIS: New Orleans, NCIS: Hawai’i
Tom Schanley holds a distinguished place in the NCIS franchise. Schanley has appeared in five shows across the NCIS universe, including NCIS, NCIS: New Orleans, NCIS: Los Angeles, and JAG. After featuring in JAG in 1999, Schanley first appears in NCIS season 9, episode 10, “Sins of the Father.” After that, Schanley appeared once on each location-based spinoff series aside from NCIS: Sydney and NCIS: Origins.
After appearing as “Crazy Sam” in NCIS: Hawai’i season 1, episode 4, “Paniolo,” Schanley returned to the flagship in NCIS season 22. In episode 5, Schanley plays CIA Officer Conrad, a dirty CIA agent who worked with NCIS on their Thomas Butler. The agent tells NCIS that Butler is a Russian spy when he actually retired from a career as a double agent working for the Americans.
8
Diany Rodriguez
NCIS: New Orleans, NCIS: Origins
After a brief feature in NCIS: New Orleans as DHS Agent Garcia in season 4, episode 1, “Rogue Nation,” Diany Rodriguez was destined for a much more significant role in the police procedural universe. Rodriguez only has a few seconds on the screen beside Special Agent-in-Charge Dwayne Cassius Pride (Scott Bakula) in the NCIS: New Orleans cast as she takes command and exits. However, Rodriguez has a prominent role in NCIS: Origins.
Roma Maffia appeared as Vera Strickland in NCIS season 11, episode 13, “Under the Radar.”
Rodriguez plays Special Agent Vera Strickland in the NCIS: Origins prequel story. Strickland received a brief introduction in the original series in NCIS season 11, and Rodriguez is reviving the character for the Leroy Jethro Gibbs prequel series. After just a momentary feature in the Bayou-based spinoff, it’s excellent that Rodriguez got more screen time, as she’s perfect as Mike Franks’ former partner.
7
Patrick Fischler
NCIS: Hawai’i, NCIS: Origins
The NCIS: Origins cast features another familiar face in Patrick Fischler, who plays Special Agent Cliff Wheeler. Fischler appears in the NCIS universe in NCIS: Hawai’i alongside Vanessa Lachey’s Jane Tennant. Before Fischler was someone in the Gibbs prequel, he was Glenn Smith in NCIS: Hawai’i season 1, episode 14, “Broken.”
Glenn Smith, the CIA office’s Inspector General, seeks out Tennant to gather details about Maggie Shaw and her connection to Jane’s family. Before he was on NCIS: Hawai’i, Fischler also appeared in Hawaii Five-0 as Ryan Webb and on NCIS. Fischler played George Stenner in NCIS season 5, episode 15, “Into the Zone.”
6
Michael Nouri
NCIS, NCIS: New Orleans, Hawaii Five-0
Michael Nouri had a significant supporting role in the original NCIS series, appearing as Ziva David’s father, Eli David, from seasons 6 to 10. Eli David was also the father of NCIS antagonist Ari Haswai, who he trained as an agent for Mossad but betrayed his father and country. Nouri’s final appearance is in NCIS season 10, episode 11, “Shabbat Shalom,” when he dies in a shootout during dinner with Leon Vance (Rocky Carroll), whose wife, Jackie Vance (Paula Newsome), dies from injuries sustained in the attack.
Nouri also appears in Hawaii Five-0, which shares the NCIS universe.
After his robust NCIS role, Nouri later appears in NCIS: New Orleans season 6, episode 9, “Convicted.” However, Nouri has an unstated role as a man named Jason Campbell. Nouri also appears in Hawaii Five-0, which shares the NCIS universe. He plays Oscar Hirsch in Hawaii Five-0 season 10, episode 20, “He puhe’e miki.”
5
Liza Lapira
NCIS, NCIS: New Orleans
Liza Lapira has a sizable role in NCIS as Special Agent Michelle Lee, a lawyer who temporarily joins Gibbs’ team in seasons 4 and 6. In NCIS season 4, Lee is involved in a few cases at the beginning of the installment during a brief takeout over the team by Anthony DiNozzo (Michael Weatherly) during Gibbs’ temporary retirement. She also has a brief fling with Dr. James Palmer (Brian Dietzen).
In NCIS season 6, the Major Case Response Team (MCRT) discovers Agent Lee is a mole tasked with obtaining sensitive military plans. Ultimately, Lapira exits the series when her character sacrifices herself in a tense situation with Gibbs (Mark Harmon). Lapira returns to NCIS in its Southeastern-set spinoff, Araminta Jax in NCIS: New Orleans season 5, episode 15, “Crab Mentality” in 2019.
4
John Getz
NCIS
John Getz has multiple characters in NCIS, featuring on the series as recently as season 22. He first appears in season 7, episode 14, “Masquerade.” In season 7, Getz plays Walter Kane, a Pentagon employee and the owner of a private investigation company. Getz returns in NCIS season 22, with the series repeating his Pentagon connection.
In NCIS season 22, episode 5, “In From the Cold,” Getz plays Thomas Butler, a retired double agent who gave the United States crucial intel from the Soviet Union during the Cold War. Getz plays the character beautifully, leaving the audience questioning whether he is having issues with his memory or is still working undercover. Getz guest stars alongside Tom Schanley, who also has multiple appearances in NCIS.
3
Scottie Thompson
NCIS, NCIS: Los Angeles
A substantial love interest to Anthony DiNozzo, Scottie Thompson plays two characters in the NCIS universe. She has a considerable role as Jeanne Benoit in NCIS and a guest appearance in NCIS: Los Angeles. Thompson appears in 18 NCIS episodes as Jeanne. Her character is the daughter of an arms dealer, La Grenoille (Armand Assante).
After her final appearance in NCIS season 13, episode 16, “Loose Cannons,” leading up to Michael Weatherly’s NCIS exit, Thompson returns in NCIS: Los Angeles. She plays Sarah Raines in NCIS: Los Angeles season 11, episode 18, “Missing Time.” It was great to see Thompson in the NCIS universe again, but the appearance didn’t rival her memorable role as René Benoit’s daughter.
2
Joe Spano
JAG, NCIS
Joe Spano has a substantial role in the NCIS franchise, making him the most featured guest character. Spano plays fan-favorite NCIS character Tobias Fornell, who appears in the first episode of the NCIS franchise, the NCIS pilot episode, “Yankee White.” Spano is an FBI agent and adversary to Gibbs and his team in “Yankee White,” resenting how Gibbs’ team outsmarts him at multiple turns.
However, Spano’s character grew into Gibbs’ friend and ally, one of the only people in the NCIS franchise Gibbs sees as a friend. Gibbs and Fornell even have an ex-wife in command, Melinda McGraw’s Diane Sterling, which ties them outside their work. Spano even has a guest appearance as Fornell in NCIS: New Orleans season 1, episode 5, “It Happened Last Night.”
You can catch up on NCIS on Paramount+.
However, Spano’s first character in the shared NCIS universe years earlier was Navy Captain Jack Murphy, a guest role in JAG season 3, episode 22, “Clipped Wings.” Spano’s only Navy connection to the series is his appearance as a Navy Captain in JAG since he plays an FBI agent. In NCIS season 22, the series gave Spano’s character a proper retirement by having Parker (Gary Cole) and Wayne Sweeney (Erik Passoja) reconcile, with NCIS effectively writing out its last original cast member.
1
Muse Watson
JAG, NCIS
Before he played Special Agent Michael Franks in NCIS, Muse Watson featured in JAG season 4, episode 3, “Innocence,” as Admiral Arthur Fessenden. Watson is known for his Mike Franks character, first introduced in NCIS season 3, episode 23, “Hiatus Part I.” Watson’s introduction as the former partner and mentor of Leroy Jethro Gibbs made it one of the best episodes of NCIS.
Watson has an iconic run of appearances on NCIS and is one of the series’ most frequently featured guest actors. After Frank’s death, Watson appears as a ghost with whom Gibbs interacts when he needs advice. The NCIS: Origins prequel story has revived the Mike Franks character, with Kyle Schmid taking over as a young Mike Franks.
