The Biggest NCIS Guest Stars Most People Have Forgotten

The Biggest NCIS Guest Stars Most People Have Forgotten


April 28, 2025 | Samantha Henman

The Biggest NCIS Guest Stars Most People Have Forgotten


Shine Bright

This year at the SAG Awards, the host made up a drinking game, imploring the actors in the audience to take a drink if they appeared on Law & Order before they were famous. Well, one show that could give L&O a run for its money is NCIS, which has had some pretty famous guest stars throughout its long, long life on TV.

Since 2003, NCIS has got some seriously big names to make appearances. Some of them appeared when they were just starting off, while others were already huge stars. Do you remember these amazing NCIS cameos?

Ncis Msn

Colin Hanks

Why guest star in one episode when you can appear in three? In season 10 and 11 of NCIS, Colin Hanks—son of Tom Hanks and star of projects like Fargo, Orange County, and King Kong—appeared as Department of Defense officer Richard Parsons. After Ziva killed a Mossad director in an effort to avenge her father, Hanks’ character came to take a close look at the NCIS team, specifically focusing on Gibbs.

Ultimately, Gibbs proves himself to Parsons—was there ever any doubt?—kickstarting season 11 of NCIS.

Colin Hanks being interviewedNan Palmero, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Advertisement

Jamie Lee Curtis

Curtis was born to Hollywood royalty, the daughter of Tony Curtis and scream queen Janet Leigh. She went on to become a scream queen in her own right in the original Halloween and had a fruitful career through the 80s and 90s in films like Trading Places and True Lies. Curtis then appeared in a show-stopping cameo in season 9, playing Dr Samantha Ryan, director of the DoD’s PsyOps division.

What seemed like a one-time appearance ended up turning into a whole character arc as Dr Ryan became involved with Gibbs. Curtis ended up appearing in five episodes of season 9 of NCIS.

Jamie Lee Curtis at ComiconGage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Advertisement

Millie Bobby Brown

At the time, most audience members probably didn’t know who the young actor playing a 10-year-old sociopath who kills her mom was—but we’d bet that few people who caught that season 12 episode would forget the creepy character or the disturbing performance. If the character of Rachel Barnes looked familiar, it’s because she was played by Millie Bobby Brown, just two years before she went on the star as Eleven in Stranger Things, which was a huge hit from the very moment it first aired on Netflix in 2016.

Millie Bobby Brown being interviewed Laviru Koruwakankanamge, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Advertisement

Drew Carey

Is there a bigger get as a guest star then the host of one of America’s most beloved game showsThe Price Is Right? (Spoiler alert: Yes, and she appears later on this list). Carey showed up in season 15, playing a veteran who’d been framed for murder.

Drew Carey in 2014Mercy For Animals MFA, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Advertisement

Lily Tomlin

Tomlin was a successful stand-up comedian before transitioning to acting, netting an Oscar nomination for her turn in Nashville. More recently, she’s stayed in the spotlight thanks to her collaborations with Jane Fonda, like the show Grace and Frankie and the movie 80 For Brady. Tomlin showed up in NCIS season 9—same as Jamie Lee Curtis—in a great part, playing McGee’s grandmother. She brought her characteristic sense of humor to the role.

Lily Tomlin Smiles After Receiving Her Kennedy Center Honors Medallion U.S. Department of State, Wikimedia Commons

Advertisement

Ray Wise

Is that Laura Palmer’s father? Twin Peaks star Ray Wise appeared in season 9 of NCIS, as a scheming real estate developer. Play to your type, Ray!

Ray Wise poses for a photo 2011Michael Koschinski., CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

Advertisement

Glen Powell

Powell shot to fame as the star of Top Gun: Maverick and Twisters—but many people may have seen those movies and found him uncannily familiar. That’s because Powell was out there toiling away in various small roles and TV series before he became a big star. Among those projects was a very early role in NCIS, all the way back in 2012, where he appeared for two episodes as a Marine Sergeant whose brother is under investigation.

Glen Powell posing for a photoGage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

Advertisement

Jon Cryer

If there’s one guest star who knows long-running shows, it’s Jon Cryer, who starred on Two and a Half Men for a whopping 12 seasons. Cryer was also a huge star in the 80s, after his unforgettable turn as Ducky in Pretty in Pink. On NCIS, he played Dr Cyril Taft for three episodes in season 13. Years earlier, Cryer had confessed that he was an NCIS fan and that it was his dream to appear on the show. Dreams do come true!

Jon Cryer posing for a photoAngela George, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

Advertisement

Robert Wagner

Speaking of Two and a Half Men…Hollywood icon Robert Wagner appeared in a recurring role in both that sitcom and NCIS. Long before those hit shows were a twinkle in their respective creators’ eyes, Wagner was a TV mainstay in shows like Switch and Hart to Hart. In 2010, he took on the role of Anthony DiNozzo Sr—Tony’s father—and since then, has appeared in 13 different episodes across nine years. What a run!

Robert Wagner being interviewed notaspringchick3D, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

Advertisement

David Eigenberg

While Eigenberg is perhaps most recognizable as Steve from Sex and the City, as well as its movies and revival series, he’s also been an integral part of Chicago Fire since 2012. When he wasn’t busy with those time-consuming projects, he appeared as a former NSA analyst suspected of his wife’s murder in season 6 of NCIS 

Actor David Arquette poses for a photo during a USO visit to Chicago.Defense Visual Information Distribution Service, Picryl

Advertisement

Zac Efron

Zac Efron appeared on a season 3 episode of NCIS, and since he wasn’t quite the megastar he is today, it was a small part. The episode aired just three days before he found fame as the star of High School Musical. In the same NCIS scene, Fargo star Jesse Plemons played Efron’s classmate—he also hadn’t quite found stardom yet, as he had just got his breakout role on Friday Night Lights.

Zac Efron was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. - 2023Featureflash Photo Agency, Flickr

Advertisement

Joe Spano

The name Joe Spano might not jump out at you, but he’s a beloved character actor with the resume to back that up. He was a regular on Hill Street Blues, which, to many people, was the series that kicked off the trend for police procedurals on TV, tracing a line from that show up to 90s hits like Law & Order and then, eventually, to JAG and NCIS. Spano has also appeared in Apollo 13 and Primal Fear.

Spano was one of the first guests on NCIS, appearing in the pilot as FBI Special Agent TC Fornell.

Joe Spano In 2022Sam, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Advertisement

Abigail Breslin

Breslin also appeared on NCIS before she was really a big name, all the way back in 2004 for season 2. At that time, she had already appeared in Signs, from M Night Shyamalan, but had yet to appear in her breakout role in Little Miss Sunshine. In NCIS, she played the blind daughter of a Navy captain.

Abigail Breslin closeup photoGage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

Advertisement

Bob Newhart

Few TV stars have had an impact like Bob Newhart, who had not one, but two namesake shows—The Bob Newhart Show and Newhart—running through the 70s, 80s, and 90s. Newhart didn’t slow down in his old age, either, winning new fans as Papa Elf in Elf. In 2011, during season 8 of NCIS, Newhart appeared as Dr Walter Magnus, Ducky’s mentor and his predecessor as Chief Medical Examiner. He reprised the role 10 seasons later, in season 18 for the series’ 400th episode.

Photo of  Bob NewhartJim Wallace, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Advertisement

Josh Holloway

As a spinoff of the hit show JAGNCIS was able to net some pretty cool guests all the way back in the beginning. One such get was Josh Holloway, who appeared in an episode part way through season 1, who played a local sheriff in West Virginia. Just a few months later, Lost would premiere, making Holloway one part of the ensemble cast of TV’s hottest show.

Photo of Josh Holloway gageskidmore, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Advertisement

Terry O’Quinn

Speaking of Lost, Holloway wasn’t the only star to have a turn on NCIS. Terry O’Quinn got his shot playing Colonel William Ryan, also in a first season episode. His character fought in Desert Storm and was Gibbs’ superior. Before that, O’Quinn had a recurring role on JAG as Thomas Boone.

Photo of Terry O'QuinnGenevieve, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Advertisement

Gena Rowlands

Gena Rowlands is considered to be one of the greatest actresses of all time, known for 70s fare like A Woman Under the Influence, as well as the 2000s instant classic The Notebook. In NCIS, she made an appearance as Gibb’s ex-mother-in-law.

Photo of Gena RowlandsTinseltown, Shutterstock

Advertisement

Scott Wolf

Season 9 wouldn’t have been the same without 90s heartthrob and Party of Five star Scott Wolf. He showed up as Jonathan Cole (AKA Casey Stratton), a former US Army Special Forces soldier with the rank of Captain, and also a member of the special operations team, Phantom Eight…with quite the body count.

Scott Wolf at ComiconGage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Advertisement

Mya

In what seems like an unlikely cameo, R&B/pop star Mya appeared in season 2 of NCIS, fresh off her appearance on the ensemble hit “Lady Marmalade”. Fittingly, she played Samantha King, AKA Jade, a club singer in the episode.

Mýa in 2018 Wbls Interview 5WBLS, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

Advertisement

Corey Stoll

What hasn’t Corey Stoll been in? From regular roles in House of Cards to Billions to Law & Order: LA, as well as the Ant-Man series, Stoll has stayed booked and busy. Ever the hard worker, Stoll appeared in three episodes of NCIS during seasons 4 and 5 as Martin Quinn, an arms dealer, and associate of Rene Benoit.

Photo of Corey StollGage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Advertisement

Armand Assante

And who played Rene Benoit? None other than screen icon Armand Assante, and off-the-wall presence in the vein of Nicolas Cage or Christopher Walken. Assante brought his unmistakable je-ne-sais-quoi to the character of Rene Benoit, AKA La Grenouille, in five episodes of NCIS.  

Armand Assante Venice Film Festival 2018Armand Assante, CC0, Wikimedia Commons

Advertisement

Meredith Eaton

Eaton was one of the breakout stars of the long-running drama Boston Legal. After that show wrapped up, Eaton took on the recurring role of Carol Wilson in NCIS, appearing in five different episodes and even crossing over to NCIS: New Orleans during its first season. Wilson is a college friend of Abby’s.

American actress Meredith Eaton.Kathy Hutchins, Shutterstock

Advertisement

Billy Dee Williams

Even wondered how Gibbs got his name? Well, The Empire Strikes Back star Billy Dee Williams made an appearance in season 10 and explained how it all came about. His character was friends with Gibbs’ father, who named his son after his friend—Leroy Jethro Moore.

Photo of Billy Dee Williams Super Festivals, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Advertisement

Danica McKellar

Wonder Years star McKellar—who you may also know as the crush of every male who grew up in the 90s—was in one episode of NCIS in its second season, where she met a dark end.

Closeup of Danica McKellarFuzheado, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Advertisement

Jonathan Frakes

Since his turn as Riker in Star Trek: The Next Generation, Frakes has filled some of his time with directing gigs. Though he’s never appeared on the OG NCIS, Frakes has directed five episodes of NCIS: Los Angeles, and even made an appearance in once.

Photo of Jonathan Frakes Super Festivals, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Advertisement

Michelle Obama

There’s big guest stars, and then there’s the First Lady of the United States. In season 13, Michelle Obama made an appearance, playing herself and promoting the organization she’d started to support vets, active military personnel, and their respective families.

You May Also Like

Behind The Scenes NCIS Facts

Are You An NCIS Buff? How Many Of These NCIS Show Trivia Questions Can You Answer?

12 TV Spinoffs That Are Better Than The Original

Michelle Obama 2013 Official PortraitChuck Kennedy, WIkipedia

Sources:  1, 2,


READ MORE

January 27, 2025 Jack Hawkins

The Most Famous TV Shows Set In Each State

America produces some excellent television, from gripping dramas to sweet romances. The American television landscape has it all. While most American TV shows are filmed in large studios in states like California, sometimes they're set in the deserts of Arizona or the wilderness of Alaska. Let's explore the most famous TV shows from every state.
Mel Brooks
January 7, 2025 Miles Brucker

Think You Remember 1974's Young Frankenstein? Try To Answer These Trivia Questions.

This movie has undoubtedly made its place as a timeless classic in American cinema. And, just like any other horror-comedy, this one has intriguing inside stories. Do you know what went into the making of this “monster-piece”?
January 28, 2025 Jillian Kent

The Weirdest Episodes Of Beloved TV Shows

Family Guy is no stranger to bizarre storylines—but there’s one weird episode that took things ways too far, leaving even die-hard fans feeling queasy.
January 23, 2025 Jane O'Shea

20 Brilliant Korean Films You Can Watch On Netflix

Can’t decide what to watch while you munch on your favorite snack? Korean cinema is here to help you out with its signature mix of suspense and heart. Here are 20 such recommendations.
Screenshot from "The River Wild" (1994)
January 20, 2025 Sarah Ng

Movie Stunts Gone Wrong

Movie stunts can be one of the most impressive aspects of a production—but they've been known to go terribly wrong. Here are some of the stunts that did not go as planned.
January 28, 2025 Binet

Scenes That Made The Movie

The scene of a deranged Jack Nicholson yelling, “Here’s Johnny!” made The Shining into one of the most famous movies in history–but few know the bizarre origin of the iconic line.