‘NCIS’: Gary Cole Officially Joins the ‘NCIS’ Cast:What Is the Actor Known For?
NCIS has recently undergone major cast changes. Things will look very different once the show returns. One of the big changes ahead of NCIS Season 19 is the addition of actor Gary Cole. He will reportedly assume a major role when the series resumes. Here’s everything Showbiz Cheat Sheet knows about Cole and his new role.
‘NCIS’ Season 18 departures
There have been many departures this season. Some of the storylines have been connected to a character’s death, other characters left voluntarily. One of the most shocking endings is when Tobias Fornell’s (Joe Spano) daughter, Emily (Juliette Angelo), dies. She is admitted to the hospital after a drug overdose but never makes it out alive. Another shocking departure is when Jimmy Palmer’s (Brian Dietzen) wife, Breena, dies. Unfortunately, she loses her battle with COVID-19. After that, Jack Sloane (Maria Bello) and then Ellie Bishop (Emily Wickersham) resign.
Gary Cole on ‘NCIS’
Earlier, Variety reported CBS was in talks to hire Cole. We now know he has been officially added to the NCIS cast. According to Deadline, Cole will play FBI Special Agent Alden Park. There was speculation Cole would replace Harmon, but according to the publication, this is not the case.
Right now, it appears Cole’s character has been added to make up for the hole left by Gibbs’ reduced presence on the show. According to TV Line, Harmon will not appear in most of the episodes during NCIS Season 19. The publication reports the actor will only be seen in “a few” episodes in “the low single digits.”
NCIS Executive Producer/Showrunner Steven D. Binder tells Deadline season 19 will be the best one. “We haven’t shot a single frame quite yet, but with the addition of Gary Cole and Katrina Law to the cast, this is already shaping up to be one of the best seasons yet,” he says. “Going into season 19, we are excited to have new characters and stories to tell that adds to and reenergizes the world we’ve come to love over the 400+ episodes.”
Gary Cole’s movies and TV shows
One of Cole’s early roles was in the 1983 TV movie Heart of Steel. The following year, he appeared in the TV mini-series Fatal Vision. Cole made his film debut in the 1986 movie Lucas, in which he played an assistant coach. He joined the cast of Midnight Caller in 1988.
Cole played the role of Jack “Nighthawk” Killian for 61 episodes until 1991. Cole is also known for his roles in American Gothic, Kiss the Sky, The West Wing, Kim Possible, The Good Wife, and The Good Fight.
Cast changes aren’t the only thing that will be different this season. NCIS will also appear on a new day and time. The show will now air Mondays at 9:00 p.m. Eastern Time on CBS instead of its usual Tuesday at 8:00 p.m. time slot. The show will be followed by NCIS: Hawai’i, at 10:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
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