On the occasion of the broadcast of the 450th episode of “NCIS: Special Investigations”, Sean Murray, the interpreter of Agent McGee, returned to the last scene he shot with Mark Harmon before his departure from the series .
This Monday, February 27, CBS broadcast the 450th episode of NCIS: Special Investigations. On this occasion, Sean Murray, the interpreter of Agent McGee who made his arrival in the detective series in episode 7 of season 1, returned to this important step at the microphone of Entertainment Weekly.
And in 20 years of existence, NCIS has undergone many changes, and has been marked by the departure of several key characters. The latest is that of Mark Harmon, who lent his features to the iconic Jethro Gibbs, the actor who said goodbye to fiction during season 19. A milestone event that upset the interpreter of the agent McGee.
“I had a lot of feelings [sur le fait de tourner la dernière scène de Gibbs] because, it’s Harmon. He was like a mentor to me and saying goodbye to the screen was difficult. But at the same time, I felt that if someone had to do it, McGee would be the best candidate.“, he explained to our colleagues.
“Shooting this scene was an amazing experience. I will never forget him. There was Mark Harmon, Gary Cole and me, along with some of the film crew. We took a private plane to Alaska for a week, and we filmed what I think was the best thing we’ve ever done. We were in the water fly fishing, and when I said goodbye to Mark, the whole team was crying.“
Mark Harmon’s departure in 2021 made Sean Murray the longest serving NCIS cast member. And in more than 20 years, the character of McGee has evolved a lot. When the detective series started, he was a young rookie who felt bad about himself. But over the episodes and seasons, he gained confidence.
“He is definitely more confident than before and able to do a lot more things than before.,” he explained, before adding “I think it’s pretty cool to have played the same character for over 20 years. I don’t think there are many actors who have had the privilege of doing that.”
“I remember talking to the writers very early on about this. I didn’t want to be the same character every week and never evolve. And they were very committed to character growth. So it’s just a natural thing, and fun to do.”
“Wilmer is like a brother”
Over the years, and departures, the NCIS teams have faced the arrival of many actors who have come to replenish the ranks of the team of special agents. This is the case of Gary Cole (Alden Parker), Katrina Law (Jessica Knight), who joined the series in season 19, or Wilmer Valderrama (Nick Torres) who arrived in season 14.
And if it is sometimes difficult for a new actor to join a team as close-knit as that of NCIS, Sean Murray wanted to reassure viewers, explaining that everyone was always very welcoming to newcomers.
“When they come to see us, they find that we are friendly and that we encourage a positive team spirit”, he explained. And there are certain actors with whom Sean Murray has forged very strong ties. “Wilmer (Valderrama) is like a brother to me. We are very, very close, and that, since I met him, 7 years ago. And Katrina is awesome and so cool.“
Friendships that should continue for some time, since CBS announced a few days ago that NCIS was renewed for a season 21 which should arrive at the start of the next school year on CBS.