NCISis ingrained in the fabric of American popular culture at this point, and continues to be popular for its action, drama, character arcs, and memorable villains. The CBS ratings behemoth has been renewed for a 23rd season, which is due to air in fall 2025, and could welcome some memorable guest actors. During its 22-season run, some of thelongest-runningNCIScast membershave become huge stars, but there have also been a wealth of guest stars who went on to achieve excellence after brief stints on the show, including a former First Lady.
Over the years, the series has been a starting platform for many rising stars while also drawing in established names for surprise cameos. Its appeal and long history make it a unique show for both new and familiar faces. With another season on the horizon, NCIS may continue its tradition of spotlighting future stars.
10Julie Benz
Season 1, Episode 22
A post-Buffy the Vampire SlayerandAngelJulie Benz popped up early inNCIS’s run, appearing in the penultimate episode of season 1 in 2004, as a woman named Denise Johnson, whose husband dies under suspicious circumstances while rock climbing. It was a new type of role for Benz, who was already something of a cult icon for her role as sultry vampire Darla onBuffy. However, her career really exploded two years later with her award-winning role asRita Bennett inDexter. Most recently, she had a guest role as Sadie on9-1-1: Lone Star.
9Abigail Breslin
Season 2, Episode 1
Before she melted the hearts - and scooped an Oscar nomination - for her role as would-be beauty queen Olive Hoover in the movieLittle Miss Sunshine, Abigail Breslin appeared in an early guest role in theNCISseason 2 premiere episode.She played the role of Sandy Watson, an eight-year-old blind girl who is kidnapped along with her motheras part of a blackmail plot. Of course, Breslin would go on to have a prominent film career, also starring inLittle Miss Sunshine,Zombieland,Definitely, Maybe, andMy Sister’s Keeper, as well as having a starring role in theScream Queens.
8Zac Efron
Season 3, Episode 13
In 2006, a largely unknownZac Efron played the role of Daniel Austin in a season 3 episodeofNCIStitled “Deception.” A few weeks later, he was cast in a leading role in theHigh School Musicalfilm series, cementing his status as a teen idol. Since then, Efron has had a diverse career, pivoting into more serious roles as he’s gotten older, and the moviesThe Iron Claw,Ricky Stanicky, andA Family Affairrank among his most recent projects.
7Sean Astin
Season 9, Episode 18
Sean Astin has enjoyed a rich and varied body of work ever since starring as Mikey Walsh in the children’s adventure classicThe Goonies. After prominent roles inThe Lord of the Ringstrilogy and24season 5,Astin guest-starred as strong-willed investigator Tyler Elliott inNCISseason 9, episode 18, “The Tell.“The episode saw him guest star alongside another Hollywood legend, Jamie Lee Curtis (more on her later), and after five years, he would star as Bob Newby inStranger Thingsseason 2.
6Corey Stoll
Season 4, Episodes 10, 11, & 14
Corey Stoll can most recently be seen in the role of Adam Macintosh inPrime Video’s sleek thrillerThe Better Sister, and the diverse actorhad a three-episode arc in the back-middle ofNCISseason 4, playing the role of international arms dealer Martin Quinnin one of the show’s most exhilarating storylines. Following his appearances on the show, Stoll went on to have a season-long stint onLaw & Order: Los Angelesfrom 2010-2011, and two years later, would secure his iconic role as Peter Russo in the Netflix originalHouse of Cards.
5Jamie Lee Curtis
Season 9, Episodes 16, 18, 20, 23 & 24
Hollywood legend and scream queen icon Jamie Lee Curtis needs no introduction; theHalloweenandTrue Liesstar was already a huge star when she had a fun and memorable five-episode arc inNCISseason 9 in 2012, playing the role of Dr. Samantha Ryan.The character was the then-girlfriend of Gibbs, who left when her abusive ex-husband was released from prison. Curtis has continued to be a prominent force in film and TV since her guest role in the procedural and won a long-overdue Academy Award in 2023 forEverything, Everywhere All At Once.
4Glen Powell
Season 10, Episodes 6 & 7
He might be the flavor of the month right now, following roles in prominent recent movies, includingbox-office-savingTop Gun: Maverick,Hit Man,Anyone But You, andTwisters, but it wasn’t always the case. Back in 2012, when Glen Powell was a relative unknown,he had a two-episode arc inNCISseason 10 as Evan Westcott, the brother of a veteran suffering from PTSD. Powell’s next TV role afterNCISwas his 16-episode breakout role as Chad Radwell in Fox’s satirical dark-comedy slasher seriesScream Queensalongside Emma Roberts.
3Colin Hanks
Season 10, Episodes 23 & 24, Season 11, Episode 1
Colin Hanks was already a well-known star when he took a three-episode guest-starring role inNCISseasons 10 and 11, appearing as DOD Inspector Richard Parsons in the final two episodes of season 10 and the season 11 premiere. Parsons was a by-the-book jerk who had Gibbs arrested, causing the rest of the team to resign. The following year, Hanks would play Officer Gus Grimly, one of the leading characters inFargoseasons 1and 2, before starring in the sitcomLife in Piecesfor four years.
2Millie Bobby Brown
Season 12, Episode 6
Before she shot to global fame as Eleven in Netflix’s ratings juggernautStranger Things, Millie Bobby Brown was a relatively unknown child actor who appeared in an episode ofNCISin 2014.She made an appearance as Rachel Barnes in the season 12 episode, “Parental Guidance Suggested,” an 11-year-old psychopath who is discovered to have murdered her mother. The character remains one ofthe most terrifying villains inNCIS, and is the youngest murderer in the franchise to date. Her performance was memorable and proved a springboard for the young actress’s career trajectory.
1Michelle Obama
Season 13, Episode 22
Yes, you read that right. Former First Lady of the United StatesMichelle Obama made a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it appearance as herself inNCIS. Obama played herself in the episode “Homefront” in a fun and meta move by the show, and one of her first-ever appearances on a scripted TV show. It seems that the experience was an enjoyable one, as she has since gone on to make guest appearances inNashville,Parks and Recreation, andiCarlyas herself. While it’s unlikely she will make any future guest appearances inNCIS, don’t rule it out.
NCIS
Cast
NCIS is a television series that follows a team of special agents from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service. Premiering in 2003, the show explores various cases involving Navy and Marine Corps personnel, ranging from murder and espionage to terrorism and stolen submarines.
