Young Dwayne Pride is getting into “NCIS: Origins.”
The beloved NCIS leader, famously played by Scott Bakula over seven “NCIS: New Orleans” seasons(2014-21), will get an “Origins” story within the March 17 (9 ET/PT) Season 2 episode. Former Olympian water polo participant Shea Buckner guest-stars because the beginner Probationary Special Agent Pride within the “NCIS” prequel series set in 1990s Camp Pendleton.
“Scott Bakula created this character with such charm and charisma, with such a storied career, that Pride was known as ‘King,'” Buckner tells USA TODAY. “It wasn’t lost on me how important Pride is in the ‘NCIS’ universe and to fans.”
Shea Buckner guest-stars because the beginner Probationary Special Agent Pride on “NCIS: Origins” on March 17 (NBC 9 ET/PT).
Why is Pride in ‘NCIS: Origins’ now?
As “Origins” followers know, the present does a masterful job of filling out the backstories for beloved “NCIS” characters whereas adhering to the established present’s mythology: The late David McCullom’s young Donald “Ducky” Mallard appeared last year (performed by Adam Campbell).
In “NCIS” and “New Orleans” crossovers, Supervisory Agents Dwayne Cassius “King” Pride (Bakula) and Leroy Jethro Gibbs (Mark Harmon) had been trusted pals and colleagues. Show historical past states that the 2 first met within the Nineteen Eighties, when Gibbs was nonetheless a Marine, and once more in Nineteen Nineties San Diego. That’s it.
Gibbs (Mark Harmon) and Pride (Scott Bakula) had been nice pals on “NCIS.”
“In the ‘NCIS’ canon, we know that Pride and Gibbs met up during this time, so it was important to incorporate that into the show,” says Gina Lucita Monreal, the “Origins” co-showrunner with David J. North.
“But even sticking to canon, there’s a lot to be discovered about these two major figures,” provides North. “That’s where the fun is. We had a completely blank slate.”
‘Origins’ attracts a brawling backstory for Gibbs, Pride
“Origins” paints a comical, unstable late-night first assembly at a New Orleans bar between Marine Gibbs (Austin Stowell) and Jefferson Parish sheriff’s deputy/moonlighting musician Pride (Buckner), involving Gibbs’ overserved dad, Jackson (Robert Taylor).
Gibbs nonetheless harbors a serious grudge from their New Orleans bar encounter when assembly Pride once more on an NIS Nineteen Nineties case. Despite their outright stress, the 2 get paired up on an undercover project involving arms sellers and a horrible gold chain for Pride.
Pride (Shea Buckner) and Gibbs (Austin Stowell) go undercover to catch arms sellers.
“Only Murders in the Building” Season 2 star Buckner wowed the producers as younger Pride throughout auditions.
“It’s difficult casting a young Scott Bakula,” North says. “But Shea embodied that charisma and spirit. He was the guy.”
The 6-foot-4-inch Buckner was born in Huntington Beach, California, and was a star water polo participant on the University of Southern California, however honed his New Orleans accent to match the St. Louis-born actor Bakula.
“There’s that Pride smile and that accent,” Buckner says. “Once I settled into the accent, it kind of brings the music to life in the body. Pride is a jazz pianist who doesn’t take life too seriously.”
Shea Buckner as Dwayne Pride in “NCIS: Origins.”
Shea Buckner has been on ‘NCIS’
The “Origins” position isn’t Buckner’s first “NCIS” expertise. His first appearing position was taking part in suspected sniper, Xavier Blacburn, in a 2018 “NCIS” episode, who will get grilled by the OG Gibbs (Harmon). “It got heated,” says Buckner.
But afterwards, Harmon, as soon as a star quarterback at USC-rival faculty University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), talked sports activities with Buckner.
“I got to really meet Mark and go into his amazing trailer,” says Buckner. “He shared his experience as a UCLA quarterback. I went to USC; he was a UCLA Bruin. But we looked past it.”
The Fed Five starting is informed in ‘Origins”
Besides Pride’s story, the “Origins” episode (“Feelin’ Alright?”) shows the beginning of the Fed Five. The celebrated “NCIS” group, active until 1994, consisted of Pride (Bakula), Gibbs (Harmon), NIS Agent Felix Betts (Stuart Margolin), and was led by Michael Franks (Muse Watson), along with Dan McLane (who was deceased in ‘NCIS,’ but discussed).
In the “Origins” tale, young Franks (played by “Origins” regular Kyle Schmid) has an evolving relationship with McLane (Mark Deklin). Young NIS Agent Betts is played by Adam Kulbersh. With the Fed Five formed, the group could appear in future “Origins” episodes.
“Certainly, there shall be a presence as a result of the Fed Five existed within the ‘NCIS’ canon,” says North. “How a lot we’ll really see of them is but to be decided.”
This article initially appeared on USA TODAY: ‘NCIS: Origins’ shows surprising Gibbs, Dwayne Pride first meeting
