The first two episodes of CBS crime drama “NCIS: Origins” premiered on October 14, introducing Austin Stowell’s young Leroy Jethro Gibbs at the beginning of his Naval Investigative Service career. Reviews for the prequel series have been positive, and judging by the charming cast and the intriguing story, the NCIS universe might have yet another winner on its hands. A lot of the show’s allure hinges on how well Stowell captures the essence of Gibbs — but if you ask the character’s original actor, Mark Harmon, the younger performer’s star quality was already obvious when he auditioned for the role.

“I felt the room jump a little when Austin came in, before he said anything,” Harmon described the impression Stowell made at his audition in an interview with People. “He walked out and someone said, ‘I’ll just say it, that’s a movie star.’ And there was heavy competition there. There were a lot of good [actors in contention].” 

It’s a good thing that Mark Harmon seems to be impressed with Austin Stowell, because it’s pretty clear that the younger actor delivers his own take on Leroy Jethro Gibbs. The “NCIS: Origins” Gibbs is different from Harmon’s version, and the show’s Season 1 premiere shows that while the character retains his signature stoic nature, he’s quite obviously trying to keep up appearances in order to hide his heartbreak. 

Harmon himself narrates the series and gave some words of advice for Stowell, whose character is still fully recognizable as Gibbs. This makes sure that there’s a clear continuum between “NCIS: Origins” and the original “NCIS,” and the fact that everyone who saw his audition immediately thought so positively of Stowell is a good sign for the prequel series’ future.