Sean Murray – NCIS

By: Jamie Steinberg

Q) What are some themes that will be explored this season on “NCIS?”

A) I don’t know a tremendous amount about that. I know a little bit about what we have planned. They only share so much with us actors. It’s always the way it goes. I know just off the bat the stuff we’re getting into for the characters is pretty powerful. We actually start the season with a split. Something happens (that we basically show in the teaser) that is pretty shocking, pretty powerful. We then basically flashback and we go back in time. We start from a period of time from last season and it will eventually lead up to the first five or six episodes. It will lead up to what we saw in that teaser. We sort of jump back in time after showing just a glimpse of what is going on currently. There was an episode towards the end of last season where Gibbs (Mark Harmon) disappeared and kind of took off on his own while we were in the middle of a case and no one really knew where he went or what was going on. So, when we are back at that time in the story, it’s from Gibbs’ point-of-view from when he left. We get to see Gibbs while we were investigating the case and trying to figure out what Gibbs was up to. Gibbs is working with his friend and former agent Fornell (Joe Spano). Fornell’s daughter was basically caught up in some drug problems and they uncovered an opioid drug ring. Basically, Fornell with Gibbs help decides to take down this drug ring. So, we get to see that side of it. It will eventually catch up to what we see in the teaser in the first episode.

Q) How does McGee fit into that?

A) You’ll have to see! McGee fans are in for a ride. There is a lot of fun stuff happening with McGee that we’ve done already that I’m privy to. It’s going to be interesting.

Q) Was this a preplanned idea to have Gibbs disappear for a bit and then the audience would find out what he had been up to at a later time?

A) This was planned.

Q) The series has reached an incredible milestone this year. What does it mean to you have gotten to the 400^th episode?

A) Four hundred episodes is wild! It’s hard to wrap your head around that we’ve done so many episodes of “NCIS.” It’s just wild! I don’t feel like it’s been four hundred episodes. I can tell you that! Time has flown by, but it really does mean a lot to me in terms of…Not in some sort of competitive sense, but hey, we really made an impact. We continue to make an impact. This is a powerful thing that has gone on for almost two decades. The fact that we have completed or continuing to surpass the four hundredth hour of one-hour television is like being part of the mile-high club. You can count on one hand the number of shows that have done that. I’m not sure. I’ve never really looked into it. But I know we’ve done well!

Q) This season there is a storyline that explores McGee’s relationship with Gibbs over the years. How would you describe their relationship and how it has evolved over the years?

A) That’s a good question. We plan to definitely get into the relationship between Gibbs and McGee and how they’ve worked together over the years. How their relationship evolved and what they mean to each other. McGee has slowly worked his way to being the senior agent on the team and he didn’t just happen to fall into that through circumstances. It took him many, many years. He got better at being an agent, what he does and what he excels in. McGee just got better at what he does over the years. There has always been a progression and evolution to that character, which makes me very happy obviously as an actor. As far as the relationship between McGee and Gibbs, I think there has definitely been a mentor/mentee sort of thing there. Possibly, what some would consider, a father and son relationship. And I think Gibbs is probably pretty happy to see McGee get to where he has gotten and his growth as not only as an agent and what he is capable of as an agent and has shown his capabilities and his strengths as an agent, but as a human being McGee has changed tremendously. He’s gone from someone who couldn’t put two words together to someone incredibly good at their job, has gotten married, had two kids and has grown in life a lot. Having eighteen years to evolve these characters and show these characters has been a tremendous gift in terms of creatively watching and seeing where these characters go and what they do. I always think McGee is sort of more than the other characters because we’ve gotten to see him grow over the years. The relationship between them…Part of Gibbs is letting McGee know just how good he is at what he does and how much faith Gibbs has in him and how their relationship work wise and personal wise – to a degree – has changed over the years. I just think it’s a natural evolution where it is headed. I think we are in for some really good stuff this year. I’m especially thrilled for McGee fans. I think they are going to enjoy what they’ll see.

Q) What can you tease about the episode where McGee takes a romantic trip with his wife Delilah?

A) They take off for a trip to the islands for a week or two. Basically, the whole episode McGee and Delilah (Margo Harshman) are in the Bahamas. They’ve gone there on vacation to respark their marriage a little bit. It’s several years in and they’ve had two kids. You know how marriages can be sometimes. We had a lot of fun not just filming the episode, but it’s really well done. It was done by one of our guy’s Marco and our newer writers. It’s really well done and we just had a blast doing it. Again, it’s very different than the usual. So, that makes it even that much more fun to do.

Q) With such intense storylines, how do you shake off a long day of filming?

A) It’s gotten easier over the years to get over that. Frankly, our hours not nearly as hard or as long as they used to be. An average day for us is about twelve hours of work. The first few years of a show (definitely with us and especially with most shows) you are kind of figuring out what you are and what works and what doesn’t. So, it’s slow in the beginning in terms of figuring out what you’ve got, what you are, what is working and what you’ve got to twist. We know what we are so we are in this great space where we are able to play inside of a world that we’ve already established. We know the characters very well and we know their backstories. We’ve done a lot of fun things.

Q) What have you personally taken away from your time working on “NCIS?”

A) I couldn’t even begin to tell you what I’ve taken away from this show. As an actor, I’ve been able to learn and practice a lot of things over the years. You get the time to find out what works for you as an actor. And the more time you have time doing that, the more comfortable you usually can be. So, as far as the craft, I’ve learned a lot. I also get the wonderful pleasure of having Mark Harmon by my side – an actor like Harmon that can help shed some light on some things sometimes and help you if you’re having problems. Give me some perspective on things and I’ve learned a lot from Mark over the years. And I don’t mean in any way to make it sound like he’s an actor teacher. [chuckles] Just as a friend and as a comrade – as a very close friend and very tight workwise. We’re very close. So, it’s even fun too because then the progression of the Gibbs/McGee relationship is also something that I’ve gotten to have with Mark as we’ve gone. Obviously, over eighteen years we’ve gotten very, very tight and we have a similar work ethic. We approach things the same ways in a lot of ways in terms of work and even personal and other things. In terms of the legacy of “NCIS,” it’s unreal. There may be episodes of this show that I can’t stand, but it doesn’t matter because the whole of it (by the way, there are very few of those for the record) it’s been so amazing. If we’re done tomorrow or in another ten years, whatever happens what this show has meant for me and all of it has nothing but positive and wonderful. Even when there has been hard times and tough things have happened, along the way we’ve always grown. I’ve also learned as far as pacing yourself and maintaining yourself. I think we’ve done very good at being an example of a show that does not let itself just kind of run itself into the ground after however many years. We’re extremely concerned with the quality of our output. That’s our main concern. It really is. As much as numbers mean so much in television, because we do well we have a freedom (I think) in some ways to play around inside the show, which is great. I’m taking away a lot of knowledge a lot of friends and really close people that I’ve met and worked with. A family like no other that has been together for two decades plus, in some cases, a lot of those crew worked together on the “JAG” series. So, we’ve got people who have worked together for over twenty years and counting. It means everything. Personally, I’ve gotten married and had two children just like McGee actually. [laughs] I’ve never thought of that! So, there has been all kinds of…”NCIS” I associate with a lot of things that have happened in my life. The cast you watch on the show were all at my wedding fifteen years ago! The perspective on it is kind of nuts and it’s unlike anything else that anyone has experienced in this business, with few exceptions. Being a part of that is amazing. To see a group of people care as much as we do, banging our head against a wall to make sure it works, but not just that it works – that it works better every time from every corner from our writers, editors and directors. Our crew! Oh my gosh! There are things that we pulled off that we would never would have without key members of our crew. It’s very tight and it’s very special. It’s unlike really anything I’ve ever seen and I’ve been working, I think, for over thirty years. I know people associate me with ”NCIS” or Hocus Pocus but I’ve worked on at least thirty different plus sets and all of them are different experiences. Nothing has been like this, not only due to longevity, but the way we work and the way that it clicks. I’ve gotten to be a part of something special. I’m aware of that and I’m grateful for that.

Q) Speaking of Hocus Pocus, what does it mean to you that the film is still so beloved after all of these years and even getting a sequel?

A) We need it more than ever! I think it’s great for Hocus Pocus I think it’s a great movie. It’s another one that I am definitely happy I was a part of. It’s another one that sort of made it into the zeitgeist. The fact that I am pretty young (I think) and I’ve gotten to be a part of two pretty big projects that have become part of the zeitgeist and are really known in pop culture and are celebrated by a lot of people and have a bit of a cult following…Two be a part of two projects in my career that have done that is kind of unreal. It’s like if nothing ever happens for me from here on out…I’d be okay with that. [laughs] I really would be. Things have been fortunate for me. Not to say that it’s all up to luck and the way things have fallen. I believe in that to a certain degree. I believe in fate and things are meant to be and those kinds of things. But just sort of reflecting on things where I am at…I’m incredibly grateful for my position, not only now but throughout my career. That I’ve been able to be a part of these projects and other projects, I’ve learned a lot from a lot of people along the way. I was in This Boy’s Life, which I think was Leonardo Di Caprio’s first big role that kind of got him going. He had done “Growing Pains” and one or two indie films here and there. But that was kind of Leo’s first big thing. So, even though I only spent about three weeks on that project, it was extremely well done. It was Michael Keaton, Robert De Niro…I remember coming out…I had known Leo for a couple of years. We had been on the young actor audition circuit, especially back then in those days, in that age group and that type and everything we’d always see each other. I hadn’t really worked with him. I remember coming out to do a scene with him the day after I flew up to Concrete, Washington. I remember coming out, rehearsing and improvising a little bit. I recall within fifteen or twenty minutes of rehearsal with the improv…I think I was thirteen years old at the time and I remember being really (and I’ve rarely gotten this feeling ever in my life) struck by the notion, “Wow. He’s really good and he’s going to do really well.” [laughs] And he’s done okay.

Q) What would you like to say to everyone who are fans and supporters of you and the work you do?

A) Just thank you. Thankyou, everyone, so much because if it wasn’t for you all being supportive and fans we wouldn’t be able to do any of it. So, you are as instrumental to all of this as anyone is. Thank you for allowing us to do this. Personally, for allowing me to do this with you and for you all of these years. It’s what I love to do more than anything. So, the fact that I get to make a living doing what I love to do more than anything is a very special thing. And it’s rare and it’s not something that a lot of people get to do and I’m aware of that.