Austin Stowell has some big shoes to fill! The actor, who's known and loved for his performances in Dolphin Tale, Catch-22 and The Hating Game, has been cast as a young Leroy Jethro Gibbs in the upcoming spin-off series, NCIS: Origins.
Of course, taking on Mark Harmon's iconic character is no easy feat, but thanks to his palpable on-screen charisma, we've no doubt Austin will nail the assignment. Ahead of his big debut in the NCIS universe, get to know the actor playing everyone's favourite special agent.
© MJ Photos/ShutterstockBorn December 24, 1984, Austin was raised in Kensington, Connecticut. The youngest of three brothers, the star is incredibly close to his family, and regularly posts photos alongside his mom and siblings. In 2020, he announced that his father had sadly passed away.
Speaking to Pop Culturist in 2022, Austin was asked about his fascination with storytelling. "My parents were both great storytellers. My mom's a teacher. Teachers have to be incredible actors themselves; they're constantly bringing stories to life," he said.
"She taught elementary school. My father was really enigmatic. I can retell his stories because he told them so well. Things where you're like, 'Oh, I've heard this story' that he's telling somebody else for the umpteenth time, but they all stick with me now because they're great. They're great stories. The way he told them was really captivating. They were my original teachers.
"But I think it was really when I got to college and I discovered Shakespeare, because I had always had such a passion for history," he continued. "His retellings of history really brought them to life for me. I was like, 'Oh man, this is poetry. But this is historic. This is epic.' I knew right then what I wanted to be for the rest of my life."
After graduating from the University of Connecticut in 2007, Austin got to work, bagging roles in The Secret Life of the American Teenager (2009-2011), Puncture (2011) and Dolphin Tale (2011).
In a full circle moment, it turns out that Austin also appeared in a 2010 episode of NCIS: Los Angeles, which was later canceled. Thus, his debut as Leroy Gibbs will mark his second appearance in the NCIS Universe.
© Signature EntertainmentWhiplash (2014), Catch-22 (2019), Fantasy Island (2020) and The Hating Game (2021) are among his best-known projects.
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As for his romantic life, Austin previously dated The Vampire Diaries actress, Nina Dobrev. The former couple dated from 2015 to 2016 and few details are known about their romance. Currently, it appears that Austin is single.
© GettyIn recent years, Austin has spent most of his time working, spending time with family and friends, and travelling around the world.
