NCIS: Origins Unveils a Younger Take on a New Orleans Fan Favorite
Amid fan buzz, NCIS: Origins has found its young Dwayne Pride: Shea Buckner, fresh off Only Murders in the Building, takes over the role Scott Bakula made famous in NCIS: New Orleans.
I have been waiting to see who they would tap to play young Dwayne Pride in the prequel, and it looks like we have our guy. If you were hoping for a familiar face with some range and a little edge, good news: the role is set.
Shea Buckner is your young Pride
Shea Buckner — yes, the one you might have clocked recently in 'Only Murders in the Building' — is stepping into the shoes of a young Dwayne Pride on 'NCIS: Origins.' You have probably also seen him pop up on 'The Rookie,' 'The Blacklist,' 'The Equalizer,' and 'Power Book II: Ghost.' That resume tracks for this universe.
Where this Pride fits in
For the uninitiated (or the memory-refreshed), Dwayne Pride was Scott Bakula’s lead character on 'NCIS: New Orleans' for all seven seasons. In the prequel, Pride is reintroduced as a former Sheriff’s Deputy who has just become a Probationary Special Agent out of the NIS Panama office. He already has some history with Gibbs that he needs to sort out before going undercover with him — which sounds like precisely the kind of combustible dynamic this show thrives on.
The episode to watch for, and a deep-cut reunion
According to Deadline, the episode featuring Buckner’s Pride lands later this season. Even juicier for longtime franchise fans: that same hour will reportedly bring back the 'Fed Five' task force — the standout NIS crew credited with unmasking the Privileged Killer, Spencer Hanlon, in the mothership series.
- Leroy Jethro Gibbs
- Michael Franks
- Dan McLane
- Felix Betts
- Dwayne Pride
CBS has been on the hunt for actors to play the younger versions of McLane and Betts, so expect more casting drops soon.
Quick refresher on why this matters
The Fed Five thread goes all the way back to 'NCIS' Season 11. That two-parter didn’t just introduce Pride — it doubled as the backdoor pilot for 'NCIS: New Orleans.' Showrunners Gina Lucita Monreal and David J. North have said digging into the franchise’s history was the plan, and this is exactly that: expanding the lore by filling in the early days of characters fans already care about.
Dates to circle
'NCIS: Origins' Season 2, Episode 7 premieres on November 26, 2025. The Buckner-as-Pride episode is slated for later this season; timing-wise, we will see if that lines up with Ep 7 or lands after.