Twenty-three seasons is plenty of time to introduce iconic characters, create ships that people are still thinking about, and even throw in a cameo (or fifty) that people will remember. And though NCIS (2003) has done all of that in its run, and also spawned six spin-offs, perhaps the most surprising thing about the show is the amount of talent it has managed to amass when it comes to guest stars, from stars who have gone on to appear in some of the biggest shows on TV, like Stranger Things, to Oscar winners and even a First Lady.
So, if you’re interested in NCIS lore, here are the biggest, best, and most shocking cameos in the history of the show. Boot up streamers like Hulu and Paramount+ to watch them for yourself.
Michelle Obama - Season 13, Episode 13
Yes, that’s right, NCIS once had the first lady of the United States make a cameo, and she wasn’t actually acting. Or at least, she wasn’t acting as anyone but herself. Michelle Obama, who was the then-First Lady, appeared as herself in the Season 13 episode “Déjà Vu,” with her appearance meant to promote her organization supporting veterans, active military, and their families.
Shows like Law & Order: SVU (1999) might be notorious for their celebrity cameos, but no one got the sitting first lady, just NCIS. That’s saying something. And though it’s a little bit propaganda-like, it’s still a pretty solid cameo.
Millie Bobby Brown - Season 12, Episode 6
But Millie Bobby Brown was so young when she conquered our hearts as Eleven on Stranger Things, what do you mean she was on NCIS before? It’s actually not uncommon for child actors to start in procedurals, and she isn’t even the only big name who did it. Abigail Breslin also had a role on NCIS before her breakthrough hit Little Miss Sunshine (2006).
In the Season 12 episode “Parental Guidance Suggested,” the actress plays a kid who kills her mother because she wants her dad to be her full-time parent. Normal procedural stuff, and a pretty solid hint at how good the actress would become.
Glen Powell - Season 10, Episodes 6 and 7
If you’re excited about The Running Man (2025), you might find the fact that Glen Powell, who has become one of Hollywood’s most sought after actors since roles in Top Gun: Maverick (2022) and Twisters (2024), was once just another guest star on NCIS. Powell appeared in two episodes of Season 10, “Shell Shock I and II,” playing the brother of a veteran who was struggling with PTSD. Everyone’s gotta start somewhere.
Pretty solid work from Powell here, who we already know has the range to do both funny and serious.
Jamie Lee Curtis - Season 9
Oscar winner for Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022) Jamie Lee Curtis also took a turn on NCIS. In fact, she did more than have a cameo, she had her own arc. Curtis appeared in five episodes in Season 9 playing Gibbs’ girlfriend, Samantha Ryan. And we’re not going to deny that the romantic chemistry between Curtis and Mark Harmon actually worked.
But, of course, the show could probably not afford to keep Curtis around for that long, and the character left after a scary ex was released from prison. The one character on this list we wish could have stuck around? Probably.
Billy Dee Williams - Season 10, Episode 5
The legendary Billy Dee Williams, yes, Lando Calrissian himself from the original Star Wars trilogy, also appeared on NCIS. At one point it felt like the show was collecting big cameos like Thanos collects Infinity stones.
Williams appeared in the Season 10 episode "The Namesake," and he came with one of the coolest backstories of this entire list. The character he plays, Leroy Jethro Moore, is the reason for Gibbs’ name. Plus, it’s one of those episodes you can watch out of order and still enjoy.
Zac Efron - Season 3, Episode 13
Just before High School Musical (2006) turned him into a superstar—literally a few weeks before, as it turned out, with the movie airing on Disney Channel soon after his NCIS episode aired—Efron appeared in the Season 3 episode “Deception.” He didn’t have a big role, but fans of the actor and anyone interested in the serendipity of when the episode aired might find this cameo fun.
Efron has also gone on to showcase his range, but this works as an early good sign that he was more than just a pretty face who could sing.
Jesse Plemons - Season 3, Episode 13
Jesse Plemons has become a big-name movie star in the past few years, particularly after his Oscar nomination for The Power of the Dog (2021) and his recent turn opposite Emma Stone in Yorgos Lanthimos' Bugonia (2025). But like a lot of the people on this list, he got his start on procedural TV, ironically in the same episode as Zac Efron.
Yes, Plemons appeared in the Season 3 episode “Deception” playing a teenager who seems to be hiding something from the team. It’s worth checking out if only because he looks so young in this.
Misha Collins - Season 4, Episode 13
Misha Collins would go on to become famous for his role as Castiel in Supernatural (2005), but before that, he appeared on Season 4 of NCIS in the episode “Singled Out,” playing a car thief who finds out that the car he stole has a woman in the trunk.
Not really a highlight for an actor who would go on to become synonymous with a particular character, but it’s still a fun bit of trivia for fans of Collins.
Bob Newhart - Season 8, Episode 12
Yes, Bob Newhart himself also appeared in an episode of NCIS. The comedian and actor, better known for The Bob Newhart Show (1972) and Newhart (1982) made an appearance in the Season 8 episode “Recruited.” He played Dr. Walter Magnus, the former NCIS chief medical examiner who ends up being replaced by Donald “Ducky” Mallard.
Unfortunately, we only see Dr. Magnus come out of retirement to assist in one last case before learning that he has Alzheimer’s. Not exactly the kind of role we’d expect from Newhart, but perhaps that’s exactly why he took it.
Lily Tomlin - Season 9, Episode 3
Lily Tomlin is McGee’s grandmother! Yes, the actress played the grandma of series regular Timothy McGee, who is still a part of the show in Season 23. So hey, of all the characters on this list, she has the biggest chance of showing up again.
Her episode, in case you want to check it out, is Season 9’s “The Penelope Papers.” And even if the character is less funny than Tomlin usually is in shows like Grace and Frankie (2015), I promise, there’s still a spark.
