Leaping on a runaway train: How to fit in on a hit show.
Wilmer Valderrama is no stranger to long-running TV shows. The newest member of the NCIS cast gained his big breakthrough in 1998, when he played Fez on
That ‘70s Show, and he hasn’t slowed down since. Born in Miami, Wilmer moved to Venezuela with his family at the age of three and then relocated to Los Angeles when he was 13. He was still in high school when he was offered a part on That ‘70s Show. He has subsequently had roles on a wide range of TV shows, including a five-episode stint on
Grey’s Anatomy, before joining NCIS to fill the gap left by departed cast member Michael Weatherly. Wilmer, who plays former undercover Special Agent Nick Torres, talks to Jenny Cooney Carrillo about joining the hit crime show.
How did you feel when you were offered the chance to join NCIS in its 14th season?
Wilmer: The show has been around for so long and I feel like every member of my family has been religiously following this like a prescription so it was exciting to get an opportunity to be part of something they all loved and to put my career in a different direction. Starting out on a hit show, it was like coming full circle. It’s a cast that I truly respect and a legacy that I thought would be beautiful to be part of. It’s also remarkable that it’s still (one of) the most-watched shows on the planet so they’re obviously doing something great.
How involved were you in developing your character?
I had a great conversation with the writers and explained some of the things that I’ve been doing in my career in the last couple of years that have been exercising different muscles basically. I appreciated the fact that they allowed me to help shape a character with them, and collaborate with them, and create something that was so far removed from who I was. It was a pleasure to come to work every day and build a little layer into every episode.
How are you enjoying working with Mark Harmon?
Mark and I make a really great team. We are trying to take the show to different places and expand the universe of NCIS within the story and I think my character is going to be disruptive and really help create that dynamic.
Tell us a bit about your character.
Special Agent Nick Torres has been an undercover agent for eight years. Something happened in Argentina, where his cover was blown, and he’s forced to come out of the shadows. He had terminated communication with NCIS a couple of years earlier so he was believed either dead or turned to the dark side. He returns to Washington DC to warn about a possible threat and Gibbs sees an asset and resource in him that the team could use. You see that Torres is a little rough around the edges and doesn’t play well with others. He lived a double life and was a lone wolf so he’s obviously apprehensive about joining such a tight-knit team.
Did you need to do any research or training for the role?
I’ve done a number of jobs that allow me to either do Navy Seal training or investigative training in the LAPD but this is a whole different level. You’re talking about investigating cases that are on the inside. What’s so special about NCIS is these are cases that are unique to the inside of the branches of the military. It makes them unique and fun cases to work on but no matter how much training we do as an actor to make sure we walk and speak and carry ourselves like one of these men, it doesn’t come close to the sacrifices many of them make in real life so you really want to get it right to pay tribute to them.
How did it feel coming into a show that has been going for 14 years?
I felt like I was kind of parachuted on to a runaway train. This train is going and it’s not stopping for anyone because it’s successful, and people love it, and that to me was refreshing ... This is about joining a show that is a well-oiled machine and your only job is to not mess that up.
How well have you bonded with the NCIS cast?
After That 70s Show, I’m no stranger to long-standing families. It’s a bunch of like-minded people who love what they do and so we relate. But Mark (Harmon) and I have become really close friends and really fast. We started having conversations before the first take, on the phone, and we kind of high-fived on set the first day like
Top Gun. It’s also great to have Jennifer Esposito join the show at the same time as me because we’ve known each other for over a decade and have seen the evolution of our careers and come full circle. It’s hilarious to go to set and find out our characters may have had some history back in the academy so it makes things even more familiar.