Jack of all trades:
The new addition to NCIS cast.
History Of Violence and Goliath actress Maria Bello joins NCIS this week as multi-talented Special Agent Jacqueline ‘Jack’ Sloane. She tells Jenny Cooney Carrillo what attracted her to the long-running crime series.
How does it feel to join the cast of NCIS?
Maria Bello: I am so thrilled, but I was so shocked when I was offered this role. I also didn’t think it was something that I would consider at this point in my career, but then I met the creators and Mark Harmon (Gibbs) and started watching from the first season. I knew immediately that this is a really special show. This isn’t just a crime show. It’s a show about human connection.
How would you describe Special Agent Jacqueline ‘Jack’ Sloane?
Jack is ex-army PSYOP (Psychological Operations). She is a forensic psychologist and was invited to work at NCIS by Director Vance. We don’t exactly know the reason yet but eventually we will find out. There is a lot of mystery about how she and Vance know each other and there is a lot we don’t know about Jack yet. She is smart and she goes head-to-head with Gibbs but she doesn’t work for him and is her own woman, which makes her an exciting character to play.
How would you describe the dynamic between Gibbs and Jack?
The conflict comes from both of them being at the same level at NCIS and both being very smart but having very different ideas about how things should be done. At the same time, I think they like each other very much and they respect each other – but they just don’t always agree.
How did you enjoy shooting the action scenes this season?
I had a great episode with
Wilmer Valderrama (Special Agent Torres) set in Afghanistan and he’s an incredible action star. He’s gone through army and navy training and works out twice a day. I’m 50 years old and kept saying, ‘I’m too old for this!’ (laughs) I had to wear a 30lb vest with mags on it and carry a machine gun so I was grateful Wilmer helped me up every time I needed to keep going.
What do you think is the secret behind NCIS being one of the longest-running shows on TV?
It’s a show that grandparents can watch with their grandkids. It’s a show about a family, even though these people aren’t related. The storylines are still great and the crimes are still fun to try to figure out, but I think the secret sauce behind the scenes that really makes the show so successful is Mark Harmon. His being present helps everybody else be present and when they are all present, the audience is present with us. It’s that simple.
“This isn’t just a crime show. It’s a show about human connection.”
– Maria Bello (left)