10 NCIS Guest Stars Who Went On To Massive Hollywood Careers

The hallowed halls of the "NCIS" casting room, similar to those of "Law & Order: SVU," have seen Hollywood stars rise across generations. If there's an actor you love, chances are they got their start making the rounds of long-running crime or medical procedurals. These shows serve as a low stakes way for an actor to get work; if they bomb, no one will remember the performance due to the "story of the week" format. However, if they do well with their guest appearance, they very well could land new opportunities off the strength of their performance.

These "NCIS" guest stars range from child stars to working actors who had yet to break through the mainstream. While their performances weren't necessarily the cause of their eventual success, "NCIS" was a soft place for them to land and explore the depths of their acting chops. Here are 10 "NCIS" guest stars who went on to have huge Hollywood careers.

In Season 12 of "NCIS" in 2014, Millie Bobby Brown guest-starred as an unexpected child antagonist — one of the darkest characters in "NCIS" history. Now, audiences know her as one of the main protagonists of the hit Netflix series "Stranger Things," which recently returned for its long-awaited final season. 

Joining the latter show in 2016 at just 12, she (as well as her acting career) has grown before our eyes. Her haunting performance in "Stranger Things" opened other opportunities on the big screen, such as her starring roles in blockbuster "Godzilla: King of the Monsters" in 2019 and its sequel "Godzilla vs. Kong" in 2021. She deepened her partnership with Netflix with her own franchise on the streamer, "Enola Holmes," in 2020. It speaks to her status in the industry that she is not only trusted to carry a franchise, but star in it alongside prominent actors like Henry Cavill and Helena Bonham Carter. The second film premiered in 2022, and the third installment will hit Netflix sometime in 2026.

For now, fans of Brown can enjoy her swan song as Eleven in the final episodes of "Stranger Things" airing at the end of December 2025. Here's a recap of season 4 if you have yet to dive into the final season.

Zac Efron has grown up alongside millennials across the globe, but few of them likely know that one of his earliest roles was on "NCIS" Season 3 in 2006. In fact, he appeared on the series after "High School Musical" debuted on Disney Channel in January of that year. The success of "Musical" cannot be overstated — it's the most successful Disney Channel Original Movie (DCOM) franchise of all time, and as the handsome teen lead of the series, his career exploded in the subsequent years. Outside of starring in the main sequels for "Musical" in 2007 and 2008 (the third of which got a theatrical release), Zac got his first big movie role in the 2007 remake of "Hairspray" as Link Larkin.

His success and popularity have only continued in the 18 years since. He enjoyed first-billed roles in movies like "17 Again," "Charlie St. Cloud," "New Year's Eve," "Neighbors," "Baywatch," and "The Greatest Showman" during the 2010s. He's had steady work in the 2020s, most recently starring in his first serious dramatic effort in the lead role of "The Iron Claw." The tragic, real-life story of the Von Erich wrestling family, anchored by Efron's raw performance, was snubbed during Oscars season (likely due to its late-in-season release on Christmas 2023). Nevertheless, the movie proved that Efron had evolved from earnest teen heartthrob to dignified artist.

Glen Powell is one of today's most promising leading men, but in 2012, he appeared in Season 10 of "NCIS" as Marine Corps Sergeant Evan Westcott in a two-part episode. It was this role that would start the slow but steady climb of Powell from featured cast member to marquee star.

In the mid-2010s, he appeared in young adult comedies on big and small screens alike with "Everybody Wants Some!!" and "Scream Queens." Around that same time, he had a supporting role in the Academy Award-nominated movie "Hidden Figures" as astronaut John Glenn. Powell started to make waves on his own merit with the 2018 Netflix romcom "Set It Up." If there is one certainty after death and taxes, it's that becoming a Hollywood leading man will not happen if you don't have a ravenous female fanbase. With "Set It Up," a lot of women took notice of the latest hot young dude, and that translated into higher profile work.

In the last few years, Powell has racked up roles in big projects, most notably in "Top Gun: Maverick" alongside veteran leading man Tom Cruise, and romcom "Anyone but You" opposite Sydney Sweeney. Fans also loved him in "Twisters," the sequel to the 1996 disaster film. In 2025, he starred in "The Running Man." Even if it didn't quite meet the moment, it's an exciting action movie that proved Powell could not only be trusted as a romantic lead, but also be a compelling anchor to an action movie plot.

Misha Collins had a minor role in "NCIS" at the start of Season 4 in 2006. He played a suspicious man indirectly involved in the kidnapping of a female Navy lieutenant. Interestingly enough, it wasn't his first appearance in a procedural drama series, as previously he had guest and recurring roles in the original "CSI," "NYPD Blue," and "ER." He even appeared elsewhere in the "CSI" universe with "CSI: NY" the following year after his first "NCIS" role.

It wasn't until 2008 that Collins broke free of the crime/medical procedural cycle and entered a different kind of juggernaut franchise: "Supernatural." In Castiel — an angel who took various different forms (human or otherwise) throughout the series — Collins found both his signature role and a fandom that adored him. Castiel became the third protagonist of the show alongside Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean Winchester (Jensen Ackles) from 2008 to 2020. Although ratings fluctuated throughout the show's run, it amassed a cult following from multiple demographics, particularly teen girls (does the word "Superwholock" mean anything to you?). 

Even after the final episode, the "Supernatural" fandom remains alive and well; during the early years of the pandemic, it was among the top 10 most streamed shows in 2020 and 2021, according to Nielsen. Despite its dark universe, "Supernatural" is clearly a comfort watch for many.

Currently, Collins is confirmed to star in the upcoming final season of "The Boys" in 2026, alongside his old co-star Jared Padalecki. His other former co-star Jensen Ackles already features in the series. Three cheers for a "Supernatural" reunion!

By the time Julie Benz guest starred on the first season of "NCIS" in 2004, she'd already had over a decade of acting under her belt. In fact, you may recognize her as an important recurring character in "Buffy the Vampire Slayer." She was Darla, revealed to be Angel's (David Boreanz) sire and former lover, and she appeared in both the original series and the "Angel" spin-off.

Benz continued guest starring in other series between "Buffy" and "NCIS" before landing her signature role in acclaimed series "Dexter." She was the titular serial killer's girlfriend-turned-wife, Rita Bennett. She received great acclaim for her portrayal, and was part of one of the biggest shockers in to occur in the timeline of "Dexter." Toward the end of her time on the show, she also had a supporting role in Season 6 of "Desperate Housewives" as housewife Katherine Mayfair's (Dana Delaney) love interest. Around that same time, she also starred in her own ABC series, "No Ordinary Family" before it was cancelled after one season.

Benz has remained resilient, though — she had a starring role in yet another series, SyFy's space western, "Defiance," as Amanda Rosewater. The success of the series spawned a video game companion that continued until 2018, three years after the series ended. Every few years, Benz manages to land a prominent TV role, all while keeping up her extensive resume of guest roles. In the last five years, she's also guest starred on "Love, Victor" and "9-1-1 Lone Star."

Lochlyn Munro appeared in a season two episode of "NCIS." While Munro may not leap to mind when thinking of today's popular actors, you know him because he's been in everything. He has one of those faces that fits in any scenario calling for a generic jerk.

Munro has made a career of character acting for variants of this persona, appearing in everything from comedies like "Weeds," spy thrillers like "Burn Notice," and superhero shows like "Arrow." Munro does seem partial to the crime procedural genre, as a large chunk of his acting credits result in shows like "CSI," Rizzoli & Isles," "The Mentalist," "Bones," and "Reacher." He's also appeared in films such as "The Predator" and "Initiation." But his most famous roles to date are in the hugely successful TV series "Riverdale" and "Peacemaker." In "Riverdale," he played vengeful patriarch Hal Cooper and his villain alter ego Black Hood, while in "Peacemaker," he portrays the more straight-laced and heroic police officer Larry Fitzgibbon.

Buried in his filmography as well is a role in one of the best spoof movies of all time – remember Greg from the first "Scary Movie"? He's set to reprise that role more than 25 years later in the upcoming "Scary Movie 6," set for release in 2026.

Sterling K. Brown played an antagonist in a Season 11 episode of "NCIS" in 2013. It turns out his work on the show was merely a warmup to the acclaimed dramatic work he would go on to create.

Brown has received award recognition for his acting in film and television. First, he endeared audiences (and earned household name status) as Randall Pearson in the NBC hit "This Is Us" starting in 2016. That same year, he starred as Christopher Darden in the limited series "The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story." He won one Emmy for each role and these acclaimed performances led him to further, steady work. He's since appeared in films such as "Black Panther," "The Predator," and "Marshall," as well as the beloved TV show "The Marvelous Ms. Maisel."

He also has a surprising resume as a voice actor, with supporting roles in "Frozen 2," "Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts," "Solar Opposites," "Big Mouth," and the adult animated series "Invincible," where he portrays the villain Angstrom Levy. On the film front, he was recently nominated for an Academy Award for his role in the 2023 drama "American Fiction."

His extensive filmography has also led him behind the camera in his most recent projects. He both stars in and executive produces the series "Paradise," a political thriller, and "Washington Black," a miniseries adapted from a book. He has three additional films currently in production.

In 2006, Jesse Plemons appeared in a Season 3 episode of "NCIS." In the 19 years since, Plemons has gradually built an impressive filmography, cementing him as one of the most reliable actors of the modern era.

The same year he appeared in "NCIS," he made a name for himself as one of the main stars of the TV adaptation of "Friday Night Lights." He played Landry Clarke, the nerd-turned-jock of the high school football team. Plemons exited the series after Season 4 in 2010. Afterward, he landed the role of sociopathic murderer Todd Alquist in the final season of "Breaking Bad." He received so much acclaim for the role from critics and creator Vince Gilligan that Gilligan essentially made "El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie" to feature Plemons.

Plemons continued to have short but memorable tenures on established series such as "Fargo" and "Black Mirror." Within the last six years, though, he's acted in his biggest projects yet.

On the silver screen, he's had significant roles in "The Irishman," "Judas and the Black Messiah," "Killers of the Flower Moon," and, this year, "Bugonia" alongside Emma Stone. In 2026, he will star in the fourth installment to the "Hunger Games" series, "The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping" as Plutarch Heavensbee. The film is a prequel to the first film, but a sequel to "The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes." If you need a refresher on the ending of "Songbirds and Snakes," we've got you covered.

Corey Stoll had a three-episode run on "NCIS" Season 4 as Martin Quinn in 2006. Similar to Misha Collins, Stoll got most of his early acting credits on TV from procedural dramas. He was a character actor on single episodes of "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," "NYPD Blue," "ER," CSI: Miami," "Law & Order," and "Without a Trace." His penchant for legal and crime dramas led him to two of his best-known roles to that point: Detective TJ Jaruszalski in "Law & Order: LA" in 2010 and Rep. Peter Russo in "House of Cards" in 2013.

Those stints landed him a starring role in FX's book adaptation of "The Strain," a four-season horror drama from producer Guillermo del Toro. Stoll had the lead role as New York CDC director Dr. Ephraim Goodweather. In 2015, he entered the Marvel Cinematic Universe as the villainous Yellowjacket in "Ant-Man." (He'd later reprise his role, transformed into a version of MODOK that gave the actor a good laugh.) Toward the end of his time on "The Strain," he began to have recurring roles on various shows such as "Girls," "The Deuce," and "Baghdad Central."

In 2020, he landed a recurring role in Showtime's acclaimed series "Billions" as Michael Prince. Initially only a recurring character, Stoll was impressive enough to earn a main cast slot for the remainder of the series. During that time, Stoll also starred in two beloved (albeit for very different reasons) films in 2021: "West Side Story" and "The Many Saints of Newark."

Stoll's next project is a TV series called "Imperfect Women," also starring Kerry Washington and Elizabeth Moss.

Abigail Breslin is one of her generation's most memorable child actors, and she earned that title with a collection of striking roles early in her career. One such example was her appearance in "NCIS" Season 2 as Sandy Watson, a blind girl hoping to save her mother. After "NCIS," Breslin appeared mostly in supporting roles in films like "Raising Helen" and "The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement." She landed her first signature role as Olive in "Little Miss Sunshine," a performance that earned her an Academy Award nomination. To this day, the movie is considered an American film classic.

She continued her success with witty roles in "Kit Kittredge: An American Girl" and "Zombieland" at the end of the 2000s. Throughout the 2010s, Breslin continued to prove her talents with a diverse range of roles in popular film and TV of the era, including "New Year's Eve," "Ender's Game," "August: Osage County," and "Scream Queens," the short-lived Ryan Murphy series that's become somewhat of a cult favorite.

Most recently, Breslin starred in "Miranda's Victim." The film is based on the life of Trish Weir, the victim of an assault and kidnapping in the 1960s, and depicts the Supreme Court case surrounding the crime — its results gave us the "Miranda warning" document that American police must offer, and that fiction loves to depict.