What The NCIS Cast Looked Like As Kids

Why do we like to look at photos that reveal what our favorite celebs looked like when they were younger? Well, it's an interesting window into the past, of course, but it's also the great equalizer—those old pictures remind us that before they had access to the finest personal trainers, the best lighting, and a professional staff of makeup artists, Hollywood's best and brightest often looked pretty much like the rest of us, awkward phases during their youth included. Digging up those photos also lets us see what those future stars looked like before they made it—when there was still doubt in their hearts, fear in their eyes, and their entire lives ahead of them. We see the cast of NCIS every Tuesday on CBS; here's what they were up to years ago, when they were much younger, and long before they ended up landing the roles that changed their lives.

THEN: Pauley Perrette was born in New Orleans, where she dreamed of one day working with animals, being a rock star, and never not having cute hair. (She also entertained the idea of becoming an FBI agent.) Her youth was spent navigating the United States with a family that roved often, living for a time in the south, on both coasts, and in both Carolinas.

NOW: A rock star with cute hair. Also, she finally became an FBI agent—entertaining millions of NCIS viewers in the bargain. Perrette was actually introduced into the NCIS universe during the last two episodes of JAG, the ostensibly Navy-focused show that preceded the one she ended up starring in for an incredible 15 seasons. Her long NCIS run came to an end in May 2018, when Perrette's character, Abby Sciuto, emerged from a life-threatening trauma and decided to start over in London.

THEN: Born in 1933 in Glasgow, Scotland, David McCallum grew up on a diet of classical music courtesy of his parents, who encouraged him to pursue the musical arts himself. He became an accomplished oboe player, intending to make a career of it, with acting only a hobby. He got a job at an opera house as an assistant manager, performed vocal work on the radio, and in 1956, was discovered by the casting agents at a British entertainment conglomerate.

NOW: McCallum broke into films in 1957, and hasn't stopped since. That's over 60 years in the industry, which may explain why he wears his role as NCIS' Ducky Mallard as easily as a glove. The old pro can even still play the oboe.

THEN: As a younger man, Brian Dietzen had dreams of Hollywood success, and you can find him here, not quite there yet, in a still from the 2003 musical comedy From Justin to Kelly, starring American Idols Kelly Clarkson and Justin Guarini. Brian played a supporting role as Justin's dopey friend, and a fellow member of an east coast pack of bros that called themselves the Pennsylvania Posse. In most films, that'd be a decent role; unfortunately, From Justin to Kelly is one of the worst movies ever made.

NOW: Pictured now on the cover of a CBS promotional magazine as the (very dapper) portait of success, Brian Dietzen deserves just as much credit as Kelly Clarkson for beating the long odds and rising out of From Justin to Kelly as a success story. More credit, really. You've come a long way, Brian.

THEN: Born María José de Pablo Fernández, Cote de Pablo is photographed here in her home country of Chile, where she was born and raised for ten years before migrating to America to pursue an acting career. She was hosting her own talk show by age 15, which makes us a little sad when think about what we were doing at that age.

NOW: Now 36, the actress left her role on NCIS in 2013 for reasons that remain murky, starring in a couple of films, including The 33, a technically impressive dramatized recreation of a Chilean mining disaster. For now, the world is full of projects for her choosing; a pilot, Prototype, which was set to feature her in a recurring role on television again, was declined by Syfy.

THEN: Born in 1984 in Kansas, Wickersham was raised in a suburb of New York City. She used those early roots to her advantage for her role on NCIS, selling the midwestern charm for her role as Ellie Bishop, replacing Cote de Pablo's part in the show following the former star's departure.

NOW: Wickersham has been with NCIS for several seasons, and it remains her major focus going forward. She did, however, have the time to star in the 2012 Amanda Seyfried thriller Gone, though the rather less-than-stellar reception for that film probably felt a bit like a step backwards compared to the perpetual success machine that is the NCIS franchise.

THEN: Like co-star David McCallum, Joe Spano has been around this industry—and this planet—for awhile. Now in his 70s, the actor got a plum start in the business in 1973 with his second-ever role, booking an appearance in George Lucas' classic American Graffiti. For six years, he was a television fixture on Hill Street Blues, playing one of the lead roles for 144 episodes.

NOW: As FBI special agent Tobias Fornell, Spano has been weaving in and out of the NCIS narrative since the very beginning, appearing whenever the writers deem it necessary for the FBI to poke around in the NCIS' business.