Does NCIS: New Orleans Actor Daryl Mitchell Actually Use A Wheelchair?

"NCIS: New Orleans" came to an end in 2021 after seven seasons on the air, having successfully cemented itself as a worthy spin-off in the "NCIS Universe." New Orleans was an excellent setting for the show, giving fans a view of the Big Easy's unique culture of music and food, mixed with some procedural crime drama. "NCIS: New Orleans" also stood out thanks to its great team. From series lead Special Agent In Charge Dwayne Pride (Scott Bakula) to the team's coroner Dr. Loretta Wade (CCH Pounder, who almost turned down her role), "NCIS: New Orleans" had no shortage of memorable characters. This also includes the team's resident computer specialist Patton Plame, played by Daryl "Chill" Mitchell.

Plame — or "Triple P," as he once nicknamed himself — is the team's crucial member when it comes to gathering intel and handling any hacker specialties. Given the numerous times he helped out his team, Patton more than earned that additional "P" for perfection. The character is also always seen in a wheelchair. In the Season 4 episode "The Accident," fans learned that he uses a wheelchair due to an old auto accident. While disabled people are underrepresented on TV according to a report shared by Disability Scoop, and they are often not actually played by actors with disabilities according to the Ruderman Foundation, Mitchell uses a wheelchair in real life.

In an interview with Fox News, Daryl Mitchell revealed that he requires a wheelchair due to a motorcycle accident. In 2001, Mitchell was traveling in South Carolina on some unfamiliar roads in the dark on his motorcycle. "I went around a bend, and on the other side, there was gravel and loose pavement, and bam, the bike shot right underneath me. I woke up five days later in the hospital," the actor said.

Despite the accident, Mitchell continued on with his career. Fortunately, as he noted in the Fox News interview, he not only had the encouragement of his wife and children, but some of his friends like Chris Tucker and Denzel Washington also urged him to continue with his career in Hollywood. It's paid off, as Mitchell has remained consistently busy with his roles like that of Patton on "NCIS: New Orleans" and Eli Goggins in the comedy drama series "Ed."

"Ed" was the first gig that Mitchell booked following his accident. According to star Tom Cavanagh, they made room for him in the show based on his audition. "We weren't looking to hire someone else on our show," Cavanagh told Fox News. "But then we met this guy and we thought we'd be crazy not to have him on, with his ability and the outlook he has on life."

In the wake of "NCIS: New Orleans" coming to an end, Daryl Mitchell has continued to have a successful career in Tinseltown, including as a series regular in "Fear the Walking Dead." He took on the role of Wendell Rabinowitz, who is initially selfish and motivated solely by his desire to survive the apocalypse. However, through spending time with others, his opinion of the situation changes and he starts caring about his fellow survivors. Wendell and his adopted sister Sarah (Mo Collins) are eventually separated from The Caravan and are placed in a Virginia settlement. After the Season 6 nuclear blast, he ends up in Strand Tower under the watchful eye of Victor Strand (Colman Domingo).

More recently, Mitchell has taken on the role of the sardonic and lovable mechanic Ed on the new Tim Allen/Kat Dennings sitcom "Shifting Gears." He's employed by widower Mike (Allen), whose life is turned upside down when his adult daughter Riley (Dennings) returns home with her kids on the back of a messy divorce. Everyone in the family is still coping with the death of Mike's wife and Riley's mom, so, between restoring classic cars, they bond. Early reviews of the show have been mixed, but most critics seem keen to give "Shifting Gears" time based on the chemistry of its two leads. "Allen and Dennings do quickly strike a satisfying mix of antagonism and affection," said the Los Angeles Times.

Daryl Mitchell has had to deal with a mixture of prejudice and misplaced pity since returning to Hollywood following his accident. He recalled to IndieWire, for instance, what it was like going for his first post-accident audition for the sitcom "Ed." He said: "I sat down to meet with the producers; they were nervous to even meet with me because they were like, 'What are we gonna say to him?' I just started explaining some of the funny things that have happened to me since I was in a chair [and] it was like, 'Man, you got the job.'" He also recalled having to cope with ableism in the industry, such as auditioning in a place with no wheelchair access and inaccessible dressing rooms. Mitchell credits friends like Martin Lawrence for showing empathy but not sympathy and urging him to get back into the game. 

Mitchell has admitted that he's sometimes hesitant to speak out on behalf of the community, mostly because he hasn't been a part of it for very long. And, being a Black actor in the business on top of using a wheelchair has added an extra resonance to his position. "It's not only people in wheelchairs who pay attention to me, who pay attention to my movies, to my work," he told Ability Magazine. "So I can't just advocate for people in wheelchairs. In the same sense, I can't just advocate for Black people. But at the same time, I suppose I give the African American and disability angle some type of special attention because these are the things that affect me as well. But it ain't gonna be the only thing that I advocate for, personally." The actor works with The Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation as part of their minority outreach program, and his advocacy has now become a major part of who he is.