Austin Stowell

The Face Spielberg Chose

Austin Stowell was born in 1984 in Connecticut. His father was a steelworker and his mother was a teacher. He grew up far from the glamour of Hollywood. He studied drama at the University of Connecticut before moving to California to make a living.

In 2011, he landed a supporting role in Dolphin Tale. But his defining moment came in 2014. He appeared in Whiplash as the protagonist's boyfriend. The film, directed by Damien Chazelle, went on to win three Academy Awards.

And then the call from Steven Spielberg came.

The director cast him in Bridge of Spies in 2015. Stowell played Francis Gary Powers, the pilot of the U-2 spy plane shot down over Soviet territory. The shoot had a budget of 40 million dollars. He shared scenes with Tom Hanks in an atmosphere of constant tension (a necessary one for the story).

From War Drama to Romantic Comedy

Stowell didn't get typecast in historical dramas. In 2017, he worked on Battle of the Sexes alongside Emma Stone. He played Larry King, the husband of tennis champion Billie Jean King. His classic leading-man looks made it easy for him to fit into period roles.

In 2019 he made his way to television with Catch-22. The miniseries was produced and partly directed by George Clooney. Stowell brought Nately to life. The project was filmed entirely in Italy to capture the essence of World War II.

Television has always been her safe haven.

Two years later, he starred in The Hating Game in 2021. It was an adaptation of Sally Thorne's novel. The chemistry with Lucy Hale was the main driving force behind the project. But critics were divided over a narrative structure that was too conventional by the standards of the genre.

The Challenge of Replacing a Legend

In 2024, CBS confirmed Stowell as the new Leroy Jethro Gibbs. The role had been played by Mark Harmon for nearly twenty years. The series is titled NCIS: Origins and its story begins in 1991. It is a prequel exploring the agent's early days at the Camp Pendleton office.

Stowell had to go through a very demanding casting process. Mark Harmon personally took part in the casting to give his seal of approval to his successor. Because the pressure from the franchise's fans was a factor the producers could not ignore at this stage.

And the gamble paid off.

The series premiered in the 2024 TV season with the aim of expanding a universe that already spans hundreds of episodes. Austin Stowell signed a contract tying him to the production for several seasons if the audience responds. The first episode of the original franchise drew 13 million viewers.