ABC's 911: Nashville finds its lead in NCIS franchise star

ABC's upcoming 911: Nashville spinoff has found its lead in a face very familiar to NCIS fans!
“Of Value” – After an architect duo who specializes in designing secure buildings is kidnapped, the NCIS team mounts a search to bring them home. Also, Deeks and Kensi realize they may need to get Rosa some help with her schoolwork, and Anna considers a career outside of law enforcement, on the CBS Original series NCIS: LOS ANGELES, Sunday, Oct. 16 (10:30-11:30 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network, and available to stream live and on demand on Paramount+. Pictured (L-R): Medalion Rahimi
“Of Value” – After an architect duo who specializes in designing secure buildings is kidnapped, the NCIS team mounts a search to bring them home. Also, Deeks and Kensi realize they may need to get Rosa some help with her schoolwork, and Anna considers a career outside of law enforcement, on the CBS Original series NCIS: LOS ANGELES, Sunday, Oct. 16 (10:30-11:30 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network, and available to stream live and on demand on Paramount+. Pictured (L-R): Medalion Rahimi

911: Nashville has just found its first lead and it’s a face familiar to NCIS fans! Find out which NCIS: Los Angeles star has landed a new leading gig.

911 has seen some shifts this year. The mothership show is still going strong on ABC, having moved from Fox in 2024. Sadly, 911: Lone Star ended its five-season run earlier in 2025 with a grand finale. 

The future looks bright for the franchise as ABC is working on a new spinoff for the 2025-26 season. Rather than a “backdoor pilot,” this is going straight to series, to be set in Nashville. That may be a surprising location yet the city’s history with country music and its Southern setting can lead to some big adventures. 

The show is still in pre-production but just made a big move by casting Chris O’Donnell as its lead! Per Deadline, the NCIS: Los Angeles veteran will play “Captain Don Sharpe, a rugged fire captain and rodeo rider who runs Nashville’s busiest firehouse with his beloved son. Don’s a devoted husband and family man, but he has his secrets.”

The casting of a familiar TV actor is a great move for the show. It’s not unlike how the original 911 had Peter Krause and Angela Bassett as the first stars, while 911: Lone Star cast Rob Lowe as its lead. O’Donnell thus fills the same slot as a famous face that will anchor an ensemble of lesser-known actors. 

Why Chris O’Donnell is perfect for 911: Nashville

Chris O’Donnell is a fine choice for a TV lead. He broke out acting opposite Al Pacino in the 1992 drama Scent of a Woman. He soon added on more movie credits such as The Three Musketeers and played Robin in a couple of Batman movies. 

After a bit of a lean period in his career, O’Donnell made a great comeback playing Special Agent Grisha “G” Callen on NCIS: Los Angeles. He appeared in all 14 seasons of the hit spinoff, providing a great focus for the show. 

O’Donnell has the chops needed for a role as the 911 leader. He’s athletic, and believable as the boss of this team, and the talk of him as a rodeo rider shows Sharpe is an action junkie, which fits O’Donnell as well. The family life is a departure from the loner Callen, yet O’Donnell could pull that off, as well as whatever secrets Sharpe has. 

The show still has a lot more casting to do, but O’Donnell’s presence alone guarantees that fans of NCIS: Los Angeles will tune in alongside 911 viewers. If the rest of the cast matches up with him, then 911: Nashville is going to be another must-watch show in the franchise.

NCIS: Los Angeles are available to stream on Paramount+.