Mark Harmon Discloses How He Really Feels About Jamie Lee Curtis

Actor Mark Harmon has been a fixture on television for over 50 years. Most known for his role as special agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs on “NCIS,” whom he played for 18 full seasons of the show, the actor has also appeared on a host of other well-loved TV shows. These include “The West Wing,” “St. Elsewhere,” and “JAG,” where his “NCIS” character was originally introduced.

After he left college, Harmon began a career as a merchandising director, but he decided to give acting a go, and he switched to following in his mother’s footsteps.

By the mid-’80s, Harmon had made an impression in Hollywood thanks to his time on “St. Elsewhere” and was named People’s Sexiest Man Alive. He continued to have a solid career as a character actor, but little did he know he would land his biggest role after he was over the age of 50. In April 2003, the actor played the role of Leroy Jethro Gibbs for the first time on “JAG” during a two-episode character arc. Soon after, “NCIS” started with Gibbs as a core character, and the rest, as they say, is history.

On the other hand, Jamie Lee Curtis has been a pinnacle icon in the film and television industry since the late 1970s when she rose to fame with her starring role in the horror franchise “Halloween.”

The successful actress has played a variety of characters in her many career avenues, with some of her most notable roles being a mother, such as her part in “Freaky Friday.”

Both Harmon and Curtis have worked with each other on “NCIS” and “Freaky Friday” in the past. Read on below to get to know more about the pair’s friendship.

Mark Harmon (2014), (Ray Tamarra/GC Images via Getty Images)

According to an article published by CBS News in February 2012, Jamie Lee Curtis and Mark Harmon worked on the set of “Freaky Friday” along with Lindsay Lohan. The movie was released in 2003.

In the full-length film, Curtis played the role of Lohan’s mom, Tess, and on the day of her wedding rehearsal, as she was set to tie the knot with Harmon’s role, Ryan, she and the young actress’ spirits switched places, which led them to be trapped on one another’s body.

Even though Curtis and Harmon had the opportunity to play a lovely couple on the big screen, they were never connected romantically.

By the time they filmed the movie, Harmon had already been married to his wife, actress Pam Dawber, since March 1987, and they had two children together. In a previous interview with TV Insider in 2017, the actor shared an insight into his personal life with his partner as both of them maintained a private relationship.

“It’s not even a choice. It’s who we are. We stay home. A lot. I’m not a Twitter guy or a Facebook guy. Our sons aren’t into that either. Pam and I have both made a living in this business, and still, there’s a part of that, that’s just not natural.” he explained.

On the other hand, Curtis had been married to her husband, Christopher Guest, since 1984. She and her husband decided to adopt two children after they experienced infertility, as reported by People Magazine.

“Motherhood is every wonderful cliché in the book. There is an unexplainable sort of thing you just feel. It’s a permanent commitment, one I’ve changed my life to meet,” she said in Pact’s Point of View Newsletter.

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Jamie Lee Curtis (2023), (Kevin Winter/Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images)

Both stars reunited in “NCIS,” released in 2012, as Curtis portrayed the role of Dr. Samantha Ryan.

The actress spoke with Entertainment Tonight at the time, as reported by CBS News, where she revealed the status of their connection. She explained that both of them were good friends.

“I’m very fond of him and he’s very fond of me. That’s just a given,” she said.

Prior to working with each other on NCIS, as reported by Today in 2012, Harmon gushed over his former then-former co-star, as he said, “Jamie’s great and I think we’re all glad that she’s coming to play with us in our little sandbox for a while and she’s fortunate to have [Glasberg] creating the character she’s playing… But I look forward to it, absolutely.”

According to Hello! Magazine, Curtis was not a mainstay on the show as her character only appeared for over five episodes.

In 2021, Harmon shocked his dedicated and loyal fans as he decided to leave “NCIS” after portraying the character of Leroy Jethro Gibbs for many years.

To pay tribute to her good friend, Curtis took to her official Instagram account to share a photo of their scene together.

In the sweet caption, she wrote, “I just read that my friend, Mark Harmon is leaving his leadership position @ncis_cbs One of the unexpected delights of my varied career was being able to do five episodes opposite him and his team in front of and behind the camera.”

She also recalled her favorite line from the show, as she added, “My favorite line was when I was coming down from his bedroom, ‘Practice makes perfect.’ Certainly worked for him and his Jethro Gibbs character. Well done Harmon. Gary would be/is so proud!”