Honestly, it feels weird talking about the CBS procedural landscape without mentioning the man who basically anchored the West Coast office for over a decade. When people bring up Chris O'Donnell NCIS LA stories, they usually drift toward the high-octane explosions or the bromance with LL Cool J. But there is a lot more to the story than just a guy in a tactical vest.
He wasn't just a lead. He was the glue.
For fourteen seasons, O'Donnell played G. Callen, a man with more aliases than a witness protection program. We watched him evolve from a lone wolf living out of a duffel bag to a guy who finally, mercifully, found a family. It wasn’t just about the ratings, though they were massive. It was about how O'Donnell shifted his entire life to make that show work.
The Mystery of the "G" and Why It Worked
Most actors would get bored playing the same guy for 323 episodes. You’ve seen it happen. They start looking a bit glazed over by season nine. O'Donnell didn't. Maybe it’s because Callen was a bit of a blank slate.
Remember the early days? We didn't even know what the "G" stood for. It was Grisha, by the way—Grisha Alexandrovich Nikolaev. Sounds like a character from a Tolstoy novel, right? That slow-burn reveal of his past, the foster homes, the CIA connections, and the shadow of Hetty Lange (the legendary Linda Hunt) kept us hooked.
O'Donnell brought this specific kind of Midwestern stability to a character that was fundamentally unstable. He grew up in Winnetka, Illinois, the youngest of seven kids. He’s a "traditional values" guy. He’s been married to his wife, Caroline Fentress, since 1997. They have five kids. While other Hollywood stars were out chasing headlines, Chris was basically running a carpool between takes.
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That grounded nature leaked into Callen. It made the character’s search for identity feel real rather than just a plot device.
Life After the Badge: 9-1-1 Nashville and Beyond
When the show ended in May 2023, fans were pretty much devastated. There was all this talk about a movie to wrap things up. Chris even mentioned that the cast sat around during the 2023 strikes pitching ideas for a six-week shoot to finish the story.
CBS didn't bite.
But you can't keep a guy like that off the screen for long. Fast forward to now, and he’s jumped over to ABC. He’s starring in 9-1-1: Nashville as Captain Don Sharpe. It’s a bit of a shift—trading the concealed carry for a fire axe—but the "rugged family man with secrets" vibe is still very much there.
He's basically the king of the procedural now.
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What Most People Get Wrong About His Career
There’s this weird myth that O'Donnell’s career "stalled" after the 90s because of Batman & Robin. You know the one—the movie with the suit nipples? People love to dunk on it.
But look at the math.
- He did Scent of a Woman with Al Pacino and got a Golden Globe nod.
- He played Robin in two massive blockbusters.
- He did Vertical Limit.
- He had a recurring role as "McVet" on Grey's Anatomy.
And then he landed Chris O'Donnell NCIS LA. That wasn't a consolation prize. It was a strategic move. He once told an interviewer that he chose TV because he wanted to be home for his kids. He didn't want to be on a film set in Bulgaria for six months at a time.
The guy traded the "movie star" title for a "TV icon" paycheck and a stable home life. Honestly, that’s a win. He was reportedly making around $350,000 per episode at the peak of the show. You do the math on 24 episodes a season.
The Ending We Actually Got
The series finale, "New Beginnings," gave us the payoff we waited fourteen years for. Callen finally married Anna Kolcheck. It was small, it was at City Hall, and it was perfect. No giant explosions (for once), just Sam Hanna standing there as his best man.
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The show left a tiny door open, though.
Hetty sent them on a mission to Morocco at the very end. We saw Nell and Nate again. It was a "to be continued" that might never actually be continued, but it gave the characters a sense of immortality. They’re still out there in the NCIS universe, probably drinking tea and dodging bullets.
Taking a Page from the O'Donnell Playbook
If you’re looking for "actionable" takeaways from his career, it’s mostly about the long game.
- Prioritize the "Family" Culture: O'Donnell and LL Cool J were famous for having zero ego on set. They set the tone. If the leads are jerks, the show fails. They weren't.
- Niche Down: He found his "sweet spot" in the procedural genre. He’s not trying to be a method actor in an indie film. He knows what he’s good at: playing the dependable, slightly haunted hero.
- Diversify Your Interests: Did you know he co-founded a pizza restaurant called Pizzana? It’s huge in LA. He didn’t just rely on the CBS checks; he built a brand outside of acting.
The legacy of Chris O'Donnell NCIS LA isn't just about the reruns on USA Network or ION. It’s about a guy who figured out how to win at Hollywood without losing his soul. Whether he's G. Callen or Captain Don Sharpe, he’s still the most reliable man on television.
If you're missing the show, the best move is to check out the 2026 streaming bundles. Most of the NCIS universe has migrated to Paramount+, but his new work on 9-1-1: Nashville is where the current energy is. Keep an eye on his guest appearances too; there is always a rumor that a "legacy" character might pop up in NCIS: Origins or NCIS: Sydney just for the fan service.
Stay tuned for the firehouse drama. It’s going to be a long season.