Who are playing older Woody and Phil in the NCIS crossover? Here’s what we know so far

As NCIS and NCIS: Origins present their crossover event on November 11, 2025, the joint plot will bring in some surprises. One of them is the older version of the Origins’ characters. An exclusive reveal by TV Insider said actors Bobby Moynihan and Ely Henry are slated to play the older versions of Woody and Phil, respectively, on the main series. Both actors already play the younger versions in Origins.

NCIS: Origins shows the early careers of forensic chemist Phil and forensic analyst Woody when they were part of the NIS team. They work with a younger Gibbs, played by Stowell. Just as the crossover event is bringing back the retired Gibbs, played by Mark Harmon, some of his contemporaries from Origins are likely to be included in the plot that connects two-decades-old crime to the present time.

As NCIS fans already know, the legendary Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs, portrayed by Harmon, is retired and stays in Alaska. However, his solitary musings bring his backstory to the fans in the form of the spinoff, NCIS: Origins. Actor Austin Stowell portrays the younger Leroy Gibbs, while Harmon narrates the story in a voice over.

NCIS: Origins: A quick look at Woody and portrayer, Moynihan

Woodrow Browne, also known as Woody, heads the NIS San Diego Regional Forensic Lab as the head chemist-analyst. Played by Bobby Moynihan, Woody assists the Pendleton NIS Camp in many of their investigations. He has been appearing intermittently across both seasons as per the plot’s demands.

The upcoming crossover event, Now and Then, will feature an elderly Woody as the current team of NCIS season 23 reopens a case from the 1990s that Captain Franks had worked on with a young NIS agent, Leroy Gibbs. Since Woody had assisted the team at the time as a forensic expert, he will be called in at the present time to discuss his views.

Incidentally, Robert Michael Moynihan Jr., well-known as Bobby, is a comedian-actor. Although the New York-born started his career with various comedy projects, he moved on to acting in movies and web series. He is famous for being the writer-cast member of NBC’s Saturday Night Live between 2008 and 2017. Some movies that Moynihan was part of include IF, Unfrosted, Killing Gunther, Sisters, The Book of Henry, Slow Learners, Staten Island Summer and more.

He has lent his voice to numerous shows and movies including We Bare Bears, Nature Cat, Chozen, Duck Tales, Star Wars Resistance, The Bravest Knight, Lego Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy, The Awesomes, The Secret Lives of Pets 1 and 2, Hoppers, Fixed, Underdogs and many more. Moynihan is a screen writer and a singer as well.

NCIS: Origins: A look at Phil’s character and actor Ely Henry

Just like Woody, Philip Elertson, also known as Phil, is a forensic chemist working under Woody at the San Diego NIS in 1990s. Since they work together in the Origins plot, he is involved in assisting Woody in the forensic analysis in the death of a Naval officer in the town of Serenity. 

Two decades later, when the present NCIS team calls the forensic experts in the reopened case, he makes an appearance alongside Woody. Actor Ely Henry plays Phil in the prequel series and is slated to play the elderly version of the same character in the crossover.

Actor-comedian Ely is known for his work in television since 2007. The Canadian-American artist played Garrett in Nature of the Beast. Some of his other projects include Players, For All Mankind, Connecting, Suburgatory, Twisted, Roadies, Monster Warriors, I Martin Short Goes Home, and more, besides Origins. He also lent his voice in television series Where’s Waldo?, Yabba Dabba Dinosaurs and Justice League Action.

Watch out for Ely Henry’s Phil and Bobby Moynihan’s Woody as they present the aged versions of their characters on NCIS crossover storyline.