Sterling K. Brown Shares Life-Changing Advice From ‘NCIS’ Star originally appeared on Parade.
Sterling K. Brown has worked with many actors over the years, though he revealed that Mark Harmon gave him memorable advice during his brief stint on NCIS.
While reflecting on his appearance on NCIS in 2013, Brown, 49, recalled the memorable interaction he had with Harmon, 73, on set of the show. Harmon appeared on the CBS series as Leroy Jethro Gibbs from 2003 until 2022.
“I can remember, I did a guest spot on NCIS, and people will say this … Mark Harmon was the nicest man ever,” he told People in an interview published on Wednesday, July 23. “I was sitting on a rock eating lunch and he was like, ‘What are you sitting on the rock for?’ I was like, ‘All right, man. The rock is comfortable.’ He’d just go and grab a chair, pull it over, pull it next to him and his friends. He was like, ‘Come on man, sit, join us.'”
Brown added that Harmon was “creating that environment where you were appreciated,” which he said he did “naturally.”
The This Is Us alum went on to share memorable advice that Harmon gave him. “I remember asking him one time — he’s like, ‘So many people complain about what they do and the hours.’ He’s like, ‘There’s nothing wrong with loving what you do,'” Brown said. “And that’s always a bar that just stuck with me and resonated. I was like, oh, you know what? There is nothing wrong with loving what I do. I think I can carry that forward.”
Parade Daily🎬 SIGN UP for Parade’s Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox 🎬
Brown has taken his experience with Harmon to heart and explained that he was determined to make the set of his new Hulu show, Washington Black, as comfortable as possible.
“I have been on sets where I felt incredibly welcome and seen and it made showing up for work that much easier,” Brown said. “I’ve been on sets where I was like, these people could give a flying fig Newton if I’m here or not. And it may just seem like, ‘Okay, now I’m showing up to make this paycheck so I can qualify for my insurance.’ The former is much more appreciated than the latter.”
Sterling K. Brown Shares Life-Changing Advice From ‘NCIS’ Star first appeared on Parade on Jul 24, 2025
This story was originally reported by Parade on Jul 24, 2025, where it first appeared.
