Some days, it feels like every name in Hollywood has been a superhero at some point, and TV stars have been getting in on that action for decades. From Superman’s radio serials that turned into TV shows, all the way toward the massive “event miniseries” that pop up on HBO Max and Disney+ in the modern streaming era. A fan-favorite name will get the opportunity to play an iconic DC or Marvel character down the line if they just keep grinding, and sometimes those casting choices make all the sense in the world. For example, “NCIS” star Mark Harmon playing Superman is one of those moments that sounds fascinating in your head, and worked out to perfection in the world of DC animation.
Reading this, you might not remember the “NCIS” star playing the Man of Steel in any comic book project, but he did voice Superman back in “Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths.” The 2010 DC animated movie flies under the radar today, and modern viewers can see a bit of its age as it would be a harbinger of things to come with the larger superhero genre, as the plot concerns two parallel Earths with corresponding costumed heroes. However, the voice cast is something to behold for people who love hearing some familiar voices do battle against evil, as William Baldwin and Vanessa Marshall join Mark Harmon to round out “The Trilogy” at the center of the DC universe.
Big animated IP movies always make a splash with voice casting announcements, but getting Harmon out of NCIS’s orbit playing Leroy Jethro Gibbs really excited some people at the time. I mean, Nolan North, Gina Torres, James Woods, and Josh Keaton turn up in “Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths” as well; this is the definition of an All-Star lineup if there was one for an animated feature. As the live-action side of this wildly popular genre looks to find its footing in a changing entertainment landscape, the animation fans have been feasting on decent to excellent storytelling that’s largely independent of big regime plans and “Phases” that can change on a whim.
Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths recruited Mark Harmon to play Superman
In “NCIS,” Harmon’s character Gibbs is a guiding light for the rest of the team as they try to get to the bottom of the case of the week plaguing different outfits within the Navy. For 19 seasons, Gibbs has been at the center of the “NCIS” team’s operations in Washington, D.C., and the de facto moral compass for all those beloved agents on the CBS procedural. All of this makes him a funny bit of casting for Superman, because in most iterations of the Justice League, Kal-El serves a very similar function for the other league members.
That intentional overlap isn’t the only thing at work here though, as one characteristic that depictions of Superman probably need more than anything else is that air of credibility or respect. Tapping a man who played an authority figure on television for basically two decades to voice The Man of Tomorrow is a delightful bit of lampshading, to say nothing of the character’s long history with both the United States government and the armed forces. (Any Superman fan will tell you that they’re actually not one and the same, and the Last Son of Krypton has run afoul of both entities over that lengthy publishing history.)
Hearing Harmon have these vocal battles with Brian Bloom’s Ultraman is a definite highlight, and contrasts the modern and retro elements of Superman throughout time. Bloom’s version of the hero is an exaggerated mafia boss bent on attaining power at all costs, while Harmon’s more staid tones sound more similar to the “normal” interpretation of DC’s landmark character. Superheroes, as a rule of thumb, are largely aspirational, and the “NCIS” star’s casting reads like a vision board clipping for what Superman “should” be.
Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths was Harmon’s first voice acting role
Some actors would be nervous heading into unknown territory for the first time, but Harmon was excited for the challenge when DC came calling for “Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths” and stretched himself a bit. Years ago, casting director Andrea Romano talked to ComicVine about casting the “NCIS” star as the Man of Steel and admitted that he won everyone over with a stellar performance that exudes some of the grace you need to play Kal-El in any medium. Trusting the process can go a long way when it comes to the iconic characters and getting their portrayals right.
“I have admired his work for many years, but he had not done this kind of work before, and so you always run the risk of several different situations occurring when you bring in someone who is new to animation,” Romano said. “But Mark Harmon completely put himself in my hands, and totally let me show him how this work is done,” she explained. “I certainly didn’t have to teach him acting, but he was completely agreeable to trying options, had ideas of his own, and had complete trust in my process. So it was a terrific experience for both of us,” the director would add. “I think he’s a wonderful Superman. Although he’s older in years than how we typically portray Superman, his voice with the model was right on.” Just like in “NCIS,” he might not be the same striking younger actor he was in those “JAG” years, but he can still absolutely get the job done.
