Chris O'Donnell on "NCIS: LA": "I think we're just getting started"
Over the years, Chris O'Donnell has graced the big screen in the films "Scent of a Woman," "School Ties" and "Batman Forever." But in 2009, he did something he never did before: He joined a series television show in a leading role and it's been a brand new way of life.
O'Donnell stars in the "NCIS" spinoff "NCIS: Los Angeles," which follows the undercover work of the Naval Criminal Investigation Service's Office of Special Projects.
"I've never been on an ongoing show like this where you really become a family," O'Donnell told CBS News. "You see people get married, people get divorced. People have babies. People die. You really go through the ups and downs with people and you spend five days a week, 14 hours a day on the set with these people and it's a family. So the bonds are definitely stronger than any film I've ever worked on because I've never had any situation that would compare with this."
When the CBS series returns for a sixth season on Monday, it will no longer be in the familiar time slot of Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET.
"We're moving to a new night -- Mondays at 10 p.m., which is very exciting for us," he said. "We're picking up where we left off last year. Sam (LL Cool J) and Callen (O'Donnell) have got themselves into a tough situation in this runaway submarine. Going further in the season I think Callen is going to have love interest that's going to enter his life. So, we've got some interesting things planned. So should be fun."
O'Donnell says he's grateful that the show has done so well for so many years and he hopes that continues.
"I feel like we still have so many stories to tell about these characters. [Executive producer] Shane Brennan is amazing about planting these seeds along the way. They'll insert something in an episode that's really new information and not really give you much more," he said. "And then a couple of episodes later they'll expand on it a little bit and it starts to whet people's appetites. And there's a lot of those seeds that he's planted over the years that he's starting to harvest. And that's exciting. I think we're just getting started, so we'll see."
Being on a big show like this "NCIS: LA," though, doesn't really allow O'Donnell time to take on any other major projects. The series shoots 10 months out of the year, and last year, they cast spent some 200 days of the year filming.
O'Donnell and his wife, Caroline, also have five kids (ages 6 to 15) at home that keep them both pretty busy. On top of that, O'Donnell has served as a volunteer coach and referee for his kids' sports teams. He's also trying to get the word out about the importance of sportsmanship.
The actor recently teamed with Liberty Mutual Insurance's Play Positive initiative, a community program committed to promoting good sportsmanship in youth sports.
"The stuff that you see nowadays on the sidelines -- behavior from some of the players as well as the parents, which is even more shocking, is really uncalled for...We're trying to build team unity and team spirit. I just think people are losing perspective on this....So when I heard about this, I thought it was a great program."
Teams and organizations will have three opportunities each year to encourage their communities to support sportsmanship by taking the Pledge. Each Play Positive Pledge period, Liberty Mutual Insurance will award 10 youth sports teams, organizations and schools $2,500 each for pledging sportsmanship and recruiting supporters within their communities. Go here to take the pledge.
Looking ahead, O'Donnell, 44, has more episodes of "NCIS: LA" to film and once that ends? It's anyone's guess. We could see him back on the big screen once again as he has such fond memories of his movie experiences.
"It would always be tough to top working with Al Pacino one-on-one with [director] Marty Brest," recalled O'Donnell. "But I really look back on the locations and the people I've met along the way. Certain experiences -- like with 'Circle of Friends,' I got to be in Ireland, which was such a great experience. 'Vertical Limit' we filmed in New Zealand, and my first daughter was born there. Those are the kinds of things that stick with you more than anything."
