"NCIS" star Sean Murray is allegedly frightened that his estranged wife, Carrie, is about to take him to the cleaners with a brutal divorce. He is relying on his co-stars, notably acting competitor Wilmer Valderrama, a new report claimed.
The 46-year-old, who plays Special Agent Tim McGee on the TV show, has earned a $25 million fortune. However, a portion of it is allegedly up for grabs as Carrie seeks primary physical and joint legal custody of their children, Caitlyn, 16, and River, 13, as well as legal fees.
“The worst has yet to come and he’s bracing himself for the fall,” an unnamed source told Globe Magazine.
According to the insider, Carrie's divorce filing in March has caught Sean off guard, and everyone at 'NCIS' feels awful for him. Sean is said to be experiencing emotional distress, and his coworkers are assisting him by reaching out and being present for him.
Informants have revealed that Sean and Wilmer, 44, who plays Special Agent Nick Torres, had clashed for top billing and screen time since the departure of star Mark Harmon. Despite their many conflicts and clashes on set, Wilmer is said to have been very courteous and understanding recently.
Business Times has reached out to Sean Murray for comments.
Meanwhile, despite being the longest-running cast member, Sean does not feel secure in his position on “NCIS.” The actor told PEOPLE that "even after 21 seasons" he doesn't know where his path on NCIS will lead as the crime-fighting program approaches 1,000 episodes across all five shows.
"I think we learned this with things that have happened on the show over the years... No one is quite safe. Obviously, being here 21 years, [I] have enjoyed, immensely, being a part of this show and continue to be incredibly grateful to be a part of this show, but you never know what's going to happen,” Sean explained.
Though the actor refuses to state "anything's for certain," Sean does add things are "really good right now" and the cast is having a "good time" on set. "And I don't think anyone is itching to go elsewhere at the moment," he furthered.
On April 15, “NCIS” mark its 1,000th episode. While reflecting on why he believes the franchise has persisted, Sean revealed that he believes the "quality" and care placed into developing the procedural laid a solid foundation for the “NCIS” brand to thrive.
"A really strong ship was built very early on, and the show developed and founded strengths in a different kind of way than most procedurals. It felt like a family, and I think that that family feeling and the world of NCIS is something that people really liked to be a part of,” Sean stated.
Sean can't pinpoint the franchise's "secret sauce" for success, but he claims the formula has extended to other programs. Since the original NCIS premiered on CBS, the show has spawned four spinoffs: Los Angeles, New Orleans, Hawaii, and Sydney, Australia.
"Everyone, respectfully, has had their own sort of slice of the pizza. Everything's been pretty unique, I think, so it's really quite cool to see the way things have expanded,” the actor explained.
