Chris O'Donnell

Christopher Eugene O'Donnell (born June 26, 1970) is an American actor. After modeling and acting in numerous commercials as a teenager, he made his film debut in the comedy-drama film Men Don't Leave. Following supporting roles in the films Fried Green Tomatoes (1991) and School Ties (1992), O'Donnell had his breakout with a starring role in the drama film Scent of a Woman (1992), which earned him a nomination for the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture.

After starring roles in the films The Three Musketeers (1993) and Circle of Friends (1995), O'Donnell received further mainstream recognition for his role as Dick Grayson / Robin in the DC Comics superhero films Batman Forever (1995) and Batman & Robin (1997), as well as his portrayal of writer Ernest Hemingway in the romantic drama film In Love and War (1996). In the 2000s, O'Donnell starred in the films Vertical Limit (2000), Kinsey (2004), and Kit Kittredge: An American Girl (2008), and had a main role as Jack McAuliffe in the TNT television miniseries The Company (2007).

O'Donnell starred in the main role of G. Callen on all fourteen seasons of the CBS police procedural series NCIS: Los Angeles (2009–2023). He also starred in the spy comedy film Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore (2010), and has a main role as Don Hart on the ABC series 9-1-1: Nashville (2025–present).

Early life O'Donnell was born in the Chicago suburb of Winnetka, Illinois, the son of Julie Ann Rohs von Brecht and William Charles O'Donnell Sr., a general manager of WBBM-AM. He is the youngest of seven children, with four sisters and two brothers, and is of German and Irish descent. He grew up in a Catholic family and attended Catholic schools. He graduated from Loyola Academy in Wilmette, Illinois, in 1988.

O'Donnell attended Boston College in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in marketing in 1992. He had begun modeling at the age of 13 so he was comfortable in front of cameras and also had made commercials. he starred in Circle of Friends (1995) with Minnie Driver, Mad Love (1995) with Drew Barrymore, and In Love and War (1996) with Sandra Bullock. O'Donnell played the character of Dick Grayson/Robin in Batman Forever, in which Barrymore also had a role. Reportedly, the field of candidates for the role of Robin included Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jude Law, Ewan McGregor, Corey Haim, Toby Stephens, and Scott Speedman.

Casting directors narrowed their choices to O'Donnell and DiCaprio, and finally selected O'Donnell. He reportedly was considered by 20th Century Fox studios to play the lead role of Jack Dawson in Titanic (1997), but that role was won by DiCaprio. O'Donnell had a starring role in 1996's The Chamber, based on the John Grisham novel of the same name. He reprised his role as Robin in 1997's Batman & Robin. O'Donnell later said that he did not believe it turned out well.

O'Donnell did not appear in another movie for two years. He was the choice of one of the producers for the role of James Darrell Edwards III/Agent J in Men in Black (1997), but he turned it down as being too similar to his role in Batman Forever. Will Smith played this role. The subsequent films Cookie's Fortune (1999) and The Bachelor (1999) were moderately successful, while Vertical Limit (2000) was a box office hit.

After a four-year hiatus, O'Donnell returned in 2004 with the film Kinsey. O'Donnell took a lead role in the Fox Network television series Head Cases in 2005. The show was the first of the fall 2005 season to be canceled, and only two episodes were aired. He was subsequently cast as veterinarian Finn Dandridge on the ABC medical drama Grey's Anatomy. thumb O'Donnell was featured in the TNT miniseries The Company as CIA case officer Jack McAuliffe, a character who progressed from being a spoonfed Yale elitist to jaded, post-Cold War cynic. In 2008, he appeared in Kit Kittredge: An American Girl as the titular character's father Jack Kittredge, and in Max Payne as Jason Colvin.

From 2009 to 2023, O'Donnell starred on NCIS: Los Angeles, a spin-off of NCIS, as G. Callen, an NCIS Special Agent in Charge of the Office of Special Projects Team stationed in Los Angeles. CBS calls Callen "a chameleon who transforms himself into whomever he needs to be to infiltrate the criminal underworld." In 2010, O'Donnell appeared in the sequel to the 2001 movie Cats & Dogs, The Revenge of Kitty Galore. During an appearance on Live with Kelly and Mark on October 7, 2025 he talked about the Batman Forever props he has (costumes including outfits, one of which is from the circus aerialist scene). He has his motorcycle helmet from the film. Referring to another prop of his, a costume from The Three Musketeers, he said "even my dad wore it for Halloween one year."

Personal life O'Donnell married Caroline Fentress in April 1997 at St. Patrick Church in Washington, D.C. They have five children.

Filmography

Film Year Title Role Notes 1990 Men Don't Leave Chris Macauley 1991 Fried Green Tomatoes Buddy Threadgoode 1992 School Ties Chris Reece Scent of a Woman Charlie Simms 1993 The Three Musketeers D'Artagnan 1994 Blue Sky Glenn Johnson 1995 Circle of Friends Jack Foley Mad Love Matt Leland Batman Forever Dick Grayson/Robin 1996 The Chamber Adam Hall In Love and War Ernest "Ernie" Hemingway 1997 Batman & Robin Dick Grayson/Robin 1999 Cookie's Fortune Jason Brown The Bachelor Jimmie Shannon 2000 Vertical Limit Peter Garrett 2002 29 Palms The Hitman 2004 Kinsey Wardell Pomeroy 2005 The Sisters David Turzin 2008 Kit Kittredge: An American Girl Jack Kittredge Max Payne Jason Colvin 2010 Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore Shane A Little Help Bob Pehlke 2016 PG Max Short film

Television Year Title Role Notes 1986 Jack and Mike Evan Episode: "Cry Uncle" 1999 Y2K TV movie; Producer only Miracle on the 17th Green TV movie; Also executive producer 2001 The Triangle 2003 The Practice Brad Stanfield 4 episodes 2004 Two and a Half Men Bill Shrader Episode: "An Old Flame with a New Wick" The Amazing Westermans TV movie 2005 Head Cases Jason Payne 2 episodes 2006 Grey's Anatomy Dr. Finn "McVet" Dandridge 9 episodes 2007 The Company Jack McAuliffe TV miniseries 2009 & 2023 NCIS G. Callen 3 episodes 2009–2023 NCIS: Los Angeles 323 episodes 2010 WWII in HD: The Air War John Gibbons Voice 2012 Hawaii Five-0 G. Callen Episode: "Pa Make Loa" 2013 Who Do You Think You Are? Himself Episode: "Chris O'Donnell" 2014 Robot Chicken Mr. Fantastic / Commander Rex Kling Voice; Episode: "Catdog on a Stick" 2017 American Dad! G. Callen Voice; Episode: "Casino Normale" 2017 & 2021 The Price Is Right Himself 2 episodes 2023 NCIS: Hawaiʻi G. Callen Episode: "Deep Fake" Bupkis Pete's Agent Episode: "Crispytown"; uncredited 2025–present 9-1-1: Nashville Don Hart Main role