Wilmer Valderrama Cements ‘NCIS’ Return, Lands CBS Production Deal

NCIS actor Wilmer Valderrama is returning to CBS, but not just as the star of the most-watched drama on TV. His production company also signed a first-look deal with CBS TV Studios.

Deadline reported Monday that Valderrama’s WV Entertainment signed a two-year first-look deal with CBS TV. That means CBS TV will get a crack at WV’s scripted and unscripted projects before any other studio.

“As someone who immigrated to the United States at 14 years old, I am immensely passionate about this opportunity to create engaging and culturally relevant projects with CBS Television Studios,” said Valderrama, who spent much of his childhood in Venezuela.

Valderrama stars as Special Agent Nick Torres on NCIS. He joined the show in season 14 and only signed a two-year deal. He signed another two-year pact Monday, keeping him on the Mark Harmon-starring show through season 17.

In a March interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Valderrama explained why he agreed to play Torres, even after he had some questions about the part.

“I think my biggest concern was, ‘What can I contribute to this ongoing train? Can I come in there and make a real splash? Can I play something that they’ve never seen?’” the actor said at the time. “But I was very empowered by the writers and the showrunners, and their idea was to develop a character who could hopefully expand the NCIS universe a little bit.”

Valderrama called Torres a “really cool character, and I felt like it was something really fun that I could do for work.”

“I mean, you do 24 episodes a season. You better like the character you’re playing,” he added.

The 38-year-old actor has already produced several projects, including Playhouse Disney’s Handy Manny and The Hollywood Puppet Show and Oxygen’s Douglas Family Gold. He is also a producer on the animated film Charming, in which he will voice the title character, a prince engaged to Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty and Snow White.

Outside of NCIS, Valderrama is best known for starring as Fez on That ’70s Show. He also played Don Carlos Madrigal on From Dusk till Dawn: The Series and Umberto on Netflix’s The Ranch.

NCIS will return this fall in the familiar Tuesday 8 p.m. ET slot, before the new FBI and the returning NCIS: New Orleans.

Photo credit: CBS