‘Law & Order: SVU’ Actor Joining ‘NCIS: Origins’

NCIS: Origins has found its biggest supporting star for season two.

Philip Winchester, who played ADA Peter Stone on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, will star as Mason Franks in NCIS: Origins season two.

Mason is the brother of deuteragonist Mike Franks. In a season one flashback, audiences saw a young Mike Franks and his brother consider escaping to Mexico to avoid serving in the Vietnam War. The two eventually went to war regardless, and it was implied that Mason Franks died in the war—until Mike gets a call from his brother in the season one finale.

As you’d expect, NCIS: Origins follows a young Leroy Jethro Gibbs in his early days as an agent. Austin Stowell plays the young Gibbs, and Kyle Schmid plays the young Mike Franks. Gibbs and Franks were played by Mark Harmon and Muse Watson in the original NCIS, respectively.

An official summary of Mason Franks from CBS says that the character is “a Texas-tough cowboy who has recently hit rock bottom. Mason is an honorable man who has fallen on hard times and is desperately trying to keep from losing the family ranch. His desperation leads him to seek help from his estranged little brother.” He will first appear in the fourth episode of season two.

Winchester isn’t just known for his role on Law & Order: SVU. He’s also starred in other TV series like Fringe, The Player, Camelot, Crusoe, Leopard Skin, and Strike Back.

NCIS: Origins returns to CBS on Tuesday, October 14, at 9 PM EST.