“NCIS” star Michael Weatherly is staying in the CBS family. With the news that Weatherly will exit “NCIS” at the end of the current 13th season, the fan-favorite actor has found his next gig: starring in CBS’s drama pilot “Bull,” which is based on Dr. Phil McGraw’s early career.
Weatherly has been cast as Dr. Bull, the lead in the pilot who is inspired by the talk show host, during his days as head of one of the most prolific trial consulting services of all time. His character is described having a physicality and feral intelligence that make him magnetic to women and a bruising candor. He is the head of a company that analyzes juries to help develop defense strategies.
Other series regulars include Freddy Rodriguez, Geneva Carr and Chris Jackson. Rodriguez will play Benny, Bull’s former brother-in-law and the only lawyer on the team who provides legal strategy and acts as the lawyer in their mock trials; Carr will play Marissa, a psychologist, neurolinguistics expert and licensed sex therapist working on Dr. Bull’s team; and Jackson will play Chunk, a stylist on the team who helps prepare defendants for trial, and a former All-American lineman.
McGraw co-wrote the CBS TV Studios pilot with Paul Attanasio, and both will serve as exec producers with Amblin Television’s Justin Falvey and Darryl Frank, plus McGraw’s son Jay McGraw who will produce by way of their Stage 29 Productions banner. Rodrigo Garcia has been tapped to direct the pilot.
Weatherly has played special agent Anthony DiNozzo for thirteen seasons on “NCIS,” since the top-rated series’ beginnings. He announced his departure from the show back in January, but not before he hit a major milestone: last night, the drama aired its 300th episode.
