A Health Scare Almost Cost NCIS Star Brian Dietzen His Career

Published: July 25, 2024

A Health Scare Almost Cost NCIS Star Brian Dietzen His Career

By Movieguide® Contributor

NCIS star Brian Dietzen didn’t think he’d ever speak or act again after suffering a stroke in 2020.

“I had a dual embolic stroke in my cerebellum, and my hands were all curled up, and it was terrifying,” he told Variety. “I remember getting rushed to the hospital and thinking, ‘Well, I don’t have a career anymore. I guess I’m gonna have to focus on writing, because I can’t speak.’”

He believes his Apple Watch saved his life because when the stroke came, he “was on the floor of my bathroom, throwing up, and I pulled out my phone and I was like, ‘Oh…I can’t use my fingers.'” He used Siri on his watch to call his wife for help.

After three hours, the blood clot passed, and Dietzen survived without any major consequences.

Healthline says an embolic stroke “occurs when a blood clot that forms elsewhere in the body breaks loose and travels to the brain via the bloodstream. When the clot lodges in an artery and blocks blood flow, this causes a stroke.”

After his medical emergency, the actor chose to follow his dreams and step out of his comfort zone by writing a NCIS episode. In fact, Variety reported that he was “the first actor in the nearly two-decade history of the show to co-write an episode.”

“I realized there’s no reason why I can’t tell really great stories and branch out and still do what I love on this thing, and be surrounded by these people that have supported me and that I support and love,” he explained.

Now, four years later, Dietzen, who plays Jimmy Palmer, was able to celebrate the 1000th episode of NCIS with his co-stars.

Movieguide® previously reported:

In a discussion with Entertainment Weekly, the actor, who plays medical examiner Jimmy Palmer, shared, “I love these people that I work with, and our crew that’s been together with us for 21 years, a lot of them all the way through from the beginning to now. I think you can see that camaraderie and the comfort and familiarity. It comes through to viewers.”

EW asked Dietzen more about how the 1000th episode “honors the deepest of [the show’s] deep roots.”

Dietzen responded, “Well, I think you’ve got to honor everything. There are a lot of people. Those 1,000 episodes don’t happen without over 1,000 people working behind the scenes over the course of these 21 years, not just on our show, but on our sister shows as well.”

Filming for NCIS Season 22 is underway, and Dietzen is thrilled to be back.

“These are going on my face now,” he posted on Instagram along with a photo of Palmer’s iconic glasses. “Hello Jimmy Palmer. Welcome back everyone!”