Rocky Carroll

Roscoe Carroll, born on July 8, 1963, in Cincinnati, Ohio, laid the foundation for his acting career in theatre. He honed his skills at the School for Creative and Performing Arts, graduating in 1981, and furthered his education at The Conservatory of Theatre Arts at Webster University, earning a BFA. Carroll’s early career in New York City involved performing William Shakespeare’s works as part of Joe Papp’s “Shakespeare on Broadway” series, a period that helped open doors for actors of color in non-traditional roles. His transition from stage to screen began after establishing himself with varied and impressive performances.

Carroll’s notable television career includes a prominent role as Joey Emerson in the FOX comedy-drama “Roc” from 1991 to 1994. He also garnered recognition for his portrayal of Dr. Keith Wilkes in the CBS medical drama “Chicago Hope,” a role he held from 1996 to 2000. In film, Carroll appeared in “Born on the Fourth of July” (1989), “Crimson Tide” (1995) as Lieutenant Darik Westergard, and “Yes Man” (2008) as Wes. His versatility as an actor across different genres allowed him to build a substantial repertoire of work in both acting and later, directing.

His most impactful role arrived in 2008 when he joined “NCIS” as Assistant Director Leon Vance. This role reunited him with former “Chicago Hope” co-star Mark Harmon. Carroll’s character was later promoted to Director of NCIS, becoming a central figure in the series. He expanded his involvement with the franchise by appearing in spin-offs “NCIS: Los Angeles” (2009-2014) and “NCIS: New Orleans” (2014). Beyond acting, Carroll began directing episodes of “NCIS” in 2015, making his directorial debut with the Season 12 episode “We Build, We Fight,” and also directed an episode of “Magnum P.I.” in 2020. He received an honorary degree from Webster University in 2009 and has accumulated several Screen Actors Guild Award and NAACP Image Award nominations for his performances.