Brian Dietzen: Golf, NCIS, Longevity, and What It Really Means to Be a Working Actor

Brian Dietzen is one of the rare people in Hollywood who has quietly done what thousands of actors chase and almost none achieve: he built a long, stable, meaningful career by showing up, staying useful, and outlasting the noise.Best known for his role as Jimmy Palmer on NCIS, Brian sits down with actor and director Landon Ashworth for a candid conversation about what it actually means to be a working actor — not a breakout star, not a flash-in-the-pan success story, but someone who builds a career brick by brick over decades.This episode is not about red carpets or viral moments. It’s about craft, professionalism, patience, and survival in an industry that rarely rewards any of those things quickly.Brian talks openly about:Getting cast without knowing how long the job will lastThe difference between fame and employmentWhy most acting careers quietly endWhat NCIS taught him about consistency and responsibilityStaying creatively fulfilled inside a long-running network showHow to remain grateful without becoming complacentThe conversation also explores the psychological side of acting — insecurity, comparison, the constant awareness that nothing is guaranteed, and the strange position of being recognizable without being untouchable.Landon approaches the discussion not as a fan, but as a peer — asking questions from inside the profession rather than from the outside looking in. Together, they unpack the unglamorous realities most people never hear about: auditions that go nowhere, careers that stall without explanation, and the discipline required to keep going when momentum disappears.Brian reflects on how NCIS became more than just a job — how long-term collaboration changes the way you approach your work, your coworkers, and your own ego. He also discusses writing, producing, and finding creative agency inside a system that often limits it.This episode is especially resonant for:Actors and creatives trying to build sustainable careersAnyone working in a competitive, unstable industryListeners tired of “overnight success” mythologyPeople who want to understand what real professional longevity looks likeThere’s no false bravado here. No pretending the industry is fair. No shortcuts offered. Just an honest, grounded look at what it takes to keep showing up — and why showing up is often the hardest part.For aspiring actors, this conversation may be more valuable than a dozen motivational speeches. For non-actors, it’s a revealing look at how much discipline, humility, and endurance sit behind the entertainment people casually consume.Thoughtful, grounded, and deeply human, this is a rare long-form conversation with someone who understands that success isn’t about being famous — it’s about being able to keep doing the work.