Dante Brown Is the Main Suspect on 'NCIS' — Here's Where You've Seen Him Before
Updated Nov. 5 2019, 4:50 p.m. ET
On the NCIS episode titled "Institutionalized," fans will be introduced to Dante Brown, forensic scientist Kasie Hines' best friend.
However, after a petty officer's son is found murdered at his "welcome home from prison" party, he quickly becomes the main suspect in the case. In an episode centered on heavy topics such as mass incarceration and racial prejudices, Dante quickly steals the spotlight.
So, who is Dante Brown? Meet actor Devale Ellis.
According to actress Diona Reasonover, this episode is very emotional because Kasie is torn between her personal and professional life.
"You’re going to watch her be very conflicted because if the team is like, 'We think we got the right person,' and your best friend is saying, 'I’m not the right person,'' somebody is wrong," she told TVLine. "She has known Dante since she was a little girl, so if she has been pushing and advocating for someone who has been lying to her to her face directly, and so easily, what else has he lied about?"
Portraying Dante is actor Devale Ellis, who also opened up about the episode, writing on Instagram, "The best part about my job is that I get to tell stories that otherwise would never be told."
You might recognize Devale Ellis from Gotham or The Blacklist.
Before his NCIS appearance, Devale starred in episodes of Gotham and The Blacklist, where he portrayed Chuck Saw in Season 4.
You can also catch Devale in the new BET series Sistas, where he plays Zac, or the Netflix series, It's Bruno. Before acting, Devale actually played football and was signed by the Detroit Lions in 2006.
Devale Ellis is happily married to his wife Khadeen.
Along with acting, Devale also has a YouTube series with his college sweetheart turned wife Khadeen called "The Ellises," which features their three sons, Jackson, Kairo, and Kaz.
The couple also hosts a podcast together called "Dead Ass." In an interview on Oprah Winfrey's Black Love, Devale opened up about his wife and revealed how she supported him during a "dark time" in his life.
"I suffered from depression. I ended up becoming addicted to pain meds," he said after he got injured playing football. "That was a dark time for me... I'm my best self when she's here with me. It was all because I had her. "
Next up for Devale: Meet the Blacks 2: The House Next Door, starring Danny Trejo, Mike Epps, and Katt Williams. We can't wait to watch!
