# Eric Christian Olsen
**Eric Christian Olsen** (born 1977 in [Eugene, Oregon](https://www.edgepedia.org/eugene-oregon)) is an American actor, writer, and producer best known for playing LAPD detective turned NCIS Investigator Marty Deeks for 14 seasons on the CBS series *NCIS: Los Angeles* (2010–2023, 301 episodes), and for executive-producing the 2024 *Matlock* revival starring [Kathy Bates](https://www.edgepedia.org/kathy-bates).[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0647638/) • [2](https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-entertainment/talent/?view=eric-christian-olsen-2)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1977, Eugene, Oregon; raised in Iowa[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0647638/) • [2](https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-entertainment/talent/?view=eric-christian-olsen-2) |
| Signature role | Marty Deeks on *NCIS: Los Angeles*, 2010–2023, 301 episodes; recurring at the end of Season 1, series regular from Season 2[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0647638/) • [3](https://www.cinemablend.com/television/before-joining-ncis-wilmer-valderrama-key-role-los-angeles-spinoff) |
| Marriage | Married actress and author Sarah Wright on June 23, 2012[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0647638/) |
| Production company | Cloud Nine Productions, founded 2016; CEO; offices on the CBS Radford lot with a deal at CBS Television Studios[2](https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-entertainment/talent/?view=eric-christian-olsen-2) |
| Producing credits | *Matlock* (2024–2026), *Woke* (2020–2022), *NCIS: Origins*, and the documentary *Andy Irons: Kissed by God* (2018)[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0647638/) |
| Best- and worst-rated films | *Battle of the Sexes* (2017) at 84% and *License to Wed* (2007) at 7% on the Tomatometer[4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/eric_christian_olsen) |
| Education | Graduated from Pepperdine University in 2007[2](https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-entertainment/talent/?view=eric-christian-olsen-2) |
## Early life and beginnings
Olsen was born in Eugene, Oregon, and raised in Iowa, where he was captain of his high school ice hockey team in the [Quad Cities](https://www.edgepedia.org/quad-cities) and studied Japanese and Chinese at Bettendorf High School.[2](https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-entertainment/talent/?view=eric-christian-olsen-2) • [5](https://justice-annals.com/index.php/persons/item/215689-eric-christian-olsen-the-journey-from-iowa-theater-to-ncis-los-angeles) He performed with the improv organization ComedySportz, where a source profile describes him as the youngest comedian in the national ComedySportz lineup, and he began acting in theater before moving into screen work.[6](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/eric-christian-olsen/) • [7](https://snapshot.apple.com/us/person/6621229832)
His first starring television role was [Cameron Green](https://www.edgepedia.org/cameron-green) on the Fox series *Get Real* (1999). That role led to his feature debut in [Michael Bay](https://www.edgepedia.org/michael-bay)'s *Pearl Harbor* and a part in the comedy *Not Another Teen Movie*, both released in 2001.[6](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/eric-christian-olsen/) In 2002 he played the lead in the independent surfing film *Local Boys* as a young surfer coping with his father's death.[6](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/eric-christian-olsen/) In 2003 he took the young version of [Jim Carrey](https://www.edgepedia.org/jim-carrey)'s Lloyd Christmas in the prequel *Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd*, opposite an ensemble that included Eugene Levy, Luis Guzmán, and William Lee Scott.[6](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/eric-christian-olsen/)
## Film and television comedy through the 2000s
Through the decade Olsen accumulated comedy and supporting parts: Nick in *Fired Up* (2009), Kenny in *The Last Kiss* (2006), Carlisle in *License to Wed* (2007), Randy in *Sunshine Cleaning* (2008), Clive in *The Back-up Plan* (2010), and Chad in *Cellular* (2004).[4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/eric_christian_olsen) On television he starred as Sully Sullivan on *The Loop* (2006) and made guest appearances on *24*, *Smallville*, *Brothers & Sisters*, *ER*, and *Community*, where he played Vaughn, the shirtless hippie in the first season.[2](https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-entertainment/talent/?view=eric-christian-olsen-2) • [8](https://www.metacritic.com/person/eric-christian-olsen/)
The Rotten Tomatoes spread of his film work runs from *[Battle of the Sexes](https://www.edgepedia.org/battle-of-the-sexes-2017-film)* (2017), in which he played tennis player Lornie Kuhle opposite [Steve Carell](https://www.edgepedia.org/steve-carell) and [Emma Stone](https://www.edgepedia.org/emma-stone), at 84 percent on the Tomatometer, down to *License to Wed* at 7 percent.[4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/eric_christian_olsen) • [2](https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-entertainment/talent/?view=eric-christian-olsen-2) In 2011 he starred in *The Thing*, the prequel to the 1980 science-fiction horror film, as Adam Finch, and in 2012 he played Tucker in the independent film *Celeste and Jesse Forever*.[9](https://www.ncislamagazine.com/cast-crew/eric-christian-olsen/)
## Marty Deeks on NCIS: Los Angeles
Olsen joined *NCIS: Los Angeles* toward the end of its first season, appearing in two episodes as Deeks in April 2010, and was promoted to series regular in Season 2.[3](https://www.cinemablend.com/television/before-joining-ncis-wilmer-valderrama-key-role-los-angeles-spinoff) As he recounted on the *NCIS: Partners & Probies* podcast, executives initially did not want him: "They didn't want me as Deeks.... They just didn't want me, period." His agent pitched the part as a street-cop role on a show Olsen, by his own account, had never heard of, even after being told it was the number two show on television behind *NCIS*.[10](https://www.cinemablend.com/television/execs-didnt-want-ncis-los-angeles-eric-christian-olsen-play-deeks)
**The audition** consisted of a page and a half of scripted dialogue opposite series creator Shane Brennan, formerly a writer and executive producer on *NCIS*, with Olsen improvising a sarcastic, flirty dynamic aimed at the character of Kensi Blye, played by [Daniela Ruah](https://www.edgepedia.org/daniela-ruah). The resulting tape was rejected by CBS executives with the instruction to "keep looking," but Brennan fought for him, and Olsen was brought back for Season 2.[10](https://www.cinemablend.com/television/execs-didnt-want-ncis-los-angeles-eric-christian-olsen-play-deeks)
Deeks's role grew across the series from LAPD detective to NCIS/LAPD liaison officer to NCIS Investigator, and his flirty, sarcastic partnership with Kensi, known to fans as "Densi," became one of the franchise's most popular relationships; the two characters married on screen in 2019.[10](https://www.cinemablend.com/television/execs-didnt-want-ncis-los-angeles-eric-christian-olsen-play-deeks) • [6](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/eric-christian-olsen/) Olsen also wrote for the series.[8](https://www.metacritic.com/person/eric-christian-olsen/) The show ran 14 seasons before ending in 2023, as the first spinoff and second-longest-running series in the NCIS franchise behind the original *NCIS*. In real life, Ruah is married to Olsen's brother David Paul Olsen, a stuntman who has worked on the series.[10](https://www.cinemablend.com/television/execs-didnt-want-ncis-los-angeles-eric-christian-olsen-play-deeks) • [11](https://ufdcimages.uflib.ufl.edu/AA/00/06/97/61/00076/06-20-2019.pdf)
## Cloud Nine Productions and the move to producing
In 2016 Olsen founded Cloud Nine Productions to develop character-driven television across broadcast, cable, and streaming; he is its CEO.[2](https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-entertainment/talent/?view=eric-christian-olsen-2) The company produced *[Woke](https://www.edgepedia.org/woke-2020-tv-series)* for Hulu, starring [Lamorne Morris](https://www.edgepedia.org/lamorne-morris), Blake Anderson, Rose McIver, Sasheer Zamata, and T. Murph, and set up shows with CBS, Skydance TV, Sony, Peacock, FX, TBS, Roku, NBC, Paramount+, and ABC, with producing partners including [Jerry Bruckheimer](https://www.edgepedia.org/jerry-bruckheimer), Frank Marshall, Alex Kurtzman, Will Gluck, and Dan Jinks.[2](https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-entertainment/talent/?view=eric-christian-olsen-2) He also produced the 2018 documentary *Andy Irons: Kissed by God* with Teton Gravity Research.[2](https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-entertainment/talent/?view=eric-christian-olsen-2)
**Matlock** grew from an idea Olsen developed during the COVID-19 pandemic, when he wanted to create a "feel-good" series for CBS. He pitched a reimagining of the classic legal drama with Kathy Bates as Madeline Matlock, including the decision to make the revived lead character a woman; the series premiered in 2024 with Olsen as executive producer and Bates dedicating its Critics Choice Award to him.[12](https://www.cinemablend.com/television/ncis-star-eric-christian-olsen-figured-out-matlock-female-kathy-bates) He also serves as an executive producer on *NCIS: Origins*, rejoining the NCIS franchise under the Cloud Nine banner alongside showrunner David J. North and [Mark Harmon](https://www.edgepedia.org/mark-harmon).[13](https://www.cinemablend.com/television/eric-christian-olsen-joining-ncis-origins-while-mark-harmon-reprises-gibbs) • [14](https://paramountglobalcontent.com/title/ncis-origins)
## Personal life and other work
Olsen married actress and author [Sarah Wright](https://www.edgepedia.org/sarah-wright) on June 23, 2012, and the couple lives in Los Angeles. Published accounts of the number of their children differ: IMDb lists four, Paramount's press biography says three, and CompareTV lists two.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0647638/) • [2](https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-entertainment/talent/?view=eric-christian-olsen-2) • [15](https://www.comparetv.com.au/actor/eric-christian-olsen/) He is an executive board member of the Environmental Media Association and the founding partner and moderator of Reel Science at Harvard University's School of Public Health.[2](https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-entertainment/talent/?view=eric-christian-olsen-2) In January 2025 he and Sarah Wright lost their home in the Los Angeles-area wildfires.[12](https://www.cinemablend.com/television/ncis-star-eric-christian-olsen-figured-out-matlock-female-kathy-bates)
## References
1. [Eric Christian Olsen, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0647638/)
2. [Eric Christian Olsen bio, Paramount Press Express, CBS Entertainment](https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-entertainment/talent/?view=eric-christian-olsen-2)
3. [Before Joining NCIS, Wilmer Valderrama Was Up For A Key Role In The Los Angeles Spinoff, Cinemablend](https://www.cinemablend.com/television/before-joining-ncis-wilmer-valderrama-key-role-los-angeles-spinoff)
4. [Eric Christian Olsen Movies & TV Shows List, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/eric_christian_olsen)
5. [Eric Christian Olsen: The Journey from Iowa Theater to NCIS: Los Angeles, Justice Annals](https://justice-annals.com/index.php/persons/item/215689-eric-christian-olsen-the-journey-from-iowa-theater-to-ncis-los-angeles)
6. [Eric Christian Olsen, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/eric-christian-olsen/)
7. [Eric Christian Olsen, Apple Snapshot](https://snapshot.apple.com/us/person/6621229832)
8. [Eric Christian Olsen, Metacritic](https://www.metacritic.com/person/eric-christian-olsen/)
9. [Eric Christian Olsen, NCISLA Magazine](https://www.ncislamagazine.com/cast-crew/eric-christian-olsen/)
10. [I Can't Believe Execs Initially Didn't Want NCIS: Los Angeles' Eric Christian Olsen To Play Deeks, Cinemablend](https://www.cinemablend.com/television/execs-didnt-want-ncis-los-angeles-eric-christian-olsen-play-deeks)
11. [Gulf Breeze News, June 20, 2019 (Daniela Ruah and David Paul Olsen)](https://ufdcimages.uflib.ufl.edu/AA/00/06/97/61/00076/06-20-2019.pdf)
12. [An NCIS Star Was The Person Who Figured Out How To Bring Matlock Back, Cinemablend](https://www.cinemablend.com/television/ncis-star-eric-christian-olsen-figured-out-matlock-female-kathy-bates)
13. [Eric Christian Olsen Joining NCIS: Origins, Cinemablend](https://www.cinemablend.com/television/eric-christian-olsen-joining-ncis-origins-while-mark-harmon-reprises-gibbs)
14. [NCIS: Origins, Paramount Global Content](https://paramountglobalcontent.com/title/ncis-origins)
15. [Eric Christian Olsen, CompareTV](https://www.comparetv.com.au/actor/eric-christian-olsen/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › American actors: 2000s onward › Surnames Ni to O*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license