Actor and producer build Cortland connection on “NCIS”

05/02/2024 

Gabriella Piazza ’11 has found a way to make crime pay — simply do it on primetime network television. 

Piazza will be featured in hit series “NCIS” on its season finale, “Reef Madness,” when the episode premieres Monday, May 6, on CBS. 

“NCIS,” which began 21 years ago, tells the story of special agents from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service and ranks among the most-watched shows in the country. Its popularity has led to multiple spinoff series, including “NCIS: Hawai’i” and "NCIS: Los Angeles.”

“‘NCIS’ has been on for so long and it was so apparent when I got on to set that everybody is such a family,” Piazza said. “There’s such positivity on that, from the series regulars to the crew. Everybody’s having such a good time and it’s so clear to see why it works.” 

While the plot remains a secret, Piazza was able to reveal that her character, Molly, is a woman who turns to the main cast for help in finding her husband. 

This won’t be her first experience with scripted stories of criminal ne’er-do-wells. She previously starred in “The Sopranos” prequel film “The Many Saints of Newark.” But this time, for NCIS, it was Cortland alum Scott Williams ’82, executive producer and a writer for the show, that began Piazza’s path to her appearance. 

Piazza and Williams first connected after a SUNY Cortland Columns article highlighted her role in “Saints.” 

“I think our bonding over Cortland and talking about the industry, I’d like to think that I was top of his mind when Scott was writing the finale,” she said. 

Williams recalled that instant connection when they last met for breakfast a few months ago. 

“Despite our years’ difference at Cortland, we shared college stories like old pals,” he said. “Besides her obvious acting talent, she’s also every bit a Red Dragon. Bright, funny, hardworking, and open to coaching.” 

That impression led to an opportunity to audition for her role in “NCIS.” 

“As I wrote the season finale, it gradually occurred to me that the character of Molly was very much in Gabby’s wheelhouse,” Williams said. “Since we now hold auditions via Zoom, she was able to read for the part from New York and blew everyone away. The decision to cast her came from me, our director Jose Hernandez, and six other producers. And she made the decision easy.” 

The end result on screen was just what his team was looking for.

“Gabby nailed it,” Williams noted. “Just the right amount of shock, emotion and comic chops. But no spoilers.” 

Once a vice president for sales at a tech startup, Piazza gave up her successful career to pursue the creative drive inside her — something she realized was her true passion. 

“What I love about acting and film and television is being able to evoke emotion and make others feel like they’re being heard in whatever capacity that I can,” Piazza said.  

“It’s almost like you have an opportunity to help others on a wide scale through storytelling. ... You can tell a story that maybe somebody else out there really needs to see,” she added. “And to evoke that emotion, it’s just such a gift.” 

Following her debut on “NCIS,” Piazza has another role coming up. Her most recently produced short film, “TEA,” starring “Many Saints of Newark” co-star Michael Gandolfini, will have its world premiere at the 77th Cannes Film Festival. 

With a looming trip to the famed film town on the French Riviera, Piazza still credits her upstate Red Dragon family like Williams, and educators like Professor Caroline Kaltefleiter of the Communication and Media Studies Department, who she said was a major influence.  

“It was such a such a blessing and a pleasure to work with Scott,” Piazza said. “We laughed and talked about all our Cortland experiences and how similar they were, even though we were farther apart in our graduating class. And it’s amazing we got to text Dr. K (Kaltefleiter) and send her the pictures of us on set. It’s a beautiful experience between alumni, to be able to have that full circle moment.”