NCIS: Origins brought in Robyn Lively to play a key role after she previously portrayed a different character in the NCIS universe.

During the Tuesday, November 18, episode of the CBS prequel, Lively, 53, made a surprise appearance as Randy’s mother, Maxine, in several flashbacks. Randy’s birthday in the current timeline triggered him to remember a past birthday from when he was a child.

In the scenes, Randy’s mother had to work on his special day to get enough money to buy him a present. They weren’t able to raise enough even with Randy’s help, but they still celebrated his birthday together — in both the past and the present.

Lively’s cameo might come as a surprise for NCIS fans who remember her previous role as Special Agent Vivian Blackadder, the third agent on the team with Leroy J

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