Who played Dale Sawyer on NCIS? Everything to know about the cast behind the character

Agent Dale Sawyer recently surprised and entertained fans on NCIS season 23 episode 3 with his unexpected appearance. Played by Zane Holtz, Agent Sawyer was part of NCIS seasons 18, 19, 20 and 22. Sawyer’s jealousy-filled camaraderie with Torres makes up an amusing side for the fans of the otherwise serious show.

Zane Holtz first played Dale Sawyer in the NCIS episode 409, titled Gut Punch. The episode was officially marked as episode 11 of season 18. He again appeared on the 426th episode of the show, in season 19. Zane’s Sawyer was next seen on the 447th episode, titled Big Rig, part of season 20. After skipping season 21, Zane appeared in episode 482, titled Moonlit. Moonlit was episode 15 of season 22.

Sawyer, the special agent in the Navy Yard in Washington, DC, opted for undercover work while finding inspiration in Torres. While the difference in their personalities seemed to pit them against each other, their eventual teamwork got them on friendly terms. This frenemy relationship leads to a lot of banter, which is enjoyable for the viewers.

NCIS: A glimpse at Zane Holtz, who plays Agent Dale Sawyer

Zane-Ray Brodie Holtz, the actor who plays Agent Sawyer, is a Canadian actor. Vancouver-born Holtz started his career in modelling in 1992 before turning towards acting. His earliest notable role was as Dylan Buckley in a 2001 episode of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. On the personal side, the 38-year-old actor is a father of four.

Some of the movies where Holtz worked include Holes, Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Grace Unplugged, Vampires Suck, 7 Minutes, Battle Scars, Hunter Killer, Tempting Fate and more. He is currently filming for Frontier Crucible.

On television, besides the CBS Procedural drama, Holtz’s noteworthy projects include All Rise, Walker, Katy Keene, Riverdale, From Dusk till Dawn: The Series, Make It or Break It, CSI: Miami, Judging Amy and many more. 

Incidentally, before playing Agent Dale Sawyer, Holtz had appeared on NCIS season 10 episode 19, titled Squall, as Kevin Wyeth, Navy Petty Officer Third Class.

A brief look at Agent Sawyer’s journey on NCIS

When Holtz’s Dale Sawyer was introduced in the show’s season 18, Torres was shown to be concerned about his job as he thought Sawyer would replace him. The latter’s amicable personality, as opposed to Torres’s introvert nature, made another reason for them to butt heads. However, after Sawyer expressed his wish to go undercover like Torres, the latter warmed up to him.

NCIS season 20 episode 12, Big Rig, saw Torres worried about Sawyer after a dead body was reported from the apartment where Sawyer was holed up under cover. However, they later teamed up to fight the enemies. 

Sawyer was again seen in Moonlit, episode 15 of season 22, where his moonlighting as a security guard led to his client’s death. As such, Agent Sawyer was demoted to the post of a rookie as punishment. While Parker found out Lily’s past, Torres, Knight and the rest of the agents worked out the mystery of Robert’s disappearance. 

Holtz’s Sawyer recently appeared on episode 3 of the current season of the CBS show. Titled The Sound and the Fury, the episode saw Agent Sawyer working on a case near an alley where Petty Officer Steven was found dead with brain matter leaking from his nose, along with blood. While Sawyer wanted to find a link between the two cases, he turned away from the ickiness of brain matter leaks and left the job to the A-team.

While Torres and Knight investigated Steven’s case, leading them to blackmail and a bar owner named Hairy Dave, Sawyer’s case revealed three more blackmail cases with a similar modus operandi. Finding the two cases interconnected, Sawyer ended up working with Torres and Team-A to finally nab the culprit. However, Torres felt threatened by Knight’s closeness to Sawyer. Later, Torres and Knight spoke out honestly and resolved the issue.

Tune in to CBS on Tuesday, November 4, 2025, to catch the upcoming drama on NCIS season 23, episode 4, titled Gone Girls.