Flashback: Weatherly and Alba on 'Dark Angel' Set

After his ten seasons on NCIS, Michael Weatherly will always been known for his role as "Tony DiNozzo" on the popular crime drama, but it was the series on which he acted prior to that that launched his career. It also provided him with some romance.

On this day in 2000, Weatherly was on the set of then-pilot Dark Angel in Vancouver giving ET a tour and talking about the show.

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Although his humor is on full display as per usual, he expresses his genuine excitement for the show and its unique themes—and his co-star Jessica Alba.

"The question the show pushes is...'How can you get involved in your world a little bit more?'" the then-31-year-old actor previews. "It looks pretty cool. They're lots of exploding things and I hear [Jessica] runs around in little black outfits."

While his co-stars are filming a scene without him, Weatherly practices his lines and exposes his weakness for remembering his lines, a trait that has stayed with him throughout his career.

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After Weatherly recounts his comical experience with Canadian customs while traveling back and forth from the States, he turns around to notice Alba lurking in the background waiting to interrupt his interview.

Weatherly became romantically involved with Alba soon after and the two were engaged a year later only to call of their engagement two years later.

While the show, which was created by Titanic director James Cameron, only lasted two seasons, it was well received by critics. Alba was nominated for her only Golden Globe to date for the sci-fi series.

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When asked about what Dark Angel might do for his career and if he's ready for any potential fame, Weatherly resorts to humor.

"I have this mask that we constructed, 'cause I look nothing like this," he jokes. "At the end of the day, we pull off the mask...[and] we leave the mask at work. I think it's pretty good, but we're still work on it."

A year after Dark Angel was canceled, Weatherly landed a role on NCIS, where he has been ever since.