Finley O’Donnell stepped back into the television spotlight in August 2026, appearing alongside his father, actor Chris O’Donnell, and three siblings on Celebrity Family Feud. It was a different kind of appearance from the one that first placed his name in television credits: as a young child, he portrayed a younger version of his father’s character in NCIS: Los Angeles.
Those appearances, 15 years apart, explain much of the curiosity surrounding him. Now 20, he has not built a continuous acting career and has pursued education beyond television. His story concerns a largely private member of a Hollywood family whose occasional appearances draw national attention.
Quick Bio
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Finley O’Donnell |
| Also Known As | Finn O’Donnell |
| Date of Birth | 24 March 2006 |
| Age (2026) | 20 years old |
| Birthplace | Los Angeles, California, USA |
| Nationality | American |
| Profession | Occasional Actor, Celebrity Family Member |
| Famous For | Playing young G. Callen in NCIS: Los Angeles |
| Father | Chris O’Donnell |
| Mother | Caroline Fentress |
| Siblings | Lily, Christopher Jr. (Chip), Charlie and Maeve |
| High School | Loyola High School of Los Angeles |
| Higher Education | Boston College, Carroll School of Management |
| Television Appearances | NCIS: Los Angeles, Celebrity Family Feud (2026) |
| Marital Status | Not publicly confirmed |
| Net Worth | Not publicly verified |
Why His 2026 Television Appearance Drew Attention
The O’Donnell family appeared in an August 2026 instalment of ABC’s Celebrity Family Feud, the light-hearted competition hosted by Steve Harvey. Chris O’Donnell’s team faced a group led by entertainer Wayne Brady, while the same programme also featured Julie Bowen against Yvette Nicole Brown. The episode originally aired on 6 August.
Finley appeared with Chris, sister Lily and brothers Chip and Charlie. ABC’s publicity photographs identified him as “Finn O’Donnell”, while the programme’s cast information used his full first name. The distinction is useful for anyone trying to connect the family photographs with his earlier screen credits.
The format presented the family as contestants rather than fictional characters, giving viewers a glimpse of Finley as an adult. A game-show appearance, however, is not evidence of a return to scripted acting.
The Childhood Role Behind His Screen Credits
Finley’s screen credits began with NCIS: Los Angeles, the CBS crime drama in which Chris played Special Agent G. Callen. The crime series ran from 2009 to 2023.
Callen’s uncertain childhood and fragmented personal history were central to the character. Flashbacks explored those unanswered questions, with Chris’s son playing his character as a child. The later 2011 stories drew on Hetty Lange’s disappearance and the Comescu family’s connection to Callen’s past, giving those glimpses of his childhood a narrative purpose beyond the casting curiosity.
Which NCIS: Los Angeles Episodes Featured Finley?
Screen credits associate Finley with three episodes released in 2011: “Tin Soldiers”, broadcast on 8 February; “Familia”, broadcast on 17 May; and “Lange, H.”, broadcast on 20 September. In each, he is credited as five-year-old Callen.
That character description should not be confused with Finley’s exact age during every appearance. Born on 24 March 2006, he was still four when “Tin Soldiers” first aired and turned five later that spring. These were brief appearances, not a regular role.
He also was not the only O’Donnell child to portray the character. His older brother Charlie played a younger Callen in the same series, connecting two different childhood portrayals to the actor’s actual family.
A Hollywood Household With Five Children
Finley was born on 24 March 2006, the fourth child of Chris O’Donnell and Caroline Fentress. His parents married in 1997, several years before the actor’s long run on NCIS: Los Angeles. By the time Finley arrived, the couple were already raising Lily, Christopher Jr., known as Chip, and Charlie. Their youngest daughter, Maeve, was born in 2007.
Chris, the youngest of seven children himself, has discussed wanting a large family and choosing work that kept him close to his children in Los Angeles. After years of film work that could take him away from home, a long-running drama filmed in the city offered a more predictable family base.
A particularly memorable glimpse of Finley’s infancy came in a 2007 interview. Chris called him the “easiest baby ever”, explaining that he and Caroline had become more relaxed after raising three older children. The observation was about their changing experience as parents, rather than a prediction about Finley’s eventual personality or career.
How the O’Donnell Children Became Part of NCIS
The family connection to NCIS: Los Angeles extended beyond Finley’s childhood role. Lily, Charlie and Maeve all appeared on the programme at different points. Chip was the exception: Chris later explained that a planned cameo for his eldest son did not happen after a COVID-related disruption on set.
The cameos allowed a long-running television lead to share part of his working world with his children. That experience should not be mistaken for a family acting enterprise.
Lily later pursued film studies and work in television distribution, while Charlie explored stage performance as well as television. The publicly documented paths of the siblings differ, and Finley’s own acting credits remain limited.
Education and Interests Beyond the Camera
Finley’s education offers a different perspective from his brief childhood appearances. A publicly accessible professional profile under his name identifies Boston College’s Carroll School of Management, with studies beginning in 2025. His earlier education has been associated with Loyola High School of Los Angeles.
The Carroll School offers business education, rather than acting training. The profile does not establish his degree concentration, graduation or career plans.
The same professional profile identifies experience with Tarratine Golf Club in Maine. That does not confirm a permanent career in golf or hospitality. Finley has not publicly outlined a detailed long-term professional plan in the material available about him.
A Famous Father, but a Different Public Identity
Chris O’Donnell’s career explains why interest in his son has persisted. He gained major film recognition with Scent of a Woman and The Three Musketeers, played Robin in Batman Forever and Batman & Robin, then found a long-running television audience through NCIS: Los Angeles.
More recently, Chris took the lead role of fire captain Don Hart in ABC’s 9-1-1: Nashville, which began in 2025 and was preparing to return for a second season in October 2026. His continuing visibility introduces new audiences to the family connections behind his career.
Finley, meanwhile, has no comparably extensive independent filmography. His credits document a childhood television role and an appearance as himself on a family game show. There is no sound basis for describing him as an established leading actor, entrepreneur or entertainment executive simply because his surname is familiar.
What Is Known About His Life in 2026?
The most concrete recent public development is his participation in Celebrity Family Feud. The programme confirmed his willingness to appear on screen with relatives, while his educational profile points to interests outside scripted entertainment. Neither fact establishes that he has chosen a single career direction.
Details of his relationships, day-to-day life and finances are not extensively documented in reliable public coverage. No trustworthy, independently verified net-worth figure is available for him. His father’s wealth cannot establish Finley’s finances.
Public visibility through a parent is different from cultivating a celebrity career. Finley’s appearances remain sporadic, with no confirmed new projects or ventures.
Conclusion
Finley O’Donnell’s public story is defined by two contrasting television moments: a childhood portrayal of his father’s fictional counterpart and a 2026 appearance as himself beside his family. Between them lies a young adulthood with far less media exposure than his surname might suggest.
What makes him notable is that connection, not an invented catalogue of achievements. His verified credits and publicly described studies show someone whose association with Hollywood is clear, but whose independent professional direction remains his own to establish.
FAQs
How Old Is Finley O’Donnell?
Finley was born on 24 March 2006 and is 20 years old as of October 2026. He is the fourth of Chris and Caroline O’Donnell’s five children. His early television credits date from 2011, when he played a character described in the credits as five-year-old Callen.
Who Are Finley O’Donnell’s Parents and Siblings?
His parents are actor Chris O’Donnell and Caroline Fentress, who married in 1997. He has three older siblings: Lily, Christopher Jr., commonly called Chip, and Charlie. His younger sister is Maeve. Several of the children made guest appearances on their father’s television series.
Did Finley O’Donnell Act in NCIS: Los Angeles?
Yes. He played a young version of his father’s character, G. Callen, in three 2011 episodes: “Tin Soldiers”, “Familia” and “Lange, H.”. His role was connected to scenes exploring the character’s background, rather than an ongoing position in the main cast.
Was Finley on Celebrity Family Feud in 2026?
Yes. He appeared alongside Chris O’Donnell, Lily, Chip and Charlie in an episode originally broadcast on 6 August 2026. Their team competed against Wayne Brady’s side. Some official promotional material identified Finley by the shorter name “Finn”, while television credits used “Finley”.
Where Did Finley O’Donnell Study?
An online professional profile bearing his name identifies Boston College’s Carroll School of Management, beginning in 2025. His earlier schooling is associated with Loyola High School of Los Angeles. Public details do not confirm a university graduation, a final degree specialism or his eventual occupation.
Is Finley O’Donnell Pursuing Acting, and What Is His Net Worth?
He has documented television appearances, but no confirmed continuing career in scripted acting has been announced. His participation in a 2026 game show does not change that distinction. There is also no reliable public estimate of his individual net worth, and figures attributed to his father should not be assigned to him.
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