If you grew up in the late '90s, you probably remember Friday nights spent watching dress whites and sharp salutes. At the center of it all was Catherine Bell from JAG, playing the tough-as-nails Marine Major Sarah "Mac" MacKenzie. She wasn't just another TV lawyer; she was a cultural reset for how women in the military were portrayed on screen.
Honestly, it’s wild to think that Catherine Bell almost wasn't Mac at all.
Before she became the face of the Marine Corps JAG office, she actually appeared in the Season 1 finale as a completely different character, Lt. Diane Schonke. That character was murdered. When the show moved from NBC to CBS, Bell didn't just wait for a call. She wrote a personal letter to creator Donald P. Bellisario. She basically argued that since she looked exactly like Harm's dead love interest, it would add a crazy layer of tension if she came back as a new partner. It worked.
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The Grind Behind the Uniform
Success didn't just fall into her lap. Bell was born in London and moved to Cali when she was three. She actually dropped out of UCLA—where she was studying biomedical engineering, of all things—to go to Japan for modeling.
When she eventually came back to LA, she wasn't some overnight sensation. For eight years, she worked as a massage therapist at the Peninsula Hotel while grinding through acting classes. It's that kind of hustle that probably gave "Mac" her edge.
Battling the Real Stuff
One thing a lot of fans don't realize is that Bell is a cancer survivor. In her early twenties, she was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. She had her thyroid removed, and if you look closely, you can still see the scar on her neck. She’s famously said she never tries to hide it because it’s "kind of cool." That’s the kind of authenticity that made people stick with her through 200+ episodes of JAG.
Life After the Coin Toss
The biggest question everyone had when JAG ended in 2005 was: who won the coin flip? For those who don't remember, the series ended on a cliffhanger where Harm and Mac flipped a coin to see who would resign their commission so they could finally be together.
We didn't get an answer for nearly 15 years.
When Catherine Bell and David James Elliott reprised their roles on NCIS: Los Angeles in 2019, we finally got the tea. It turns out Harm had won the toss, but their "happily ever after" was more complicated than fans hoped. They had separated for nine years before reconnecting on screen. It was a bittersweet moment for the fandom, but it felt real. Life isn't a 42-minute episode.
The Hallmark Pivot
After hanging up the Marine uniform, Bell didn't slow down. She jumped straight into Army Wives as Denise Sherwood, which ran for seven seasons. But her biggest post-JAG legacy is undoubtedly The Good Witch.
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What started as a single Hallmark movie turned into a massive franchise.
- Seven original movies.
- A television series that ran for seven seasons.
- A loyal "Goodies" fanbase that rivaled the military drama crowd.
She didn't just star in it; she was an executive producer. She had a massive hand in the creative direction of Cassie Nightingale, a character who was basically the polar opposite of the rigid, rule-following Sarah MacKenzie.
What Catherine Bell is Doing Now
It’s 2026, and Bell is still a powerhouse, though she’s diversified quite a bit. She’s moved into the entrepreneur space with her own jewelry line—Catherine Bell Jewelry—and a skincare brand called EVR Beauty.
But for the fans who just want more Cassie Nightingale, there's actually good news.
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Recent updates from 2025 and early 2026 suggest that Hallmark is finally listening to the fans. Bell has confirmed that scripts for new Good Witch projects are officially in the works. It’s been a few years since the series ended in 2021, and the "new" management at the network seems to have realized that you can't keep a good witch down.
Why We Still Care
Catherine Bell broke a mold. She was the first Iranian-American woman to lead a primetime series. She showed that a woman could be a "thinking man's sex symbol" while playing a character who was a legal genius and a literal action hero.
Actionable Takeaways for Fans:
- Watch the Crossover: If you missed the NCIS: Los Angeles episodes ("The Guardian" and "False Flag"), go back and watch them. They provide the only canon closure we have for the Harm/Mac relationship.
- Follow the Projects: Keep an eye on the Hallmark+ streaming service (formerly Hallmark Movies Now). That’s where the new Good Witch movies are rumored to land first.
- Check the Jewelry: If you like her style, her jewelry line actually uses a lot of Persian-inspired designs that pay homage to her heritage.
Whether she’s in a flight suit or a witch’s kitchen, Catherine Bell has a way of making her characters feel like old friends. That’s probably why, twenty years after JAG went off the air, we’re still talking about her.