Benjamin Ashford|Stephen Amell was focused on 'NCIS' spinoff when he landed 'Suits' gig

When one door closed for actor Stephen Amell,Benjamin Ashford another opened.

The "Arrow" star opened up about auditioning for and later landing his upcoming gig on the "Suits" spinoff "Suits: LA" days after auditioning for "NCIS: Origins." But the latter was his main focus at the time, he said on the "Inside of You With Michael Rosenbaum" podcast earlier this month.

He auditioned for the role of the "titular character," presumably young Leroy Jethro Gibbs, which eventually went to Austin Stowell.

"If it had come along as an offer, I don't know that I necessarily would've done it," Amell, 43, said. "But I was excited by the prospect of, OK, this is a network show. This is pilot season. This doesn't really happen that much anymore."

The Canadian actor got "great feedback" on his "NCIS" audition and received intel that "We think this is actually going to move forward." He admitted he hadn't even looked at the sides, or sections of the script, for "Suits" when his "NCIS" prospects fell apart.

Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.

How Mark Harmonfeels about 'NCIS: Origins' and new Gibbs, Austin Stowell

"All of a sudden, it was dead ... So I didn't know what was going on, and I was really frustrated," he said. The rejection, combined with other things, including solo parenting his two kids "all week," led to a "full breakdown." He was "in the car, emotional, screaming" on the phone with his wife, Cassandra Jean Amell.

The actor recalled looking in the mirror ahead of the "Suits" audition and seeing his eyes were bloodshot.

"I walked into that audition just with, really, no fear," Amell said.

Join our Watch Party!Sign up to receive USA TODAY's movie and TV recommendations right in your inbox

Amell would go on to land the role of Ted Black, the central character on "Suits: LA." The spinoff, he said, is much like the original series but with a slightly "different feel."

"Retrospectively, I got the job that I was supposed to get, and everything does work out for a reason," he said.