Why did Pauley Perrette leave NCIS? Star's exit, explored 

NCIS’s Abby Sciuto was played by Pauley Perrette, who became one of the most recognizable faces on NCIS. Spotted in an unmistakable Goth style, her upbeat personality and investigative skills made her a fan favorite. She was with NCIS from its first season in 2003.

Why did Pauley Perrette leave NCIS? Star's exit, explored

Pauley Perrette contributed significantly as a forensic expert through Season 15, which had many MCRT breakthroughs. In the same season, Perrette took an exit from her role. Her exit was shocking to some fans; however, Pauley Perrette had already decided to leave the show a year before her final episode.

This decision aligned with a storyline from Episode 21. Abby and MI6 Agent Clayton Reeves were shot by an unidentified man. In the next episode, it is revealed that only one of them survived. After recovering, Abby chose to honor Clayton’s dream of starting a charity in London. The farewell episode was marked by a high viewership (approximately 14 million).

Seasoned NCIS fans noticed how Abby Sciuto’s final scene with Gibbs was a bit off. The goodbye felt superficial and not what fans had expected. Abby left Gibbs a note, which he read away from Abby. Viewers quickly picked up on this farewell, considering how characters in NCIS usually share emotional bonds.

Perrette's comments on her NCIS exit

After the exit from NCIS as Abby Sciuto, Pauley Perrette took to X to address the departure. Commenting on the circumstances around her leaving, she stated how some tabloids spun fake stories about her. She maintained that she “never told publicly what happened” and added that she “refused to go low.”

On the same day, she posted another tweet saying that she had been hesitant to “spill the beans” to protect her colleagues and friends. She questioned whether staying silent was the right approach when, in her words, “silence isn’t the right thing about crime.”

Again, Perrette took to X to mention a “rich, very powerful publicity machine” that tried to spread false information about her. She dropped a phrase, “He did it,” without mentioning any particular event or person.

She tweeted about “multiple physical assaults” and suggested she had been bullied on the set. These posts stirred a social media frenzy and drew the attention of curious fans.

After acknowledging Pauley's social media posts, CBS confirmed that she had come to them earlier with a workplace concern.

Perrette’s final seasons on NCIS stirred up buzz because Abby and Gibbs appeared together less often than before. According to some reports, an alleged dog bite incident took place on the set. Mark Harmon allegedly brought his dog with him.

When a crew member tried to play with Mark's dog, the dog ended up biting and injuring him. The crew member sustained 15 stitches. Perrette took to X to express how she never wants to go back to the NCIS set again and that she is thankful to have a safe show.

"NO I AM NOT COMING BACK! EVER! (Please stop asking?) I am terrified of Harmon and him attacking me. I have nightmares about it. I have a new show that is SAFE AND HAPPY! You’ll love it!"

"#HappyPlace Love y’all!"

Harmon did not issue any public response to these accusations. Fans reacted strongly to these claims, though many were unsure how to process the information.

Trending

Pauley Perrette’s exit was a blend of an emotional on-screen farewell and serious off-screen claims. Abby was one of the most distinctive and memorable characters on NCIS, standing out through her personality and forensic expertise. Fans continue to remember the character long after her exit from the series.

Also read: Who is Agent Girard on NCIS? Character explored in depth

×

Was this article helpful?

Thank You for feedback