Pauley Perrette, the star of NCIS forensics expert Abby Sciuto, has opened up about her decision to retire from acting altogether – a choice she insists she will not change. After officially leaving NCIS in 2018, Perrette, now 55, said she no longer finds herself in the spotlight of television, but instead wants to live a more authentic life, one that is aligned with her core values. In an interview with Hello! magazine, she confided: “I don’t deny what NCIS has brought me. But I have changed. I am no longer the same person, and I want to be fully present in my own life – in the joys, the sorrows, the pain. I want to be me, all the time, everywhere.”
Before becoming famous as Abby, Perrette had a rather diverse artistic journey, starting in the 1990s with small roles in films and television shows such as Frasier, The Drew Carey Show and the Cameron Crowe film Almost Famous. Her career really exploded when she joined NCIS in 2003. With her unique gothic style, intelligence and emotion, the character Abby Sciuto quickly became one of the most beloved female characters on the small screen for 15 consecutive seasons. However, behind that success were unexpected conflicts and pressures.
According to many sources, Perrette’s decision to withdraw was related to an incident that happened on set between her and co-star Mark Harmon. Specifically, Harmon often brought his dog to the set, and once, the dog bit a member of the crew. Although the details of the incident were not made public, sources close to Perrette said she felt the work environment was no longer safe, especially since she is an animal lover who is also very strict about safety rules. In a scathing tweet in 2019, she wrote: “NO, I WILL NOT BE BACK! EVER! (Please stop asking?) I am scared of Harmon. I am scared of being attacked by him. I still have nightmares about it. I have a new show – SAFE AND HAPPY! You guys will love it! #HappyPlace. Love you all!”
After NCIS, Perrette made her final appearance on the CBS sitcom Broke, which aired from April to June 2020, before it was officially canceled. This was also her final television project as an actress. In a fan sharing that same year, she said: “I actually retired after NCIS, but Broke was an important and meaningful show. I had my last dance and I’m proud of it.”
Currently, Perrette is working as an executive producer and is passionate about educational documentaries and social issues. One of her latest projects is Studio One Forever, a documentary that explores the history of Studio One – a famous LGBTQ+ nightclub in Los Angeles. With the desire to live truthfully and spread the truth, she said that she only watches documentaries and completely rejects the idea of returning to acting: “I only watch documentaries because I need the truth. Going back to acting would take me away from the real life that I live every day. And I don’t want to trade that.”
No longer appearing on screen with a famous role, Pauley Perrette is still continuing his journey of being true to himself and contributing to society in his own way – a journey that is quiet but full of courage and inspiration.
