NCIS: What happened between Pauley Perrette and Mark Harmon? | Explained

In its 20 years on air, the cast of NCIS has changed over many times, with one change more noticeable than others.

When actress Pauley Perrette left NCIS in 2018 after 15 years of playing beloved Abby Sciuto, it seemed to be on good terms.

But it has since been revealed that her departure was fuelled by a nasty falling out with cast member Mark Harmon, who plays Gibbs.

However, it wasn’t just a normal actor-fight over salaries or trailer size: this one all started with a dog bite.

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Here’s everything we know about what went down between Perrette and Harmon.

What happened between Pauley Perrette and Mark Harmon?

The pair filmed together for 10 seasons without any issues, but things fell apart in 2016. One day, Harmon brought his dog to set with him, and the dog ended up biting a crew member who needed 15 stitches.

After that, Harmon continued to bring the dog on set, which a number of the cast and crew felt uncomfortable with. Harmon’s lawyers say the dog was always kept in his trailer or on a leash, but some sources claim otherwise.

Because Harmon also served as NCIS‘ producer, it was reported many were too scared to ask him to stop bringing the dog to work. Perrette decided to confront him about the situation, and that’s where the rift started.

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A source told The Wrap that from this point onward, the two actors were never in the same room together. Scripts were written deliberately so they didn’t have to film together. In Perrette’s final scene of NCIS before she left the show in 2018, they appeared side by side – but it was just editing magic.

“She did her scenes on one day and he did his work on other days, and they still produced a great show,” the source told the outlet. “It was simply scheduled that they did not work the same days.”

When Perrette announced she was leaving the show, rumours swirled that it was due to her falling-out with Harmon, though some sources say she was planning to leave even before the dog incident.

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Why did Pauley Perrette leave NCIS?

The week after her final episode aired, Perrette shared some information on Twitter that made it seem like there was more to her departure. She stated that there was a “machine” keeping her “silent”.

“I refused to go low, that’s why I’ve never told publicly what happened,” she said.

“But there are tabloid articles out there that are telling total lies about me.”

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“I feel I have to protect my crew, jobs and so many people. But at what cost? I don’t know. Just know, I’m trying to do the right thing, but maybe silence isn’t the right thing about crime,” she tweeted.

“There is a ‘machine’ keeping me silent, and feeding FALSE stories about me. A very rich, very powerful publicity ‘machine’. No morals, no obligation to truth, and I’m just left here, reading the lies, trying to protect my crew. Trying to remain calm. He did it.”

Her choice to end her message with “He did it” made fans think it was something to do with Harmon. She didn’t share specifics, but implied that she was bullied.

In response, CBS claimed that they addressed Perrette’s concerns about Harmon’s dog, and it had nothing to do with her departure.

“Pauley Perrette had a terrific run on NCIS and we are all going to miss her. Over a year ago, Pauley came to us with a workplace concern. We took the matter seriously and worked with her to find a resolution. We are committed to a safe work environment on all our shows,” said the spokesperson.

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What is Pauley Perrette doing now in 2023?

Perrette starred as Abby Sciuto on NCIS for 15 seasons, until her departure in 2018. In 2020, she starred in the short-lived CBS show Broke, which was cancelled after one season. Perrette said the show “changed her life”.

In July 2020, Perrette retired from acting. She is very active on Twitter.

What is Mark Harmon doing now?

In 2021, in the fourth episode of the NCIS’ 19th season, Harmon’s Gibbs left the series as a series regular.