Abby’s return to NCIS has received a definitive response from star Pauley Perrette after exiting the series six years ago. Perrette’s potential return to the role of Abby continues to be floated by fans. That’s both because of the circumstances around her departure, involving a very public spat with series lead Mark Harmon, and the fact that Abby was integral to the long-running procedural. The character appeared in two episodes of JAG, which was as a backdoor pilot for what would eventually become the spinoff NCIS.
In a recent interview with HELLO!, Perrette definitively shut down any possibility of returning to acting following her retirement in July 2020. The former actor stressed that she was “not ungrateful” for the benefits that acting provided. However, Perrette candidly discussed her reasons for remaining committed to retirement. She said in part: “I want to be me all the time.” Now a producer of documentaries, including the new Studio One Forever, Perrette discusses her reasons below:
“I’m not ungrateful for the benefits that it gave to me.”
“But I’m a different person now and I want to be here for it – the good and the bad and the p ainful. I want to be me all the time, and it takes a good amount of courage for me to say that to myself but it’s authentically how I feel.”
Why Perrette’s Exit From NCIS Is Still So Surprising
The Former Actor Has Been Open About Her Experiences
NCIS does its best to handle Abby’s exit in a way that honors the character. She resigns from the job, deciding to start a charity to celebrate the memory of a loved one. This happens after Abby is forced to deal with a dangerous case. Behind the scenes, as recounted by an NCIS executive producer, Perrette fell out with Mark Harmon and felt the NCIS on-set environment wasn’t right for her anymore.
Perrette has been adamant about her desire not to return to the NCIS cast, even tweeting in 2019 and explaining why she’d struggle to reprise Abby. But with each new spinoff, especially ones that do not involve Harmon, some viewers have held out that Abby might be one of the departing NCIS actors to come back.
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!
— Pauley Perrette (@PauleyP) June 7, 2019
Perrette Is Focusing On Something She’s Passionate About
She’s Long Been In The Documentary Space
The former actor has been helping to produce documentaries since 2013, with her latest being Studio One Forever. It tells the story of the Los Angeles disco that served as a refuge for men in the 1970s and 1980s. In the same interview, Perrette talks about what drew her to the project and why she enjoys the documentary format. Though she’s closing the door on NCIS season 22 and beyond, those who enjoyed her work might find a lot to appreciate in the evolution of her career.