Why So Many Stars Left NCIS

No matter how you slice it, the hit CBS series, "NCIS" has been a phenomenon ever since it first aired in 2003. The naval crime drama has remained so popular around the globe, that the show's lead actor, Mark Harmon, once revealed a shocking story on "The Queen Latifah Show" in 2014: While attempting to take a break from the spotlight on an Austrian getaway, the TV star was recognized by many fans as he and his wife, actor Pamela Dawber, took a stroll around town — so much so that the duo even "stopped traffic in the street." Wow.

It goes to show that "NCIS" hasn't been dubbed the "most-watched drama in the world" for nothing. As a spinoff, "NCIS" has long surpassed its predecessor, "JAG." With nearly 500 episodes under its belt, the series has found a way to stay engaging by enticing its viewership through its own spinoffs, as well as various cases and characters to whom fans build a connection.

But like many other long-running television shows, the team behind "NCIS" has added and subtracted actors over the years. At times, it can be a wonder as to why some stars would say goodbye to their gigs on the critically acclaimed series. These are the reasons why so many stars left "NCIS."

When Pauley Perrette told ET Canada in 2018 that viewers haven't seen "a character like Abby on television," she wasn't kidding. Perrette played the gothic forensic scientist Abigail Sciuto on "NCIS" for the series' first 15 seasons before her shocking exit. As revealed on "CBS Sunday Morning," the three-time People's Choice Awards nominee wanted a break and didn't like the fame that came along with the role, labeling it "dehumanizing."

Apparently, there was also a lot going on behind the scenes. After Mark Harmon's dog bit a crew member in 2016, his relationship with Perrette soured. Over the years, Perrette tweeted a number of accusations regarding her time on the show, and in June 2019, she alleged Harmon body-checked her while on set in 2017. That same month, she tweeted, "I am terrified of Harmon and him attacking me. I have nightmares about it." According to TV Guide, when asked about the allegations at the 2019 TCAs, CBS President of Entertainment Kelly Kahl told reporters, "We immediately investigated it and we resolved it to everyone's satisfaction."

In July 2020, Perrette fired off numerous tweets backing a Vanity Fair article that exposed CBS showrunner Peter Lenkov, who was sacked due to misconduct. Perrette tweeted about Vanity Fair's "great reporting" and went on to add that she testified that she heard "racist," "misogynistic," and "homophobic" slurs on set that was "hurtful." She continued, "And y'all wondered why I quit? Those producers are still there. All of them. Including HIM."

For 13 seasons, Michael Weatherly assumed the role of special agent Anthony "Tony" DiNozzo on "NCIS." In January 2016, Weatherly announced on X that he was retiring from the "wonderful, quixotic character." He expressed his gratitude for being a part of NCIS, tweeting, "I will miss the amazing crew & cast, who are like family to me, & to the fans all over the world – THANK YOU, it's been a fantastic ride!"

Ahead of Weatherly's final episode on "NCIS" that spring, he told "Live with Kelly" he wanted to play other characters and the "writing was kind of on the wall" that it was time to leave. Three months later, Weatherly bluntly told reporters at Television Critics Association's summer press tour (via The Hollywood Reporter) he was "burnt out" and "ready for a new challenge."

Weatherly went on to star as the title character in CBS drama series "Bull," which began fall 2016. He was accused of sexual harassment by "Bull" co-star Eliza Dushku, the latter of whom was cut from the series. The network paid Dushku $9.5 million as a settlement. In a statement provided to The New York Times, Weatherly wrote, "After reflecting on this further, I better understand that what I said was both not funny and not appropriate and I am sorry and regret the pain this caused Eliza." In 2025, Weatherly returned to the "NCIS" fold, reuniting with former co-star Coté de Pablo to reprise their characters in the Paramount+ spinoff "NCIS: Tony & Ziva."

Through the first two seasons of "NCIS," Sasha Alexander was Secret Service agent Caitlin "Kate" Todd. Alexander starred in back-to-back 24-episode seasons before her character was killed off in the Season 2 finale.

In 2012, Alexander explained to TV Guide she was feeling overwhelmed with the pace of working "10½ months a year, 17 hours a day." She called it "hard core." The creator behind the crime drama, Don Bellisario, recalled to Chicago Tribune in 2005, that Alexander had "tears in her eyes" and told him that she "just can't work this hard." Bellisario convinced the brass at CBS to let Alexander out of her contract, telling them, "You don't want to force someone to work when she says this is not what she expected it to be."

Ultimately, the series dropped an unexpected bombshell in the finale, which "NCIS" loves to do, and Alexander went on to star in "Rizzoli & Isles" for seven seasons, in addition to being a recurring guest star on "Shameless." It looks like killing off Special Agent Todd was a win-win for both parties.

The fictional character Jennifer "Jenny" Shepard was introduced on "NCIS" in 2005 as the director of the titled agency. She was played by Lauren Holly, who became a series regular from Seasons 3 through 5 before her departure was announced in 2008.

At the time, Holly explained on her website that her character was originally intended to be a "guest-starring arc" for "about six episodes." Instead, they brought her on as a regular and stuck around for multiple seasons. The "Any Given Sunday" actor enjoyed playing a "minor character," as it allowed her to spend time with her family. However, as the show progressed, she "got bored" with her character. There was also a situation that may not have sat well with her. According to a 2007 report from TV Guide, "NCIS" star Mark Harmon and showrunner Don Bellisario butted heads and, ultimately, the latter left. Holly wrote she "was saddened that Don Bellisario was forced out" and "missed him a lot."

Furthermore, in 2020, Holly did back "NCIS" alum Pauley Perrette's tweets regarding a Vanity Fair article about the toxic culture within the CBS HR department. In one tweet, Perrette wrote, "Some words were EXACTLY what I and SO MANY went to @CBS #HR about THAT OTHER GUY'S abuse for over a decade y'all STILL support him on my old show." Holly quote-tweeted this post, writing, "...waiting."  This makes us wonder whether or not foul play on set also led to Holly's decision to leave.

Coté de Pablo was a regular cast member on "NCIS" for eight seasons playing Ziva David. Before her big return on the Season 16 finale and four episodes into Season 17, de Pablo told KTLA 5 in 2019, "The fans have been waiting for this. I think there's a part of my heart that's been waiting for this." So why did she leave in the first place? That year, de Pablo told USA Today, she was "not ready to talk about" what transpired that led to her character being written off as a regular in 2013. She further revealed that "someday" she would tell the full story, and added, "I didn't leave because I wanted to go or because I was ready or because I was tired. I didn't really have an option."

While it appears she was forced out of the series, de Pablo has remained on good terms with the cast and crew, who loved when she returned to play her iconic character Ziva. The series certainly has left the door open for Ziva to potentially make another appearance down the road.

That proved to be the case when she joined Michael Weatherly to revive their "NCIS" character for the 2025 spinoff series, "NCIS: Tony & Ziva." "Michael and I thought it was a very healing journey for both Michael and Coté as friends to reunite and be able to tackle these characters, but also to be able to give the fans who have been so supportive for so many years something to look forward to and something that has been so well deserved," she told Deadline.

Jennifer Esposito joined the Season 14 cast of "NCIS," in 2016, as Alex Quinn for 24 episodes. In the spring of 2017, the show wrote off Quinn in the season finale. Afterward, folks dredged up Esposito's past — when she fell down on the set of CBS's "Blue Bloods" due to Celiac disease — with rumors swirling around that her health was the reason she was one and done on "NCIS."

The "Crash" actor was quick to shut down those rumors on X, writing, "No i am not ill." She explained she "was not meant" to be on the show long term and enjoyed her time there as she "met some great new friends." During her past stint on "Blue Bloods" she was written off after 46 episodes, with the network telling Deadline in 2012: "Jennifer has informed us that she is only available to work on a very limited part-time schedule." They added, since Esposito was "unable to perform the demands of her role" they "regretfully" had her character placed "on a leave of absence." Esposito did reveal to Dr. Drew the series had her work more hours than what she originally committed to.

When Esposito joined "NCIS," it seemed that she made amends with the network, and they ensured they did right by Esposito. In turn, the short-term agreement kept things fresh for the long-running drama and boosted interest, as it was the season coming off of Michael Weatherly's exit.

Introduced to the "NCIS" universe in Season 13's final two episodes, Duane Henry played Clayton Reeves as a series regular on the following two seasons. Near the end of Season 15, Reeves gets killed off the show. In 2018, Henry revealed to TVLine that his character was the creation of former showrunner Gary Glasberg, who died in 2016. He recalled then wondering, "What's going to happen now with the character [Reeves]?" He went on to note that because of the "you never know" nature of the industry, he's "always prepared for everything."

Perhaps the two years felt like a bonus, as Henry said on social media that he was grateful for his character's exit to come in "historic" fashion. Henry posted a heartfelt message on X, mentioning that leaving the show was one of the "toughest things [he's] ever had to deal with" because he liked the character along with the "great cast and incredible crew."

He stated the entire team at "NCIS" was a pleasure to work with during a tumultuous time in his personal life. As he told TVLine, his character sacrificing his life for Abby (Pauley Perrette) was an honor, as Perrette took him in when he was homeless during the production of "NCIS." All in all, Henry left on good terms and was happy the writers gave his character a heroic conclusion.

When the "NCIS: Los Angeles" spinoff premiered in 2009, Adam Jamal Craig was in the show's opening title sequence. He played a series regular named Dominic "Dom" Vail. The character appeared in the series' first 13 episodes before getting abducted, which took the character on a hiatus.

In January 2010, executive producer Shane Brennan told Entertainment Weekly he wanted to send a message that no one is safe and admitted he likes "playing with the audience's expectations." Like the show's audience, it turns out cast members were also on their heels, as series regular Daniella Rush told TV Guide that season: "For [the cast], it can be a little scary here and there." But it definitely stings when the actor plays the character that takes the hit, as Craig told Entertainment Weekly, "I had big hopes for Agent Vail, so, naturally, it took me by surprise. But I have complete trust and respect in Shane's vision for the characters and the world he created."

The character was gone for months before finally reappearing on the show. During Vail's absence, Marty Deeks (played by Eric Christian Olsen) was introduced. The character appeared on back-to-back Season 1 episodes before becoming Vail's permanent replacement at the start of Season 2. Craig reprised his character once more in the 21st episode of Season 1 titled "Found" only to be killed off before the episode's conclusion.

Muse Watson has been a recurring guest star on "NCIS" since 2006. The Louisiana native assumed the role of Mike Franks, a character who meets his demise in Season 8.

In 2011, "NCIS's" then-executive producer Gary Glasberg explained that killing off Watson's character was difficult, telling Entertainment Weekly, "We love Muse Watson, we love the character, their relationship is very special and unique." A year later, an "NCIS" fan asked Watson why he left the show, and Watson tweeted back, "Because they wrote that i got stabbed by ONE young man with a scapple," and in good fun added, "LOL ..and yes i was packin."

Mix Watson's humorous tone — in regards to his exit — and Glasberg's affection for Watson, and it turns out Franks being stabbed to death was for the sake of the show's shock value. Watson's exit was on good terms. So good that despite being killed off, Watson has reprised his role on the CBS hit as an angel and in flashback sequences.

Pancho Demmings played Gerald Jackson on "NCIS" for 15 episodes. The character gets kidnapped in the Season 3 premiere and makes a return in the following episode where he told his comrades what happened. However, after the two-part premiere, Jackson's storyline has yet to be revisited.

The abandoned storyline is one of NCIS's biggest unanswered questions that has fans wondering what happened to Jackson. Ask Demmings, and it looks like fans are in the same boat with Demmings when it comes to this mystery. In 2020, Demmings told Showbiz Cheat Sheet that his character was put on "hiatus" after his 13-episode run in Season 1. He further added, "Initially, I think they were looking at extending my storyline," when the show brought his character back in Season 3 after not appearing in Season 2. Demmings noted otherwise when his brief resurgence ended after his two-episode arc in Season 3. "I guess they ended up choosing to go in another direction," he said.

Demmings expressed his exit was certainly nothing he asked for and even told the outlet he would still be willing to reprise his character to provide "closure" to Jackson's storyline. Understanding he may never reprise his role is something he's okay with, saying this is "part of the business" and added, "Sometimes that's just what happens as a result of different storylines developing on whatever show you're part of."

Zoe McLellan was introduced as special agent Meredith "Merri" Brody on Season 11 of "NCIS" in 2014. Later that year, she was a series regular for the then-new "NCIS: New Orleans" spinoff. There, she was a lead actor for two seasons before getting the boot in 2016.

Ahead of the show's third season, TVLine reported McLellan wouldn't be returning to reprise her role due to "a creative decision." As the situation unfolded, it turned out this decision involved some controversy. In 2017, Variety reported there were allegations that then-"NCIS: New Orleans" showrunner Brad Kern, who took over the role in January 2016, mistreated female colleagues. Sources told the outlet Kern was behind the firing of McLellan. CBS decided to fire Kern in 2018. In 2019, the series' original showrunner Jeffrey Lieber admitted to Vulture he received a "great deal of pressure" to fire McLellan during his stint in 2014 and 2015. After constantly fighting to keep McLellan using audience feedback and test scores to prove she was well-received, Lieber revealed a higher up allegedly informed him that CBS chairman Leslie Moonves apparently wanted her gone because he find her desirable enough.

McLellan has yet to comment on the allegations, however, she has stayed busy working on other projects. She landed a recurring guest star role on "Suits," and joined the Season 2 cast of "Designated Survivor" in 2017.

Lucas Black was introduced as special agent Christopher LaSalle on a Season 11 episode of "NCIS" before starring in the spinoff series, "NCIS: New Orleans." Through 142 episodes he was a cast member until early Season 6 when his character was killed off. So why did the fan favorite character leave?

The "Fast & the Furious: Tokyo Drift" star said the series "exceeded [his] expectations," however, the time commitment was something he wanted a break from. "This job isn't easy for me," Black said, adding he "sacrificed" his personal life and by leaving the show he could "focus on those priorities." In an Instagram video, Black thanked his fans and  signed off saying it was an "honor" playing LaSalle.

His co-star Daryl "Chill" Mitchell explained he felt bittersweet about Black's departure but was "happy" for Black knowing he has been in the industry as a child actor. Mitchell recalled telling Black, "Dude, you deserve it." Unlike the bleak demise of LaSalle, all signs suggest that Black's exit was on good terms.

The "NCIS" revolving door spun around once again in 2017 and in walked Maria Bello. Hired during the 15th season to play NCIS agent and forensic psychologist Jacqueline "Jack" Sloane, Bello signed a three-year deal.

When those three years passed, Bello elected not to renew her contract, with her character written out of the show. Bello addressed her exit in a post she shared via Instagram in December 2020, telling her followers how much she enjoyed her three-plus years on the series. "I've never worked with a kinder, more generous group of people," she wrote in the caption, accompanying a photo of herself hugging star Mark Harmon. "Though in our business, like many, there are quite a few a**holes — there is not one on the set of NCIS — in front of or behind the camera. Only a profoundly decent group of people who care more about each other and the world in general than what is in it for them."

In a subsequent interview with TV Insider, Bello explained her decision to move on was motivated by her desire to take on another project, one that had been in the works for some time. "I've had this commitment for years to make a movie, 'The Woman King,' with Viola Davis," Bello said. "The Woman King" was released in 2022, with Bello serving not as an actor, but as a producer on the film.

David McCallum had been a fixture on "NCIS" since the very first episode back in 2003, cast as chief medical examiner Donald "Ducky" Mallard. During Season 16 episode, Ducky stepped down from his position, with his assistant, Jimmy Palmer (Brian Dietzen), taking on the role. Ducky remained part of the team, now serving as NCIS historian. "Now he's retired, I sort of realized the character was becoming a little redundant," he explained during an interview with the Television Academy Foundation. "I sort of decided to leave the show, and they said, 'No, we'd like to make you the historian so you're still a part of the show.'"

As he wrote to fans via Facebook, that ensured he would remain on the show for the 16th season (and beyond), but with a "limited schedule." That would allow him to spend more time with his family in New York (believe it or not, McCallum commuted from NYC to LA for all those years), while still making occasional appearances as Ducky

McCallum remained on "NCIS," albeit in that limited capacity, until his death in September 2023 at age 90. "NCIS" paid tribute in a February 2024 episode, in which Jimmy arrives at Ducky's home, finding him deceased in his bed. "Dying quietly in your sleep isn't the worst way to go," observed NCIS agent Timothy McGee (Sean Murray) upon learning the news (via Deadline).

Emily Wickersham made her first "NCIS" appearance in a 2013 episode, introducing the character of Ellie Bishop. Hired a few months earlier, shortly before her debut episode aired, she was made a series regular. Ellie remained a member of the NCIS team until the end of the 18th season, when Wickersham took to Instagram in May 2021 to announce her departure. "I can't say enough kind words about this group that I've had the pleasure of working with for close to 8 years now and 172 episodes later," she wrote.

After leaving the show, Wickersham subsequently welcomed a baby with husband James Badge Dale, and a second child in 2024. While it would be easy to assume that her exit was timed with her pregnancy, Wickersham insisted that wasn't actually the way it happened. "I left the show, I found out I was pregnant a month later," she said during a 2024 appearance on "Off Duty: An 'NCIS' Rewatch" podcast.

So why did she leave? According to Wickersham, working on "NCIS" is "all consuming," leaving little time for anything else, and she felt ready for something new. "I was ready to leave the show," she explained, saying motherhood became her new "chapter." "It was time and I was ready to move on to something else, and I guess this was the something else I was meant to move on to."

When Mark Harmon was tapped to star in "NCIS," he was already a television veteran, playing doctors in two different medical dramas — "St. Elsewhere," from 1983 to 1986, and "Chicago Hope" from 1996 to 2000. And despite a long Hollywood career that also included numerous movies ("The Presidio" and "Freaky Friday" among them), it was special agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs that became the character that he'll always be most associated with.

His "NCIS" journey came to an end in 2021, with the 18th season finale revealing Gibbs was packing it in. "As an executive producer and dear friend, Mark continues to be an integral part of the fabric of the show," "NCIS" executive producer Steven Binder said in a statement to People, indicating that Harmon would continue his role as a producer on the show. Meanwhile, CBS president Kelly Kahl insisted the door was always open for Gibbs to return. "In terms of his on-air appearances, we're just going to have to see how it plays out going forward," Kahl told Deadline. To fill the void, "NCIS" brought in veteran actor Gary Cole as Alden Parker.

According to Hamon himself, his exit from "NCIS" after 18 seasons felt organic. "It wasn't so much a decision to leave as it was maybe just the right timing to push away a little bit," he said during a 2024 appearance at the Television Critics Association press tour, reported Parade. At the time, he was promoting new "NCIS" prequel spinoff, "NCIS: Origins," in which he served as both narrator (actor Austin Stowell portrayed the 1990s version of Gibbs) and executive producer. In 2025, Harmon briefly reprised Gibbs in a special crossover between the two shows.