The Real Life Partners Of The Cast Of NCIS
The following article includes allegations of domestic abuse and sexual assault.
"NCIS" — which stands for Naval Criminal Investigative Service — is the seventh longest-running scripted primetime show in the United States, and has long been one of "America's most-watched series," per Hollywood Insider. A spin-off of "JAG," the popular show has created three spin-offs of its own since its 2003 premiere: "NCIS: Los Angeles," starring LL Cool J and Chris O'Donnell, the now-cancelled "NCIS: New Orleans," starring Scott Bakula and CCH Pounder (via Newsweek), and "NCIS: Hawaii," a series reportedly in the works that producers are hopeful will get picked up. While the spin-offs are in the process of moving around, the future of the main show was secured in April 2021, with The Hollywood Reporter learning that "NCIS" had been renewed for at least one more season.
Over 400 episodes of the O.G. "NCIS" have aired so far, making its stars household names. Although the cast has changed over the past 18 seasons, it hasn't happened very often, allowing the actors to become established in their characters. Working on a weekly series isn't always easy, though, and actors typically have a support system at home to help them navigate the stresses of stardom and working long hours. The cast of "NCIS" is no different, with most of them enjoying long-term relationships.
But just who are these celebs' real-life partners?
NCIS lead Mark Harmon has been married since 1987
It's impossible to imagine "NCIS" without Mark Harmon, the actor behind Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs, who's perhaps the most iconic member of the ensemble cast. Gibbs is so integral to the show that it's been reported that should Harmon decide to retire from the series, CBS would cancel it. Harmon's been with the show since the very beginning, even appearing on the backdoor "JAG" pilot, and has become an executive producer of "NCIS" and its spin-off, "NCIS: New Orleans." Not a bad gig for someone who was previously best known as a heartthrob doctor on "St. Elsewhere" and "Chicago Hope."
Although Gibbs has been unlucky in love, losing his first wife tragically and then having a series of failed marriages, Harmon is quite the opposite in real life. He married "Mork & Mindy" star Pam Dawber, who played Mindy McConnell opposite Robin Williams' Mork, in 1987, per USA Today, and the couple share two children. Harmon credits his wife's stint on the popular show as helping their marriage, telling the publication that she "has respect for it" and acknowledging her efforts in "running the home."
Indeed, Dawber quit acting full-time in the late '90s to raise the notoriously private pair's family. "I did everything you can do in this business," she told ET. "And then I had children and it's like, 'I'm not going to chase this fame thing.'" As of this writing, their marriage is still going strong – Dawber will even appear in a small arc on Season 18 of "NCIS."
Sasha Alexander's first marriage was annulled
Sasha Alexander played Special Agent Caitlin Todd on "NCIS" during the first two seasons, reprising her role a few times since. Although she got her start on "Dawson's Creek" as the titular character's love interest in later seasons, "NCIS" catapulted her further into fame. While she unfortunately departed the show because she couldn't handle the workload, going on to star in "Rizzoli & Isles" and "Shameless," she has no regrets. Speaking with TV Guide, Alexander said that if she hadn't left "NCIS," "I would not be where I am today — happily married, with two kids."
But "NCIS" wasn't the only roadblock to Alexander finding her happy ending. She's currently married to Italian director Edoardo Ponti, whose "A Life Ahead" movie was nominated for a best international film Golden Globe in 2021, per Us Weekly. The two tied the knot in 2007, but her marriage to Ponti wasn't Alexander's first trip down the aisle. She previously wed writer-director Luka Pecel, and while details around their relationship are very scarce, a law document from Trellis shows Alexander filing a joint summary dissolution with Pecel in 2001, after less than five years of marriage.
As for Alexander's family life with Ponti, he's clearly got fatherhood on lock. Before welcoming their first child, daughter Lucia, in 2006, he told KTLA 5 that he wrote her weekly poems "on life, on love, on relationships, on my own childhood memories, on mistakes I've made, lessons I've learned. It's like an instruction manual for my kids starting life."
Michael Weatherly found his forever love in a doctor
Michael Weatherly was another mainstay of "NCIS," appearing in the first 13 seasons as Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo. In addition to being part of the show's iconic gag — the back-of-head Gibbs slap — DiNozzo was memorable for his seemingly endless movie knowledge and his will-they-or-won't-they relationship with Cote de Pablo's Ziva David. Weatherly previously found mild success opposite Jessica Alba in "Dark Angel," but it was his "NCIS" gig that made him a household name. In an interview with TV Guide, he admitted: "I've perfected the No. 2 slot. I've had a No. 2 next to my name on call sheets for so long I'm pretty loosey-goosey about the whole thing." He finally landed the lead role when CBS gave him his own show, "Bull."
Weatherly's professional successes mimicked his personal ones. He first got married in 1995 to "The Young and the Restless" actor Amelia Heinle, and the two had a son together, reported People. However, their marriage wasn't meant to be, and they divorced in 1997 (via Express). Weatherly went on to date his "Dark Angel" co-star, Alba, even proposing, but that relationship fizzled out by 2003. However, he finally found his seemingly forever love in Dr. Bojana Jankovic, who is also a writer. The two have been married since 2009 and have two children together.
"When I got remarried, I wanted to do my very best to ensure that rupture wouldn't happen again," Weatherly told People. "My kids and my marriage are the things I'm proudest of."
Pauley Perrette has had a difficult time with relationships
Pauley Perrette and "NCIS" go hand-in-hand — just like her character, forensic scientist Abby Sciuto, and Caf-Pow. Perrette played the quirky-but-brilliant scientist for 15 seasons and was there from the beginning, departing the show in 2018 in a somewhat controversial manner (Perrette didn't get along with Mark Harmon, leading the two to film their goodbye scene separately, per Vanity Fair). While her exit may have been dramatic, that was nothing compared to her real-life love affairs.
Perrette married Francis "Coyote" Shivers in 2000, Express reported, though they separated in 2004 and officially divorced in 2006. Per Fox News, Shivers allegedly mentally and sometimes physically abused Perrette. "A sometime musician and part-time club disc jockey," the publication wrote, Shivers reportedly stalked Perrette and even sexually terrorized her. Perrette has a permanent restraining order against him and has become "an outspoken advocate of stalking-law reform," due to her experience with Shiver (via Fox News).
Since her divorce, Perrette has been fairly quiet about her dating life. However, according to E!, she became engaged to cameraman Michael Bosman in 2009. They never got married, though, and it's unclear when exactly they split. Per People, she then announced her engagement to "former British Royal Marine Thomas Arklie," but they broke up, as well. These days, it seems Perrette is content with the single life, posting on Twitter in 2019 that she "decided to be celibate and single for life," choosing to "concentrate on God, family, and all these beautiful people and rescue dogs I've been blessed with."
If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources, and support at their website.
David McCallum has been married to his current wife for years
David McCallum plays Dr. Donald "Ducky" Mallard on "NCIS" and has been with the show from the beginning, appearing in the backdoor introduction of the series on "JAG" as well, per IMDb. A prolific television actor, McCallum became a household name playing Illya Kuryakin on "The Man from U.N.C.L.E.," but later regained success with "NCIS."
Just like with his acting career, McCallum had a few ups and downs with his personal life. He first married actor Jill Irleand in 1957, per Time, after the two met on the set of "Hell Drivers," reported Express. However, Ireland soon started an affair with their mutual friend, Charles Bronson (whom she later married, according to The Washington Post), and McCallum and Ireland divorced in 1967. The couple had three children together: Paul, Jason, and Valentine.
Per Express, McCallum tied the knot with his second and current wife, Katherine Carpenter, in 1967. Carpenter was a model "and the pair were reportedly inseparable." He even invited her to accompany him on a press tour for "The Man from U.N.C.L.E.." because he was so taken with her. A friend of McCallum spoke with Kurt Miller for McCallum's fan website and said (via Express) that, "[Katherine] made a new man of [David]" and helped him through his divorce. Carpenter later became an interior designer, according to TCM, and the longtime couple share two children, Peter and Sophie.
NCIS star Sean Murray's wife is a businesswoman
Sean Murray has played Special Agent Timothy McGee for the majority of the 18 seasons of "NCIS." He first appeared in Season 1 as a guest star, but upgraded to series regular in the second season. Though he previously appeared in a few movies, like "Hocus Pocus," Murray got his big break on "JAG." Unlike his co-stars, who were part of the backdoor pilot, Murray played a completely different character than his "NCIS" role. He also has a familial connection with "NCIS": according to SoapHub, Murray's stepfather is Donald Bellisario, the series' creator and former executive producer. Through his stepfather, Murray is also connected to "Pretty Little Liars" star Troian Bellisario, who happened to play McGee's sister on "NCIS" (via IMDb).
Murray's "NCIS" character has been successful in love, and so, too, has Murray. According to SoapHub, Murray married his wife, Carrie James, in 2005, and the couple has two children together, Caitlyn and River. James used to be a teacher, but soon became an entrepreneur, founding BRA — Business Relationship Alliance, a networking initiative meant to help connect and assist female entrepreneurs. According to BRA's official website, James founded the program because she started her own business but found she knew very little about how to run it and was also struggling as a "mompreneur," trying to run a business while raising two kids.
It seems she's been successful however, both in business and in her personal life, and Murray and James are still seemingly happily married, as of this writing.
Cote de Pablo was in a long-term relationship with an actor
Cote de Pablo made a name for herself as Agent Ziva David, an Israeli Mossad agent-turned-NCIS-Special-Agent on "NCIS" for nine seasons, though she has come back for recurring- and guest-starring arcs as the show continued, per IMDb. While de Pablo's character was often the subject of will-they-or-won't-they rumors with Michael Weatherly's Anthony DiNozzo, in reality, her private life has been much more quiet.
De Pablo told Prevention in 2012 that she was in a long-term relationship with actor Diego Serrano. At the time, she said she was "very happy" and jokingly called him "the worst influence ... I have ever had in my entire life." She said he allowed her to "live a little" and that, without him, she would have been "the most boring person in Los Angeles." Serrano was born in Ecuador and got his start on "Another World," per his IMDb. He then secured a role in "Time of Your Life," a "Party of Five" spinoff that starred Jennifer Love Hewitt, and has had many different guest-starring roles, like on "24," "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.," and "Blackout."
In 2015, de Pablo shared with Spanish-language magazine Caras that she had broken up with Serrano earlier that year, She said she wanted to start a family, but was waiting for the right time and the right pieces to be in place. As of this writing, it is reported that de Pablo is still single.
Lauren Holly lives a quiet life with her boys
Lauren Holly played Director Jenny Shepard for three seasons on "NCIS," a role that reunited her with her "Chicago Hope" co-star, Mark Harmon, per IMDb. A prolific actor, Holly made a name for herself in numerous productions prior to "NCIS," including "Picket Fences," "Dumb and Dumber," and "What Women Want." After leaving "NCIS," she continued to be successful, appearing in "Designated Survivor" and Netflix's "Tiny Pretty Things." She has spent over 35 years in Hollywood and definitely has the credits to show for it. Her successful acting career, however, wasn't quite mirrored in her personal life.
According to Closer Weekly, Holly has been divorced three times. She first married Danny Quinn, an actor, in 1991, reported ABC News. The two divorced after "less than three years" and, according to his IMDb, he hasn't worked on many projects recently. Holly then had a high-profile marriage to her "Dumb and Dumber" co-star Jim Carrey. They married in 1996, per E!, but soon divorced, with reports of Holly potentially already in a new relationship surfacing.
She got married for a third time in 2001 to investment banker Francis Greco, a Toronto native. However, the two divorced in 2014, per Closer Weekly, but not before adopting three boys. Holly told the publication that she's since raised the boys alone. In 2016, reports surfaced, according to the Daily Mail, that she was in a relationship with Jerome Ruffin, though details about him are scarce, and it's unclear if they are still together.
Rocky Carroll's wife is a successful architect
Rocky Carroll was already an extremely successful actor before he was cast as Director Leon Vance for Season 6 of "NCIS," a role he's held ever since and has continued in the spin-offs "NCIS: Los Angeles" and "NCIS: New Orleans." Like Lauren Holly, Carroll was also on "Chicago Hope," so his role on "NCIS" allowed him to reunite with Mark Harmon, who also starred on that show. Prior to landing those gigs, Carroll made a name for himself as Joey Emerson on "Roc" and as a voice actor. His successes are mirrored in his personal relationships, as well.
According to TV Tropes, he has been married to Gabrielle Bullock, a successful architect, since 1996. They reportedly share one daughter together, Elissa (pictured above). Carroll seems proud of his wife's accomplishments, even posting on Twitter about her work in 2018, and for good reason. Bullock was the second Black woman in history to earn an architectural degree from the Rhode Island School of Art and Design and was the first Black person and first woman to become managing director of Perkins and Will, a large architecture firm she has worked for nearly 30 years, per Madame Architect.
She also leads the Diversity, Inclusion, and Engagement program at her firm and has worked on large projects, such as the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles. According to the publication, Carroll's wife focuses on social equity in her architectural work.
Brian Dietzen and his wife enjoy a low-key life
Brian Dietzen got his start before "NCIS," but the investigative drama seems to have made him a household name. The actor made his small screen debut on "Boston Public," per IMDb, and also appeared in "From Justin to Kelly," where he showed off his singing and dancing skills alongside Kelly Clarkson and Justin Guarini. Soon after, he landed the gig as Assistant Medical Examiner (later promoted to Medical Examiner) Dr. Jimmy Palmer on "NCIS," a role that started as recurring then switched to regular, and which he continues to this day. Prior to all of his success as an actor, though, Dietzen found love.
He reportedly met his now-wife, Kelly, at a party in 2000, according to Express, and the two started dating soon after. They eventually got married in 2004 and have two children together, a boy and a girl, who, according to Dietzen's Twitter, are teenagers now. Express reported that Kelly is a midwife, though details about her are incredibly hard to find, as the couple seemingly wants to keep their life private. Nevertheless, Dietzen has taken to posting a bit more on Instagram and has included a few photos of the two of them together, like at a Dia de los Muertos party in 2019 hosted by co-star Wilmer Valderrama and a photo of them hiking Big Bear in California during the COVID-19 pandemic.
It seems these two are simply enjoying a happy life together.
Emily Wickersham got divorced during her NCIS run
Emily Wickersham wasn't originally going to be an actor. Instead, she went to Muhlenberg College to study painting, according to CBS. She comes from a family of artists — her mother's a painter, her father an artist, and her brother is a photographer — but Wickersham soon dropped out and moved to New York City to study acting. It paid off, and she was discovered as a model and landed her first gig on "The Sopranos." Soon after, she tried her hand on the big screen, per her IMDb, before landing the coveted role of Special Agent Ellie Bishop on "NCIS."
Bishop replaced Cote de Pablo's character, Agent Ziva David, and Wickersham's been with the show ever since, just wrapping up her eighth season in 2021. But while Wickersham has found success in the acting world, she unfortunately hasn't done so well in the romance one. Wickersham was married, but is reportedly single, as of this writing.
A scroll through her Instagram account seems to indicate Wickersham doesn't have a beau, but she's fairly private about her love life. Express reported that Wickersham married Blake Anderson Hanley in 2010, but the two divorced after eight years of marriage in December 2018, according to CBS News. Hanley is a domestic violence lawyer, "helping the disadvantaged with the Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County." He is also a part-time musician, writing music for and performing with Ghost Lion, a rock-and-roll band.
Wilmer Valderrama enjoyed dating before settling down
Wilmer Valderrama was already a household name when he joined "NCIS" as Special Agent Nick Torres in Season 14. He gained fame as Fez on "That '70s Show," but continued working after the show ended, appearing on numerous television shows (per IMDb). As his star began to rise, he started dating a slew of starlets and has been associated with some notable names.
According to Distractify, Valderrama allegedly dated Jennifer Love Hewitt, though the "Party of Five" actor has disputed those claims. He then was in a committed relationship with singer-actor Mandy Moore from 2000 to 2002, per Express, before entering another high-profile relationship with Lindsay Lohan. The two even moved in together, but that only lasted a few months, before he was rumored to be linked with Ashlee Simpson. Valderrama's most high-profile relationship, however, was with Demi Lovato. Although they were on-and-off for six years, the former couple officially broke up in 2016 and seem to have morphed into a "big brother-little sister" relationship.
As of this writing, Valderrama is engaged to Amanda Pacheco, a PADI Divemaster and model, according to her Instagram. The two welcomed their first child together in February 2021. "Life is an ever-evolving journey," the proud parents wrote in a joint Instagram statement. "And for all those times when our path needs a light.. often angels are sent to show us the way and that we can be more.. straight out of heaven we welcome our first daughter."