Pauley Perrette will bow out of her role on “NCIS” at the end of the current season.
The actress broke the news in a tweet sent early Wednesday.
Perrette has been with “NCIS” since its inception, playing the ever upbeat, Goth-loving forensic specialist Abby Sciuoto on the show that revolves around the work of Naval criminal investigators. Perrette has long been a fan favorite on the show, which ranks as primetime’s most-watched drama series in total viewers and is among the most widely viewed series around the world.
The actress told fans in her tweet that her decision to bow out at the close of Season 15 was made last year. She sought to dampen rumor-mill speculation about her departure. “No my network and show are not mad at me!” Perrette wrote in all caps.
So it is true that I am leaving NCIS…
There have been all kinds of false rumors as to why (NO I DON'T HAVE A SKIN CARE LINE… pic.twitter.com/gugM2a2ckT— Pauley Perrette (@PauleyP) October 4, 2017
“We’ve known for some time this would be Pauley’s final season on ‘NCIS’ and have been working toward a special send-off,” “NCIS” executive producers George Schenck and Frank Cardea confirmed in a statement. “From day one, she has brought incredible passion and specificity to the role. Abby is a character that inspires millions of fans around the world, and all of us at ‘NCIS’ are appreciative of Pauley for portraying her.”
CBS Television Studios and CBS Network also released a statement calling Perrette “a valued member of both ‘NCIS’ and the CBS family for over 15 years.”
Popular on Variety
“While it’s never easy saying goodbye to a beloved actress and character, we respect her decision to leave at the end of the season. We are grateful to Pauley for all her contributions to the series and making Abby one of the most unique characters on television,” CBS’ statement said.
“NCIS” was the role that put Perrette on the map as an actress after years of working in TV and movies. She was a series regular on the ABC drama “Murder One” in 1996-97 and the ABC comedy “That’s Life” in 1998. as well as on the “Party of Five” spinoff “Time of Your Life” for Fox in 1999-2000.
Perrette’s notable movie roles include 2000’s “Almost Famous.” She was recently seen in the ABC miniseries about the gay rights movement, “When We Rise.”
