Are NCIS' Pauley Perrette And Sean Murray Friends In Real Life?

"NCIS" has been on television for ages at this point, so it's no surprise that the series has developed numerous fan-favorite characters over the years. Two of the most prominent are Abby Sciuto (Pauley Perrette) and Tim McGee (Sean Murray), whose skills, personalities, and storylines won countless fans over in no time. Of course, while they swiftly proved popular as individuals, their fun small-screen moments and enjoyable banter showed they work incredibly well as a duo, too. Perrette and Murray are pretty close in real life, which undoubtedly helped their shared "NCIS" scenes.

Back in 2015, Perrette and Murray appeared on "The Talk," where they discussed their friendship and how they show their love and appreciation for one another. They give each other gifts, spend time together away from the "NCIS" set, and even took an active role in how their characters interacted on the long-running crime procedural. "From the moment I met Pauley, we've kind of had this connection, and it just kind of evolved out of how we are," Murray explained of their characters' bond, noting that Abby and McGee's short-lived romance on the show wasn't something they were all-in on. They preferred their characters as close friends with some ambiguity between them.

Sadly, with Perrette long gone from the "NCIS" spotlight, Murray has had to acclimate to working on the show without her.

At the end of Season 15 of "NCIS," Pauley Perrette made the decision to depart the show after being a part of it since Season 1. Considering how prominently Abby Sciuto had featured on the program for so many years, getting involved in memorable storylines and creating some truly iconic moments, it understandably took fans some time to adjust to her absence. The same goes for Perrette's co-stars, such as Sean Murray, who very much supported her departure but admitted that he misses working with her.

During a conversation with CinemaBlend, Murray shared his feelings on Perrette's exit. "We love Pauley to death, but it was her decision and everyone has their right to make a decision. It's hard to not work with your friend. It's sad. You know, you have moments, but you make new friends, and it's all good," the Tim McGee actor said. Since Perrette's goodbye and Abby's own subsequent farewell, "NCIS" has introduced Diona Reasonover's Kasie Hines as the new forensic scientist for the NCIS Major Case Response Team.

With "NCIS" still going strong, perhaps someday, Abby and McGee will reunite. For the time being, at least fans have numerous episodes of their real-life friendship-rooted TV antics to enjoy.