The Real Reason These NCIS Actors Left

When CBS first aired "NCIS" back in 2003, execs probably had no idea that this "JAG" spin-off would be the television juggernaut it's become. The show is still going strong all these years later, and for a long time now, it's been the network's flagship series. However, as with any show that's been on the air for over two decades, there are bound to be cast changes. After all, storylines will evolve, actors get bored, and, of course, there are always personality conflicts. In fact, there are plenty of reasons why an actor might want to leave a show, even one that's as highly rated and well known as "NCIS." But not all of the cast changes on the series and its spinoff shows are as straightforward as you might think. From personal decisions to behind-the-scenes drama, here are the real reasons why these actors left the world of "NCIS."

Michael Weatherly was one of the original cast members of the flagship "NCIS." But working in one place for over a dozen years can be a drag, even for an actor on a hit television show. According to Weatherly, his decision to leave the show back in 2016 was one of boredom. He was "burnt out by NCIS" and was "really tired" of playing his character, Tony DiNozzo, for 13 seasons. He told the Television Critics Association (via The Hollywood Reporter), "It really felt like a circle that had gone all the way around, and I really felt happy with the resolution of character and my time on the show."

It seems Weatherly wasn't too tired by the grind of making a series, because a mere two months after his departure from "NCIS" was made public, it was announced Weatherly would be the star of his own television show in the fall for CBS called "Bull," inspired by the early career of Dr. Phil McGraw (yes, that Dr. Phil). Fans of the show were dealt a blow when "Bull" was canceled in 2022. Weatherly's tenure as the star of the show wasn't without controversy.

In December 2018, CBS paid former "Bull" actor Eliza Dushku $9.5 million to settle her claim of being sexually harassed by Weatherly. Dushku said she was written out of the show after confronting Weatherly about his behavior. Weatherly admitted to making some inappropriate jokes, telling The New York Times: "When Eliza told me that she wasn't comfortable with my language and attempt at humor, I was mortified to have offended her and immediately apologized. 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."

Although not on the show from the start, Cote de Pablo's character of Ziva David was a favorite among the "NCIS" fan base. She joined the show in 2005 for Season 3 but left abruptly in 2013 at the beginning of Season 11. She was the first of the major characters to exit the hit series, and after her departure, she told TV Guide that her decision to leave was "an overwhelmingly hard thing" and "terrifying," but as for her motivation to step away from the show, that was "a personal thing."

A few years later, though, the actress said her departure was because she felt the show wasn't treating her character right. As she explained in a 2016 interview with Vanity Fair, Ziva wasn't "being treated with the respect that she deserved." Even though she wasn't happy with the series, she didn't rule out going back to "NCIS" at some stage, but she added that it would take a special storyline. "Unless someone can really write something fantastic for her, I won't go back." In the end, de Pablo got her wish, because she did indeed return as Ziva, appearing in both Season 16 and Season 17.

When Sasha Alexander told producers she was ready to leave "NCIS" after two seasons, they certainly sent her character off with a bang: Special Agent Kate Todd was shot in the head and killed, shocking fans of the show. But why did she leave in such a grisly way? Well, as it turns out, she was just ready to move on.

Donald P. Bellisario — executive producer and creator of "NCIS" — decided to give the character a dramatic send-off when Alexander expressed a desire to depart. As Bellisario explained (via the Chicago Tribune), he'd "already started writing the last episode of the season" when "Sasha came in ... with tears in her eyes, she said, 'I just can't work this hard.'" After all, as the actress said to TV Guide in 2012, "People don't realize that on a network show, you make 24 episodes a year — that's 10½ months a year, 17 hours a day. It's hard core." 

She went on to say she doesn't regret her decision to leave "NCIS," explaining, "I really firmly believe in my heart that I would not be where I am today — happily married, with two kids, doing things creatively that I want — if I had stayed." After leaving the show in 2005, Alexander went on to star in "Rizzoli & Isles," which ran on TNT for seven seasons. She was also a recurring character on "Shameless" and has appeared on several other shows, including "Law & Order: SVU" and "Curb Your Enthusiasm."

Lauren Holly was a part of "NCIS" from Season 3 to Season 5. She played Jenny Shepard, the director in charge of the "NCIS" team. Holly hadn't been acting for a while when she was offered the role, and, as she explained in a post on her website (via Express), it was just supposed to be "a guest-starring arc that would be about six episodes." However, she wound up playing the mysteriously ill director in dozens of episodes between 2005 and 2007, and Holly eventually left because she was tired of playing the character.

After all, she'd been taking a break from acting prior to signing on with "NCIS," so after three seasons, she explained, "To be honest, now that the work bug had bitten me again, I got bored with my part of the Director." However, it wasn't her illness that killed off her character: Jenny Shepard was murdered by the partner of a Russian crime lord that she'd been sent to kill years earlier. Holly herself is alive and well, and she's appeared in movies like "The Blackcoat's Daughter" and "Crank: High Voltage," as well as a number of TV shows like "Flash Point," "Motive," and "Designated Survivor."

English-born actor Duane Henry joined "NCIS" in Season 13, playing the character of Clayton Reeves, a former British MI6 officer who joins the NCIS International Desk. Sadly, Henry was only on the show for two seasons before being killed off in the same episode where Pauley Perrette makes her final appearance as Abby. Henry says his exit was partly due to the fact that the show didn't know what to do with his character after the death of former "NCIS" showrunner Gary Glasberg. "Clayton was Gary's brainchild, he created this character," Henry explained to TV Line. "So when Gary passed [at the start of Season 14], I was feeling a bit of panic in people's faces."

Henry knew the end could be near for his character, and he prepared himself for his departure, saying, "I live in a world called You Never Know, so I'm always prepared for everything." When asked if he was upset about the way Clayton went out — being killed by a hitman who meant to kill Abby — Henry said, "This is TV history at its finest. You can't ask for a better exit. Like, come on, man." Although Henry's departure from the show was completely amicable, the fact that his character was murdered means we've definitely seen the last of Clayton Reeves on "NCIS."

Jennifer Esposito might have only been one for one season for "NCIS," but she definitely made an impact with fans as Special Agent Alexandra Quinn. Before joining the NCIS, Quinn had worked at a Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC), where she spent 15 years training agents, including Bishop, Torres, and McGee. So fans were surprised when it was revealed Esposito wouldn't be returning to the hit show. There was some speculation that the actress might have been ill. Esposito addressed the rumors on Twitter herself, saying, "No, I am not ill, but I so appreciate your concern. Was not meant to be there long but happy I was. Met some great new friends! Love 2u all." 

According to Esposito, Quinn wasn't going to be a long-term character and her departure from "NCIS" wasn't as surprising as it seemed. However, there's always a chance that Quinn could return at some point. Unlike some of her fellow cast mates, her character wasn't killed off. Instead, she merely left the team to care for her mother, who'd been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. It's not like she needs the work, however — she's kept busy playing Jackie Curatola on "Blue Bloods," among other TV roles.

One of the most mysterious "NCIS" departures was Zoe McLellan's exit from "NCIS: New Orleans." Producers called it a "creative decision," but a 2019 article by Vulture revealed an entirely different reason for McLellan's character, Special Agent Meredith Brody, being written out: She was fired, and for a shocking reason. Showrunner Jeffrey Lieber told the outlet that he was under a "great deal of pressure to get on board with the firing" of McLellan from higher-ups. Lieber wasn't told why, and he fought back, explaining, "I thought she was doing a good job and that the audience was connected to her."

Despite this, the pressure kept coming. So what was the real reason the CBS brass wanted her gone? Well, as Lieber explained, "Finally, one powerful man putting pressure on me just admitted to me that the problem was that Les didn't find her '****able' enough, and that he had felt that way from day one." Les is, of course, Les Moonves, the former chairman of CBS who resigned in 2018 after several allegations of sexual misconduct were brought against him.

After Lieber's departure, Brad Kern took over as showrunner. A former employee of the show told Vulture that Kern admitted "they fired McLellan because she couldn't move well (i.e., not athletic at all), and Les didn't think she was ****able." McLellan has refused to comment on any of these revelations. In 2018, Kern stepped down as showrunner following bullying allegations but remained as a consulting producer. After an outside party was brought in to investigate further allegations of "harassment, unprofessional conduct and vindictive behavior," revealed The Hollywood Reporter, Kern was fired from the show.

Shalita Grant's departure from "NCIS: New Orleans" seemed to come as a shock to fans of the show. She was originally hired as a recurring character, ATF Agent Sonja Percy, and she became a full-time actor as an NCIS special agent in Season 2. Grant was with the show for most of Season 4, but there isn't much info about the specific reasons why she left the series. According to Deadline, the actress said her decision to leave the show was "mutually agreed upon," and that Grant wanted a change and was "moving on to the next great thing." Variety reported that the split from the show was "amicable," and in the same article, Grant's manager said, "It's just time for a change." The actress has been keeping busy in the world of television, taking roles on shows like "Mercy Street," "The Good Wife," and "Bones." DC fans will know Grant as the voice of Iris West in the podcast series "The Flash: Escape the Midnight Circus."

Miguel Ferrer played NCIS Assistant Director Owen Granger on "NCIS: Los Angeles" from 2012 until his untimely death in 2017, appearing a total of 100 episodes. Sadly, Ferrer died from throat cancer at the age of 61. The writers had written Ferrer's cancer into the show by having Granger suffer from an unnamed disease, caused by his smoking and other bad habits. Although frail toward the end of his life, Ferrer appeared on the show for as long as he could. Chris O'Donnell, Ferrer's long time co-star, believes that he was living for his role by the end. As O'Donnell told CBS (via Showbiz CheatSheet), "I think the show was kind of keeping him alive for a while there because it gave him something to look forward to." After Ferrer passed away, the show paid tribute to the actor with an "In Memoriam" in the closing credits, as well as playing a version of "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" recorded by Ferrer and his band, the Jenerators.

Fans of "NCIS: New Orleans" were absolutely stunned when Special Agent Christopher LaSalle was killed in Season 6. After being shot in the chest, it looked as though the beloved character would pull through, but instead, he died in the hospital in front of his shocked team. It was a tragic moment for his colleagues, and it was also pretty heartbreaking for fans at home. After all, actor Lucas Black had been with the series from day one, and his Southern drawl and down-home charm endeared him to viewers.

Black posted a video on Instagram for fans of "NCIS: New Orleans" to watch after his last episode aired, saying, "Well, that's all she wrote for Agent LaSalle." He added, "I wanted to take this time personally to thank all of you fans out there for your love and support." So, why exactly did Black leave the show after six seasons? According to the actor himself, he was thinking about his family. In a special farewell video (via Deadline), Black said working on the show wasn't "easy" for him, explaining, "There's a lot of priorities in my life that get sacrificed for me to be here, but it's time for me to focus on those priorities." 

Mark Harmon was the main face of the "NCIS" franchise for a long time, and is still the actor most associated with the show despite his departure. Harmon played Leroy Jethro Gibbs not only from the very first episode of the flagship "NCIS" series, but even back in the "JAG" days — he debuted in that show's two-part backdoor pilot for "NCIS" back in 2003. The actor had been a mainstay in film and television since the 1970s, and he may well go on to other things now that he's said his farewells to "NCIS," but it's hard to imagine he'll ever top what he did as Gibbs.

Harmon's time as a series regular on "NCIS" ended after the Season 18 finale. He appeared in a few episodes of Season 19 before making his final bow (he technically appeared in Season 21's "The Stories We Leave Behind," but just in old clips). So why did Harmon part with the character he had been playing for nearly two decades? In an appearance on "The Kelly Clarkson Show," the actor explained that he was simply exhausted. He said that he took the job because he thought it would give him more time with his family, but soon found that it was even more taxing than making movies, with "NCIS" sometimes requiring more than 20 hours a day of filming.

Pauley Perrette's decision to leave "NCIS" is one wrapped up in a bit of mystery. When she first announced her departure in 2017, she tweeted (via E! News), "I believe in God and the universe so firmly, and it just suddenly became blindingly apparent that now was the time." She later tweeted that leaving was "a decision made last year. I hope everyone will love and enjoy EVERYTHING ABBY not only for the rest of this season but for everything she has given all of us for 16 years." Pretty cryptic, right? 

Since then, Perrette has been clear about why she will never reprise her role as forensic scientist Abby Sciuto. In June 2019, she tweeted that she was never coming back to "NCIS," writing, "I am terrified of Harmon and him attacking me. I have nightmares about it." According to a now-deleted tweet, something happened to a member of the crew, and she "fought like hell to keep it from happening again." Perrette then went on to tweet, "And then I was physically assaulted for saying NO!?and I lost my job."

So what caused Perrette to stand up for the crew and supposedly provoked Harmon to attack her? Well, this whole thing apparently stems from Mark Harmon's dog biting an "NCIS" crew member. According to Perrette, "a very rich, very powerful publicity 'machine'" was trying to keep her silent about what went down. As for CBS, the studio responded to Perrette's allegations saying, "Over a year ago, Pauley came to us with a workplace concern. We took the matter seriously and worked with her to find a resolution. We are committed to a safe work environment on all our shows."

Maria Bello was a rather late addition to the "NCIS" cast, not jumping in until Season 15 of the series. Having previously been part of a SAG Award-winning "ER" cast — not to mention her Golden Globe-nominated performances in the movies "The Cooler" and "A History of Violence" — Bello brought some powerhouse talent to "NCIS" in her portrayal of forensic psychologist Dr. Jacqueline "Jack" Sloane. But Bello's stint on "NCIS" didn't last long, with the actor finishing her time on the show during Season 18.

It would seem that Bello never had plans to be in it for the long haul, initially only signing a three-year deal for her "NCIS" role and opting not to renew that deal when it was up. No official statements were made on the part of Bello or the producers of "NCIS" beyond that, so there doesn't seem to have been any particular catalyst for her not sticking around other than her wanting to keep herself available for other projects. Among those projects are the acclaimed 2022 historical action-adventure film "The Woman King," which she co-produced, and the 2023 Netflix miniseries "Beef." Bello earned her first Primetime Emmy nomination for her role in the latter.

Barrett Foa was part of the group of actors who debuted in the "NCIS" Season 6 two-part episode "Legend" for the purpose of introducing the characters who would comprise the spin-off "NICS: Los Angeles." Foa played Eric Beale, a technical operator who was part of a longtime will they/won't they with intelligence analyst Nell Jones (Renée Felice Smith) that seemed to have a happy ending for both characters. That relationship (affectionately known as "Neric" by fans) is what brought both actors' time on the show to a close in Season 12, with the couple leaving for Tokyo after Eric received some funding to base his tech firm there.

Foa had already previously needed to take a break from "NCIS: Los Angeles" in order to appear in a St. Louis-based production of the play "Angels in America," and it seems as though those same live theater aspirations are what pushed him to eventually leave the show for good. No longer needing to commit to a time-intensive television series, Foa has since spent more time on the stage, including playing the role of Maximillian Detweiler in a 2023 production of "The Sound of Music." His Season 12 episodes of "NCIS: Los Angeles" remain his most recent screen credits, with the actor not able to make an appearance in the show's series finale due to scheduling conflicts.

Renée Felice Smith left "NCIS: Los Angeles" at the same time co-star Barrett Foa, who played her romantic partner Eric Beale. Smith's Nell Jones (who wasn't part of the backdoor pilot cast but instead made her debut in Season 2 of "NCIS: Los Angeles") agreed to join Eric on his new adventure in Japan, despite their relationship having been on rocky ground for a while. It was a bittersweet moment for viewers, who were happy for the couple but sad to see them go. Like Foa, Smith also had career aspirations beyond the "NCIS" universe — though for her, they weren't necessarily tied to acting.

In an interview with Entertainment Tonight regarding her departure from "NCIS," Smith made it clear that she had nothing but fond feelings for the show and her character. She explained that she wanted to explore more creative avenues that she herself had control over, rather than only playing other people's characters. For instance, at the time she had recently published a children's book she co-wrote with her partner, Chris Gabriel, called "Hugo and the Impossible Thing." Smith previously co-wrote, co-directed, and co-starred with Gabriel in the 2017 rom-com "The Relationtrip." However, unlike Foa, Smith did make a final appearance in the "NCIS: Los Angeles" series finale. 

Former NSA analyst Eleanor "Ellie" Bishop, played by Emily Wickersham, joined the NCIS team as a special agent in Season 11. As part of what ended up being multiple departures on the show around the time, the Kansas native left "NCIS" at the end of Season 18, making her final appearance in that year's finale episode "Rule 91." In terms of the reason for her departure, there was nothing major cited other than Wickersham simply being ready to move on to other things. 

As it happened, just a month after leaving "NCIS," Wickersham found out she was pregnant. She made it clear that this wasn't why she exited the series, but it obviously ended up working out nicely for the first-time mom. "I was ready to leave the show," Wickersham said on the "Off-Duty: An NCIS Rewatch" podcast. "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. So it was good." She's seemingly been focused more on family than her career since, as Wickersham has yet to return to the screen since departing "NCIS."