Don't expect to see Pauley Perrette return to NCIS (or star in any show now)

Fans of NCIS have been hoping Abby will one day return. However, it sounds like it’ll never happen with Pauley Perrette!

Few NCIS characters are as loved as Abby Sciuto. The goth lab tech was an instant hit when the show premiered in 2004 and would remain a mainstay for fifteen seasons. With her quirky humor, fun dress sense and peppy energy, Abby enthralled fans and boosted the show up.

It was the breakout role for Pauley Perrette, who’d had minor roles in various TV shows beforehand. The massive success of the series boosted her up even if she’d stick to just playing Abby rather than movie roles. 

Sciuto left the show in Season 15 with Abby written off, mourning the death of colleague Clayton Reeves and starting a charity in his name. Fans were hopeful she’d return, but Perrette was soon vocal on how she’d been subjected to verbal and even physical abuse on the set, including from star Mark Harmon. While an investigation showed no wrongdoing, Perrette was clear she wasn’t interested in a return.

Perrette did return to CBS, starring in the sitcom Broke, which was canceled after one season. She’s since been busy with charity work and surviving a stroke in 2021. So, could a return for Abby be happening?

Why Pauley Perrette is quitting acting

As it happens, not only is Perrette not returning as Abby, but she’s also made it clear she has retired from acting for good. Speaking to Hello magazine, Perrette clarified her position and why she’s quitting the business. 

"I’m not ungrateful for the benefits that [acting] gave to me. But I’m a different person now and… I want to be me all the time. [it] takes a good amount of courage for me to say that to myself but it’s authentically how I feel. At this point in my life I have this deep need to find authenticity in everything.[B]eing an actor, especially at certain points in my life, was a great escape; it’s like a drug because I didn’t have to be me, I could be somebody else. Going back to being an actor would be taking away from this life of true authenticity that I’m living 100% of the time."

Perrette had earlier hinted at her retirement in 2020 but given the way the entire industry was shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was hard to tell if she was serious or not. The stroke also set her back and she's regularly tweeted her lack of interest in NCIS. This is simply confirming she's done with Hollywood altogether.

It is sad to hear this, yet Perrette clearly has been through a lot in her life, from why she left NCIS to that stroke. The 53-year-old has been producing documentaries while also handling various charity works. She seems happier now, so while it’d be fun to see her back on screen, one can’t fault Perrette for wanting to live her life and put Abby behind her for good.

NCIS Seasons 1-21 streaming on Paramount+. Season 22 premieres on Monday, Oct. 14 on CBS.