After Cote de Pablo’s departure from NCIS in Season 11, Emily Wickersham joined the cast as Ellie Bishop, stepping in as a new team member following Ziva David. Wickersham quickly became a key player in the series, staying with NCIS for eight seasons before leaving in the Season 18 finale, “Rule 91.”
Reflecting on her time post-NCIS, Wickersham shared her experience with Cote de Pablo and Michael Weatherly on the Off Duty: An NCIS Rewatch podcast. She admitted that transitioning away from the show was challenging, especially with the added life change of discovering her pregnancy a month after leaving.
“Leaving the show and discovering I was pregnant around the same time made it a whirlwind,” Wickersham said. “It took a while to adjust to not being on set every day. NCIS consumed so much of my time that I had to get used to a new routine and life without it.”
Her move to New York to be with her boyfriend further complicated the transition. “It was a mix of wonderful and strange. Leaving something that had been such a big part of my life was surreal,” she added.
Wickersham also discussed the timing of her departure and pregnancy, noting how it was an epic shift. “It was definitely a lot to handle, but it felt like it was time to move on. I was ready for a new chapter, and this was the path I was meant to take.”
Though NCIS remains the last project Wickersham has worked on, there’s always a chance she might return in the future. With NCIS heading into its 22nd season, fans can hope for a possible guest appearance or reunion with her former colleagues. For now, you can catch up on her tenure as Ellie Bishop by streaming NCIS on Paramount+, with Season 22 premiering on October 14 and followed by the new prequel NCIS: Origins.
