After 22 years, NCIS continues to be a fan favorite, and no character has left a bigger impact than Abby Sciuto, portrayed by Pauley Perrette. Recently, Pauley revealed a major change she made to Abby’s character early on, admitting she took a bold step, even though she “had no right to do so” at the time.
In an interview with HELLO!, Pauley explained how, in one of the first episodes, Abby was supposed to deliver a dirty joke. “I didn’t know what it meant, and when it aired, I was horrified. Not just because of my own naivete, but because I had told a filthy joke on camera—and that’s not who I am,” she shared. Initially, the showrunners wanted Abby to be more provocative and edgy, but Pauley pushed back. “I said, ‘No, there’s a better way to do this.’ That’s when I realized the power of Abby being good.”
Pauley, who made her TV debut in the early 1990s, shot to mainstream fame through her work on NCIS from 2003 to 2018. She eventually left the show after season 15 amid reports of on-set tension with Mark Harmon, who played Leroy Gibbs. Since her departure, she’s shifted her focus to producing and directing documentaries, including Studio One Forever, which explores the untold story of the iconic Los Angeles disco that became a safe haven for men in the 1970s and 1980s.
Despite leaving the series, Pauley has stayed close with several co-stars, including Brian Dietzen. Reflecting on her time as Abby, she shared that the character’s impact on young women is what she’s most proud of. “Abby became so big internationally because she was wonderful, and that wasn’t by accident,” Pauley said. “I knew she had the potential to be a role model for young girls. I love that she’s an alternative girl, but also a good girl who bowls with nuns and goes to church.”
Pauley takes immense pride in what’s now known as the “Abby Effect,” where thousands of young women have pursued careers in math, science, and forensics because of the character she portrayed. “We normalized someone who looks different, and that’s the greatest takeaway from NCIS—the lasting impact Abby has had on young girls. When women thrive in math and science, it changes lives and the world.”
