Why Every Former ‘NCIS’ Star Actually Walked Out

Twenty-two seasons is a long time to work under fluorescent lights that never change.
NCIS isn’t just a television show. It’s an industrial system — one that runs on long hours, rigid hierarchies, and the quiet expectation that actors should be grateful to endure it.

Publicly, every departure is framed as “creative growth” or “the right time.” Privately, exits usually come down to labor. Time. Control. Exhaustion.

Sasha Alexander was the first to break. She played Caitlin Todd, but after two seasons of the 10-month-a-year grind, she wanted out. Shooting 24 episodes a year isn't art; it is an industrial process. When she left, they put a bullet in her character’s head because that is how this business handles a breach of contract.

Lauren Holly stayed until she got bored. She played Director Jenny Shepard and watched her character get sidelined until the writers killed her off five different ways in a desert shootout.

Then there is Cote de Pablo. Ziva David was the backbone of the fan base, but Cote saw the writing on the wall. She felt the scripts were cheapening her character. She walked away from a massive paycheck because she wouldn't let the writers turn Ziva into a caricature.

Michael Weatherly followed suit after 13 years of the same routine. Sometimes a guy just wants to see his kids and stop pretending to chase sailors.

The Pauley Perrette exit was the messiest. It wasn't about a new job. It was about a dog bite on set and a feud with Mark Harmon that turned the atmosphere toxic. The 'machine' tried to keep her quiet, but the tweets told a story of a workplace that felt unsafe.

Even the big man himself, Mark Harmon, eventually clocked out. After 18 seasons of being the anchor, he traded the fluorescent lights for an Alaska storyline and stayed there. The show keeps moving because the brand is bigger than the people, but don't let the press releases fool you. These people didn't just leave; they escaped the grind.