Pauley Perrette and “NCIS” star Mark Harmon, who played Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs, shared countless scenes and had obvious onscreen chemistry during their time on the show. As it turns out, though, their relationship was quite complicated in real life. According to People, Perrette took to X (then known as Twitter) in May 2018 to blame her “NCIS” departure on “multiple physical assaults” from someone on set. “I’ve been supporting anti-bullying programs forever,” tweeted Perrette. “But now I KNOW because it was ME! If it’s school or work, that you’re required to go to? It’s horrifying. I left. Multiple Physical Assaults. I REALLY get it now. Stay safe. Nothing is worth your safety. Tell someone.”
While Perrette didn’t name Harmon in her tweets at the time, Executive Producer Charles Floyd Johnson revealed to The Hollywood Reporter that Perrette’s tension with Harmon and his dog was a factor in her decision to leave. “In Pauley Perrette’s case, there was an incident with the show with a dog,” said Johnson. “The dog was Harmon’s, and apparently the dog bit someone. Pauley was a huge, huge SPCA [Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals] animal person.” Johnson also revealed that the dog’s continued presence on set concerned Perrette. “By the end of that year, she just felt like it wasn’t working for her anymore, and it was time to move on.”
