‘NCIS’: Pauley Perrette Declares Her Love For 1 Of Her Former Co-stars, Could She Return for Season 18?
Pauley Perrette just sparked rumors that she might be returning to NCIS in season 18. The actress, who played Abby Sciuto on the hit crime procedural, left the series in season 15. Luckily, the writers did not kill off her character, opening the door for a potential return. What are the chances that Perrette returns in season 18 of NCIS?
Pauley Perrette says goodbye to ‘NCIS’
As NCIS fans will recall, Perrette announced her exit from the series after season 15. But instead of giving Abby a definitive ending by killing her off, producers decided to write her off the show instead.
In season 15, Abby was almost killed by a terrorist, who ended up murdering Clayton Reeves (Duane Henry) instead. Abby helped the team track down the assassin, but when the mission was complete she announced her departure from the team.
Abby then flew to London to bury Reeves next to his mom. The move left many viewers wondering if Abby would ever return to her old post in Washington. After all, all they need to do is create a compelling reason for her to come back to the states.
This would not be the first time NCIS has brought back a character. In season 16, Cote de Pablo enjoyed a surprise cameo when she reprised her role as Ziva David. The actress went on to play a bigger role in season 17, and fans are hoping the series does a similar thing with Perrette in season 18.
Will Perrette return to ‘NCIS’ in season 18?
Taking to Twitter, Perrette recently sparked a whole new set of rumors about her potential return to NCIS. The actress participated in a fundraiser with several of her former NCIS co-stars, which left fans speculating about her future plans.
“IF YOU MISSED IT! My BELOVED #NCIS people @RockyCOfficial @BrianDietzen @sashaalexander and @M_Weatherly just joined me for a sweet reunion on @KLTA to support @ProjAngelFood in our #LEADWITHLOVE fundraiser!” she wrote. “I love y’all SO MUCH! THANK YOU AND YOURE BEAUTIFUL AND KIND!”
The NCIS stars mentioned in the post worked with Project Angel Food to deliver food products to people affected by the coronavirus pandemic. Perrette went on to say how much she loved working alongside Dietzen, whom she said is one of the “greatest actors” she has ever worked with.
“Thank you and I love you @BrianDietzen SO MUCH! And you’re one of the greatest actors I’ve been blessed to work with,” Perrette continued.
The post immediately sparked rumors that Perrette might appear in season 18 of NCIS. The actress did not address the new round of reports, but she has made it very clear in the past that she is never returning to the show.
In 2019, Perrette shut down rumors that she was thinking about coming back. Not only did the actress assure fans that she loves her new show, but she also admitted that she is “terrified” of Mark Harmon and believes he might attack her.
Did producers almost cast someone else to play Abby?
While it sounds like Perrette will not be returning to NCIS anytime soon, fans might be surprised to know that the series almost cast someone else to play Abby in the first season.
In the initial casting process, actress Katee Sackhoff auditioned for the part of Abby and was apparently in the running. Around the same time, however, Sackhoff had auditioned for the part of Captain Kara “Starbuck” Thrace on Battlestar Galactica, a role she accepted instead of waiting on NCIS.
The insider did not say if NCIS ever seriously considered Sackhoff for the part of Abby, but it is hard to see anyone besides Perrette in that role.
On a side note, insiders also claim that producers originally wanted Harrison Ford to play the part of Gibbs instead of Harmon. This was teased in the first episode of the show when Gibbs mentions the actor and the movie Air Force One.
CBS has not revealed when the new season of NCIS will premiere. Season 17 was cut short due to the coronavirus pandemic and it is unclear when the cast and crew will be back to film season 18.
