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Pauley Perrette: 'I am leaving' 'NCIS'

The actress has played forensic specialist Abby Sciuoto since the show's beginning.

Pauley Perrette confirmed reports of her departure from "NCIS," saying she'll be leaving the show after its current season.
Pauley Perrette confirmed reports of her departure from "NCIS," saying she'll be leaving the show after its current season.Read moreJOHN SALANGSANG/Invision/AP File
    by Ellen Gray
    Published 

Pauley Perrette is moving on.

The NCIS star, who's now in her 15th season as forensic specialist — and Goth geek goddess — Abby Sciuoto, broke the news that she'd be leaving after this one to her 738,000 Twitter followers in typical fashion Wednesday, noting that "there have been all kinds of false stories as to why," and saying that, no, she doesn't have "a skin care line," and no, "my network and show are not mad at me."


As if anyone could ever be angry with the 48-year-old Perrette, whose NCIS character is so popular that CBS used her to help launch NCIS: Los Angeles with an early crossover. She can leave knowing she's made a difference in helping girls and young women to see careers in science as an option.

"They call it the Abby Effect, actually. We've been on the show nine seasons and these girls started watching when they were young, and they're in college now," Perrette said in 2011.

"I get letters and stuff from people all the time, all over the world — parents, grandparents, kids themselves — that say this fictional character that I play" influenced them, "and now they're pursuing math and science. … I went to college, I loved school. I love math and science myself. And to be able to play this character that has literally made young girls think that it's OK for them to pursue math and science is unbelievable," she said.