Following its premiere in 2003, fans have welcomed and waved goodbye to NCIS stars, past and present. Whether they’ve hung up their badges, or continue to serve on the series, it’s the memories and the friendships that truly stay with the cast.
Mark Harmon, Michael Weatherly and Pauley Perrette have each spoken about their time on the show, and the unbreakable bonds that they forged with David McCallum, Brian Dietzen and more. Here, we reveal which stars became close friends behind the scenes…
Mark Harmon and Rocky Carroll
Rocky Carroll has called Mark Harmon his “biggest supporter”. Long before NCIS aired, the duo had worked together on the CBS medical drama, Chicago Hope from 1996 to 2000.
"My audition [for NCIS] had less to do with me auditioning and more to do with Mark Harmon saying 'I know this guy, I like him, you should hire him,'" Rocky recalled to CBS News.
Speaking about his character, Leon Vance’s character development, Rocky added that his co-star was a “huge help”.
"Over time he [Leon] becomes a part of the team, even though he is the head of the organization,” mused Rocky. “The writers gave me a lot of leeway with regard to that. Having had a relationship with Mark Harmon prior to that was a huge help as well.”
During Mark’s tenure on the show, Rocky hailed the actor's warm nature on set. "Mark's very sensitive to the people around him," he told Closer Weekly.
"The reason it's such a great working atmosphere is he wouldn't have it any other way. You can just tell the kind of upbringing he had."
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Brian Dietzen and David McCallum
The late David McCallum served as a mentor to Brian Dietzen. Introduced on the set of NCIS in 2004, the Donald "Ducky" Mallard actor took Brian under his wing, offering advice to the fledgling star.
While David passed away in 2023, the pair enjoyed 20 years of friendship, and in a testament to their unbreakable bond, Brian penned a special tribute episode to his dear friend. It aired in February 2024.
Taking to Instagram, Brian also shared a heartfelt message about David. "He had a quick and wry sense of humor and was generous with advice when I asked for it,” explained the star.
“He was also quick to share praise for work well done. I loved getting a phone call from him after a show aired to hear him talk about the scenes (even as he appeared less and less in our show)."
"The friendship and respect people saw between Ducky and Jimmy over the years mirrored the relationship we'd developed off-camera. Whether it was going on field trips for character research, attending charity events or catching some golf together, he was always up for an adventure. The guy could do anything."
Michael Weatherly and Cote de Pablo
Michael Weatherly and Cote de Pablo had a great time together on set, and now they‘ve teamed up again. Currently, the duo are shooting the spin-off series, Tony & Ziva in Budapest, after talking about the story for "many years".
Michael and Cote were first introduced in 2005 and it turns out they got off to a rocky start. "Michael and I clicked immediately. We sort of hated each other immediately, and loved each other immediately," she told Entertainment Weekly.
"I walked into the audition and he thought, 'Oh my god, she's gonna be so hard to work with. She's so complicated.' And I thought, 'This guy's so incredibly unprofessional.'
After getting to know one another, the pair eventually became “very close friends,” according to Michael, who has since introduced Cote to his family.
"I mean Cote will tell you you're wrong the minute you're wrong," he began.
"She calls me Shetty. She's like, 'Shetty, I know you think you're right but you're wrong'. She and my wife get along very well, of course, because they both know that I'm wrong all the time."
Brian Dietzen and Katrina Law
Brian Dietzen and Katrina Law are set to return in season 22 of NCIS. Their characters – Jimmy Palmer and Jessica Knight – may be going through a rocky patch, but in real-life the actors love working together.
Speaking to US Weekly, Katrina called Brian one of her "favorite" people to act alongside. "I know that anytime I lob the ball at him he's gonna hit right back. So it's a joy to work with him," she explained.
Echoing this sentiment, Brian has also commended Katrina. Noting that Jimmy and Jessica's relationship portrays "two people who actually talk about what they're feeling," he added: "It's been wonderful to discover what this very adult relationship means as we communicate with each other. And there is no one better to do it with than Katrina."
Pauley Perrette and David McCallum
Pauley Perrette relished her time on set with the late David McCallum. After learning of his passing, the actress penned an emotional tribute on Instagram.
"Oh David. What a life. What a legend. What a journey. And your legacy will always be
the love you have for your family. Love to Katherine and the kids and the grandkids, your absolutely very favorite things," she began.
"Swipe to see us through the years, pretty much in order, starting with my favorite pic of me, David and @sashaalexander."
Just under a month after David passed away, Pauley supported his son, Val McCallum by attending the guitar player's concert. "The OUTSTANDING #guitar player on the right in the red shirt is @valmccallum.7. Son of #DavidMccallum. Excellent musicianship all around," the NCIS alum told fans.