Pauley Perrette has delighted fans with several glimpses of her private life since quietly retiring from acting after decades in the business.
The 54-year-old star, who was best known for playing Abby Sciuto on the CBS crime procedural drama NCIS, took to social media with another new peek into her life away from the spotlight.
She shared a selfie that she'd accidentally captured while out and about, experiencing California's nature in its finest form, and showcasing the many tattoos running up her toned arm.
© InstagramFans of the star loved her new photo, with many of them also clamoring for her return to the screen, particularly the newly announced Tony DiNozzo and Ziva David spinoff series.
"Will Abby be joining Tiva in the Tony & Ziva Spinoff? I hope so!!" one questioned, while another gushed: "This Canadian is happy to see leaves on the trees in your part of the woods.... lol happy day to you Pauley."
A third added: "On a lovely hike through nature I see, sweet friend," and one also commented: "That's no accident. We love to see your sweet selfie."
© InstagramSince retiring from the screen in 2020, Pauley has turned her attention to activism and working behind the scenes, helping create several documentaries that shine a light on humanitarian and civil rights issues, particularly those of the LGBTQ+ community.
However, her influence on NCIS remains as strong as ever, 21 seasons into the show, after she spent 15 years on the long-running drama, from 2003-2018.
MORE: NCIS' Pauley Perrette reveals glimpse of rarely-seen family member – Brian Dietzen reacts
That was clear in a recent interview with NCIS: Sydney showrunner Morgan O'Neill (who was also responsible for now-canceled NCIS: Los Angeles) with TV Insider, who spoke about bringing a fresher take to not only the series, but also beloved characters like Abby, in a brand new setting.
© Getty Images"The challenge when you're creating another iteration of such a famous franchise is that you don't want to repeat characters," he told the outlet. "You don't want to just take the cookie-cutter version of something and make it your own.
MORE: Pauley Perrette makes rare comment about near-death health crisis as she marks emotional milestone
"And when it comes to a character like the forensic scientist in a show like this, people go so quickly to the character of Abby because she's so iconic." Watch the heartbreaking moment she left the show below…
Morgan continued: "She kind of defined that role. We wanted to make sure that we weren't replicating that. Then we found Mavournee Hazel who plays Bluebird Gleeson, who is out of her depth.
MORE: Pauley Perrette makes comeback in rare glimpse of night out following acting retirement
"She has complete imposter syndrome like she shouldn't be there. She's too young, she's too inexperienced. She's carrying a whole bunch of really unusual, interesting backstory that we'll peel away as the seasons go on."
© Getty ImagesHe added: "But she's incredibly good at her job. She's kind of socially awkward. I just found the combination of all those things made her feel very real to me. I've worked with a lot of people who work in the world of science, and she just felt like she resonated that sense of intellectual power and social awkwardness, which I loved."
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