NCIS Star Cote de Pablo Reveals Her True Feelings About Mark Harmon

Cote de Pablo, best known for her role as Ziva David on NCIS, has always shared a special bond with her co-star Mark Harmon, who played Leroy Jethro Gibbs. In interviews, de Pablo has often praised Harmon’s professionalism and kindness, calling him the “heart and soul” of the show. She described him as a mentor who set a strong example on and off the set, fostering a supportive environment for the cast and crew.

While de Pablo left NCIS in 2013, her connection with Harmon remained intact. Reflecting on their time together, she recalled his generosity and sense of humor, which made long shooting days more enjoyable. “Mark was always there for us,” she said, adding that his calm demeanor and leadership helped guide the series through its most successful years. Harmon’s unwavering support was particularly meaningful to de Pablo as she navigated her own career challenges.

Though Harmon exited NCIS in 2021, his legacy continues to influence the show, and de Pablo credits him for shaping her time on the series. Fans of NCIS often highlight the chemistry between Ziva and Gibbs as one of the show’s most compelling dynamics, a testament to the deep respect and camaraderie shared by de Pablo and Harmon.

Pauley Perrette wants to make one thing clear: she has no plans to return to NCIS.

Perrette, 50, cleared up any confusion about her future with the CBS drama on Friday, saying she will “never” return to the show and claiming she is “terrified” of former costar Mark Harmon.

“NO I AM NOT COMING BACK! EVER! (Please stop asking?),” she tweeted around midnight. “I am terrified of Harmon and him attacking me. I have nightmares about it. I have a new show that is SAFE AND HAPPY! You’ll love it! #HappyPlace Love y’all!”

PEOPLE is out to reps for Harmon and CBS for comment.

Perrette left NCIS in May 2018 after 15 seasons as fan-favorite forensic scientist Abby Sciuto. She has claimed there were “multiple physical assaults” on set before her departure.

Pauley Perrette Claims She Left NCIS After ‘Multiple Physical Assaults’

On Friday, Perrette posted a photo of a crew member with a black eye and stitches. She claimed her decision to speak out and “protect” the crew led to her exit.

Mark Harmon and Pauley Perrette in NCIS.Neil Jacobs/CBS/Getty

WARNING: Graphic Image Below

“You think I didn’t expect blow back? You got me wrong,” she wrote. “THIS happened To my crew member and I fought like hell to keep it from happening again! To protect my crew! And then I was physically assaulted for saying NO!?and I lost my job.”

Though she did not reveal how or when the alleged assault took place, Perrette and Harmon’s working relationship took a turn after the actor brought his rescue dog on set. In 2016, multiple reports claimed that an unidentified crew member was bitten by the dog, resulting in 15 stitches.

In a statement obtained by PEOPLE in May 2018, CBS Television Studios confirmed that the actress came forward with a “workplace concern” more than a year prior, and that it “took the matter seriously.”

“Pauley Perrette had a terrific run on NCIS and we are all going to miss her,” CBS Television Studios said in the statement.

“Over a year ago, Pauley came to us with a workplace concern,” the statement continued. “We took the matter seriously and worked with her to find a resolution.”

Cliff Lipson/CBS via Getty
NCIS Finds Pauley Perrette’s Replacement, Promotes Diona Reasonover as Forensic Scientist

The statement concluded: “We are committed to a safe work environment on all our shows.”

The actress has had a string of incidents in which she says she was injured, most notably claiming to have been attacked by homeless men twice in the space of three months in 2015 and 2016. Last month, she posted a photo of herself in a hospital gown with a bloodied bandage on her arm, but did not elaborate on the nature of the injury.

For NCIS season 16, Perrette’s character was replaced by actress Diona Reasonover, who was promoted to series regular after her character Kasie Hines was introduced late in season 15.

Perrette recently signed on to star in the upcoming CBS comedy Broke.

Broke follows a trust-fund dependent man (Jaime Camil) who is forced to move in with his family and estranged sister-in-law (Perrette) after being cut off by his rich father.