Pauley Perrette Bio
Pauley Perrette (born March 27, 1969) is an American retired actress and singer widely recognized for her long-running portrayal of the gothic forensic scientist Abby Sciuto on the television series NCIS. Born in New Orleans, Louisiana, and raised across the southern United States, she built a distinctive career that spanned television, film, music, and writing. After stepping away from acting in 2020, Perrette has remained active in charitable work and creative projects outside of Hollywood. Her combination of memorable performances and personal causes has made her a recognizable figure in American entertainment.
Early Life and Background
Pauley Perrette was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, to Paul Perrett and Donna (née Bell) Perrett. Following her birth, she was raised throughout the southern United States, living in a wide range of states including Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, New York, New Jersey, and California. In a 2011 interview with the Associated Press, Perrette shared that her early ambitions were to work with animals, perform in a rock and roll band, or serve as an FBI agent. These varied interests gave her a broad outlook that later shaped her career choices.
Perrette attended Valdosta State University in Valdosta, Georgia, where she studied criminal justice. She later relocated to New York City to study at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice, continuing her education in the field. While in New York, she held a variety of jobs to support herself, including bartending in the club kids scene, wearing a sandwich board on roller skates to pass out flyers for Taco Bell in the Diamond District, and working as a cook on a Manhattan dinner cruise boat. These early experiences reflected her resourcefulness and her willingness to explore many paths before finding her place in entertainment.
Path to Acting
Perrette’s transition into acting came gradually while she was balancing her studies and odd jobs in New York. A friend introduced her to an advertising agency director, which prompted her move to Los Angeles to pursue opportunities in the entertainment industry. In Los Angeles, she secured a variety of bit parts and guest appearances, building her résumé through commercials, voice-overs, music videos, and short films. Her early television work included a guest appearance as a waitress at Cafe Nervosa in the sitcom Frasier during season four, in the episode “Three Dates and a Break Up,” and a guest-starring role in season one of 24.
She also began to make her mark in film with small roles, including appearances in The Ring and Almost Famous. In 2001, she took on a recurring role as Alice Cramer, the public relations person, in season two of Special Unit 2. These early credits helped establish her as a reliable and charismatic performer, paving the way for the role that would define her career. Throughout this period, Perrette continued to draw on her background in criminal justice, which later informed the depth she brought to her most famous character.
Pauley Perrette Career
Early Career (1994–2002)
Pauley Perrette began her professional career in 1994, working in television and film through commercials, voice-overs, music videos, and short films. Her early résumé was varied, and she often described her path into the industry as unconventional. Among her earliest notable film appearances were small roles in Jerry Maguire and Mission: Impossible in 1996, followed by work in Almost Famous in 2000 and The Ring in 2002. These credits, though brief, allowed her to build relationships in Hollywood and sharpen her craft on set.
Outside of scripted work, Perrette pursued music as the lead singer of the Los Angeles-based all-female band Lo-Ball, using the stage name “Pauley P.” The band’s song “Can’t Get Me Down” was featured in the film Legally Blonde, expanding her public profile. She also appeared in the music video for “The Unnamed Feeling” by heavy metal band Metallica, taken from their album St. Anger. These musical ventures reflected her lifelong love of performance and her willingness to explore creative outlets beyond traditional acting.
Breakthrough (2003–2018)
Perrette’s breakthrough came when she was cast as Abby Sciuto, an eccentric forensic scientist, in NCIS, a television series based on the Naval Criminal Investigative Service. Her initial appearance as the character was in two episodes of JAG aired in spring 2003, which served as a “backdoor pilot” for NCIS. She went on to portray Abby Sciuto on NCIS from 2003 to 2018, becoming one of the show’s most recognizable faces. The character was created by Donald P. Bellisario, who wanted to create a character who was seemingly an “alternafreak” while being perhaps the smartest, most capable person on television.
Perrette added some of her own contributions to the character, drawing on her friendships within alternative culture to shape Abby’s identity. She explained that Abby would not call herself anything but Abby, representing a smart, capable woman who cannot be reduced to a stereotype. In addition to NCIS, she appeared as Abby in two 2009 episodes of NCIS: Los Angeles and in two episodes of NCIS: New Orleans in 2014 and 2016. On October 4, 2017, TV Guide reported that Perrette would be leaving the series at the end of the 15th season, and she made her final appearance in the episode “Two Steps Back.”
Beyond NCIS, Perrette’s popularity grew steadily throughout the 2000s and 2010s. In the January/February 2010 Performer Q Score, she tied for the top three alongside Tom Hanks and Morgan Freeman, and she was the only woman to make the top 10. She began appearing in television commercials for Expedia.com in late 2010 and made a guest appearance as a judge on season four, episode six of RuPaul’s Drag Race. As of winter 2018, her Q Score was 44, giving her the highest score of all current female television actors. In 2020, she played the lead role as Jackie in the CBS sitcom Broke, which aired that year before being cancelled after one season in May 2020. On July 7, 2020, Perrette retired from acting.
Notable Works and Milestones
Perrette’s signature role as Abby Sciuto on NCIS remains the defining work of her career, earning her widespread recognition and a loyal fan base. Her portrayal of the character, who is also featured in NCIS: Los Angeles and NCIS: New Orleans, helped expand the franchise’s reach. She is also a published poet and author, with her short story “Cheers…” appearing in the anthology Pills, Thrills, Chills, and Heartache: Adventures in the First Person. In 2007, she began production on a documentary about U.S. civil rights attorney and author Mark Lane, entitled Citizen Lane, which was completed in 2013. These creative and humanitarian projects reflect the breadth of her interests beyond acting.
Pauley Perrette Family
Pauley Perrette was born to Paul Perrett, her father, and Donna (née Bell) Perrett, her mother. She has spoken publicly about the strong influence her mother had on her life, later naming a Manhattan bakery after her. Donna Bell’s Bake Shop, which Perrette co-owned, operated in New York City for nearly 10 years before closing in December 2020. Throughout her career, Perrette has often referenced her family roots in the South and the lessons she learned from her parents during her peripatetic childhood.
Personal Life
Pauley Perrette married Canadian actor and musician Coyote Shivers in 2000, and the couple separated four years later, with their divorce becoming final in 2006. She was granted restraining orders against him, alleging that he subjected her to physical, emotional, and sexual abuse during and after their marriage. Following the divorce, she dated cameraman Michael Bosman for four years before their engagement; however, the two did not marry, saying they would wait until everyone could marry in the United States. They split, and in December 2011, she announced her engagement to former British Royal Marine Thomas Arklie.
Perrette, who is a natural blonde, was hospitalized in 2014 after a severe allergic reaction to her character’s trademark ink-black hair color. On November 12, 2015, she was assaulted by a homeless man outside her Hollywood Hills home, and the suspect was arrested and charged with felony battery. In September 2022, she revealed that she had suffered a stroke in September 2021. Perrette is known for her charitable work with animal rescue organizations, the American Red Cross, civil rights organizations, and LGBT rights organizations, and she is a member of the Hollywood United Methodist Church.