For years, Pauley Perrette was one of the most recognizable faces on NCIS. As Abby Sciuto, she brought a look and personality that felt completely different from everyone else on the show — dark hair, bold clothes, playful energy and a style fans could recognize instantly.
But away from the forensic lab, Pauley often looked very different. Red carpets, casual appearances, behind-the-scenes moments and later photos all showed different sides of the woman behind Abby.
These 10 photos capture some of those moments — from the classic NCIS look fans still remember to a much more personal Pauley outside the show.
The look NCIS fans never forgot
For millions of NCIS fans, this was the look that made Abby Sciuto instantly recognizable. The dark clothes, chunky jewelry, heavy boots and jet-black hair gave her a style unlike anyone else in the squad room.
Pauley Perrette made the look feel natural instead of costume-like. Abby could be quirky, funny and completely herself — and somehow still feel right at home inside one of television’s biggest crime dramas.
Photo Credit: CBS / NCIS Promotional Still
Abby made the lab her own
Abby never looked like anyone else working inside NCIS. Even in a white lab coat, Pauley Perrette gave her a style that felt completely personal — pigtails, chokers, bold shirts and all.
She could be surrounded by evidence, computers and serious cases, yet still bring a little color and personality into every scene.
Photo Credit: CBS / NCIS Promotional Still
The playful side fans loved
Step off the set, and the dark makeup and heavy accessories disappeared fast.
Seeing Pauley out and about in a casual green t-shirt, sunglasses, and simple jeans was always a surprise for fans who only knew her from Tuesday nights on CBS.
Photo Credit: Vince Flores / AFF / Alamy Stock Photo
A softer red-carpet look
On the red carpet, Pauley would occasionally lean into classic Hollywood glamour. While she often stuck with black dresses, the softer makeup and relaxed hair gave her a polished look that proved she could easily pull off elegant just as well as edgy.
Photo Credit: s_bukley / Stock Editorial Photo
Abby and Gibbs had their own rhythm
Some of the most memorable scenes across the early seasons were just Abby and Gibbs in the lab. Pauley brought high-speed, fast-talking energy, while Mark Harmon gave her that calm, fatherly presence with a Caf-Pow in hand. It was a dynamic that grounded the show.
Photo Credit: CBS / NCIS Production Still
Pauley after Abby
After spending a decade and a half dyeing her hair pitch-black for the role, Pauley finally had the freedom to experiment. Photos from recent years showing her with bright, rainbow-colored hair felt like a fresh chapter—still the same creative spirit, just without network wardrobe restrictions.
Courtesy of Pauley Perrette / @PauleyP
Abby and McGee had a bond of their own
The chemistry between Abby and McGee was special right from season one. Whether they were bantering over computer code or hanging out between takes, Pauley Perrette and Sean Murray had an effortless connection that helped make the team feel like an actual family.
CBS / NCIS behind-the-scenes still
A confident side of Pauley
Simple clothing, natural light, and a relaxed smile—this shot captures Pauley at ease. It’s a great example of how someone with such an intense on-screen persona could be so laid-back in her normal day-to-day life.
Courtesy of Pauley Perrette / @PauleyP
Pauley off duty
Another casual snapshot that fans loved: sitting back with a baseball cap or sunglasses on her head, taking a breather. Moments like this showed a woman who enjoyed her downtime away from 14-hour filming days.
Courtesy of Pauley Perrette / @PauleyP
Before NCIS became a phenomenon
This photo goes all the way back to 2003, when NCIS was still brand new and nobody knew just how long the show would last.
Pauley Perrette posed with David McCallum and Sasha Alexander at CBS’s summer press tour that year, before Abby, Ducky, Kate and the rest of the team became familiar faces in millions of homes. Looking back now, it feels like a snapshot from the very beginning of something much bigger than anyone could have predicted.
Photo credit: Gregg DeGuire / WireImage
More Than Just Abby
Ten photos only capture a small slice of Pauley Perrette’s time in the public eye, but they explain why fans connected with her so strongly. Whether you remember her pacing around the ballistics lab or sharing unfiltered updates from home, she has always stayed true to who she is.
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Pauley is a beautiful woman, and I believe, her outer beauty is just a reflection of her inner self. An actor is a chameleon who portrays words on a script expressed by an author. But bringing that to believable life can only happen if it is entwined with her own being. Without that duality it isn’t believable and it can not endure for long, it becomes flat and fake. Audiences do not accept fake actors. Abby is Pauley with the makeup. She reflects the inner beauty of her actress. Tom