Lauren Holly as Jenny Shepard
Between 2005 to 2008, Lauren Holly played Director Jenny Shepard as a regular on the program. Interestingly, Holly was OK with the job being only supposed to be a six-episode commitment because it allowed her to spend more time with her family. Holly and her family moved from Chicago to Los Angeles and stayed there for two years when the show’s producers chose to keep her character on as a regular.
Why Lauren Holly Left the Show
Holly has stated that although she made a lot of friends and loved her time on NCIS, in the end she didn’t agree with the new creative team that was hired. She stated on her website, “I was heartbroken when [NCIS co-creator] Don Bellisario was driven out, and I missed him a lot. Holly wrote, “To be honest, now that the work bug had struck me again, I grew bored with my part of the “Director,”” acknowledging her boredom. It goes without saying that she wasn’t really unhappy to learn that her character will be murdered off.
Sasha Alexander as Caitlin Todd
Special Agent Caitlin Todd was portrayed by Sasha Alexander, who stayed with the program until the end of season two. She had such an important role in the 2003 pilot episode that it served as the central plot point for the whole show. After season two, she left the program as a full-time cast member, and in season three, she was listed as a guest star in a two-part episode before she made the decision to quit the show permanently.
Why Sasha Alexander Left the Show
Donald Bellisario and Sasha Alexander are pretty candid about her leaving the program. People are unaware that 24 episodes, or ten and a half months and seventeen hours per day, are produced for a network show every year. It’s intense,” Alexander declared. In 2005, Bellisario told the Chicago Tribune, “I had already begun writing the final episode of the season and was preparing to fly to Australia to take a little break.”
She entered the office two days before I was scheduled to go and sobbed, “I simply can’t work this hard.” Bellisario pushed for Alexander’s release from the CBS contract even though she was still under contract there at the time. When someone claims that something is not what they anticipated, you shouldn’t make them labor against their will, Bellisario added.
Emily Wickersham as Ellie Bishop
Ellie Bishop, an NSA analyst, is a character played by Emily Wickersham who first appears in season 11. She is described as an Oklahoman rural girl whose boss refers to her as a “reclusive data freak.” She claims that she identifies particular memories with the food she was eating at the time. The character also likes food and is frequently seen munching on snacks at her desk. Wickersham persevered through the program for an astounding eight seasons, but following the season 18 conclusion, she made the decision to end her involvement.
