Lauren Holly as Jenny Shepard
There have been a huge number of crime dramas over the years to choose from when it comes to television viewing. There is one show in this genre that has been able to put a unique spin on things that have gone on to create a huge fan following over the last fourteen years – NCIS. The Naval Criminal Investigative Service investigates all number of crimes that occur within the U.S.
Navy and Marine Corps. There have been over 80 different characters that have appeared in the series so far, a lot of which have been some fantastic female characters. When they’re not on the show what do these women find themselves doing?
Jenny Shepard joined NCIS as their new director during the third season when she made a statement with her eye-catching red hair. Soon after her initial appearance, Jenny quickly sported a pixie cut after the producers on the show asked if she could cut all her hair off to fit with the character’s storyline.
Emily Wickersham as Eleanor Bishop
Jenny only lasted two seasons on the show as in the fifth season she was caught by a hitman that left her wounded fatally.
Much like her female predecessors on the show, Eleanor typically keeps her blonde hair out of the way underneath her NCIS cap since joining the show back in its eleventh season. Since then she has appeared as a regular on the series but has had only one noticeable difference to her appearance during this time.
Emily Wickersham in Real Life
Eleanor decided to get divorced from her on-screen husband, meaning she no longer had a reason to wear her wedding ring.
Emily keeps her blonde hair outside of the show, but she and Eleanor have some differences in their dress sense. Eleanor is always in her team uniform, but in real life, Emily often opts for heels, skirts, and glamorous dresses when out and about.
Lauren Holly in Real Life
As well as her feminine dress sense, Emily also tends to wear her hair styled up or down rather than pinned back. As well as continuing her role on NCIS, Emily also plays her character for the New Orleans spin-off of the series.
Since the haircut at the beginning of the 2000s, Lauren Holly has decided that she missed her long hair as she has now grown her hair back out. Lauren has also adopted a more natural redhead color as her locks are nowhere near as bright as they used to be when she was featured on the show.
Tamara Taylor as Cassie Yates
Since her dramatic exit Lauren has played characters in The Town Christmas Forgot, and Motive, with her most recent work including The Blackcoat’s Daughter.
Cassie Yates was the strong special agent on the NCIS team that made quite an impact during her two episodes in 2005. One of her first moments on the show involved Cassie wearing the famous red dress, but after that, the character stuck to her NCIS uniform.
Tamara Taylor in Real Life
Like many other women characters, Cassie mainly wore her mid-length hair pulled back from her face and left just her bangs loose, but she did also wear it left down on occasion too.
Before appearing on the show, Tamra Taylor had previously had a career as a model meaning she was a natural with the camera. Making a breakthrough in acting saw Tamara landing a part in Bones which made her decision to cut her hair a lot shorter.
Pauley Perrette as Abby Sciuto
Over the years she has gone back to longer locks as Tamara has now grown her hair out to longer than she has ever had before. The former model is as stylish as ever; she often steals the camera’s attention at any event.
Black is the signature color of NCIS original, Abby Sciuto. The forensic scientist is most recognized when wearing one of her many signature chokers which are emphasized as she ties her dark hair back in pigtails.
Pauley Perrette in Real Life
As far as outfits go, Abby sticks with the color theme as her gothic fashion often sees the character wearing black dresses, t-shirts, or miniskirts. Her jewelry (of course, apart from her choker) is typically kept to anklets and toe rings.
It is a sad time for NCIS fans as Pauley Perrette is reported to be leaving after working with the show for the last fifteen years. Her exit from the NCIS team may see the actress claim back her blonde locks that she has kept hidden for so long, but who knows?
Juliette Angelo as Emily Fornell
There are similarities in tattoos between Pauley and Abby as a lot of them are, in fact, her own, but one distinct piece of ink is missing – the famous spider web – as it is makeup. According to Perrette, she didn't feel safe on set when co-star Mark Harmon would bring his pitbull on set, especially after the dog attacked one of the crew members.
This actress was welcomed to the world of show business at the young age of 8. She beat the competition at a chance to play a role in the Broadway version of How The Grinch Stole Christmas and continued to act on stage for many years.
Juliette Angelo in Real Life
Some other jobs included parts in Mary Poppins, as well as Billy Elliot. After joining NCIS, we saw the birth of the character Emily Fornell, the teenage daughter of Tobias Fornell, a special agent for the team.
Since appearing on the show, Juliette Angelo has had plenty of success to help continue her blossoming career. As well as playing the character Carol on the show Mad Men, Juliette also brought the part of Geneva on Shameless to life.
Sasha Alexander as Kate Todd
Recently Juliette has been cast in the upcoming film Hope Springs Eternal where she will bring the character of Sarah Handleman to life. Around all her acting success, Juliette also enjoys spending time pursuing her equestrian hobby.
Kate Todd was a member of the NCIS team way back at the beginning of the show. She was known for her shoulder-length, dark hair that she would wear tucked underneath her cap while she was investigating her cases.
Sasha Alexander in Real Life
During her time on the show Kate Todd’s hair color was varying shades of brown – even going black for some of her time on the team. Kate’s time with NCIS was short lived as eighteen months into the show her character was murdered, leaving the whole team heartbroken.
The 44 year-old actress has made quite a change from her dark days, as Sasha Alexander has switched her signature shade for a walk on the blonde side. Over the twelve years since the show, Sasha has also grown her hair much longer making her look like a completely different person since her NCIS days.
Scottie Thompson as Dr. Jeanne Benoit
Over the years Sasha has played roles in Yes Man, as well as He’s Just Not That Into You. However, her most recent work is on the comedy, Shameless, where she plays Helene Runyon.
It isn’t just Tony DiNozzo that Jeanne Benoit is able to charm using her bright blue eyes that are accentuated by her dark hair as she also managed to win over the team too. Jeanne came onto the show during 2006 where it was announced she was the girlfriend of the special agent, but her true identity was revealed after the team discovered she was, in fact, Rene Benoit’s daughter.
Scottie Thompson in Real Life
When Jeanne left the show for the first time in 2008, she and Tony had ended their relationship.
Over the years away from the show Scottie Thompson has kept her dark hair that she not only wears styled up but also has been seen showcasing her naturally curly hair too. The 35-year-old actress did make a return to the show during 2015 where she continued to charm the NCIS team.
Jennifer Esposito as Alexandra Quinn
Both Scottie and Jeanne are glamorous characters as off-screen Scottie continues to be as fashion forward as ever; she is often photographed in stunning outfits on the red carpet and at her photoshoots.
Even though Alexandra wasn’t a part of the NCIS team for long (one season to be precise), she was able to leave a huge mark on her teammates during their time working together. The character brought a smart casual appearance to the show as she opted for shirts as her uniform.
Jennifer Esposito in Real Life
Alexandra tended to wear her light-brown hair down, unlike many other women that wore it underneath their hats, but she had to leave when her mother started to develop Alzheimer’s.
The 44-year-old actress has made quite a change to her appearance since leaving the show last year. Although we haven’t seen Jennifer acting in anything since her time as Alexandra, when appearing at red carpet events the actress has showcased her long, ombre locks that she has recently taken a lot darker.
Stephanie Mello as Cynthia Sumner
It seems as though the wait for Jennifer’s return may soon be over though as the movie Cigarette credits her as the lead actress, but the film is still in post-production for the time being.
Cynthia was the personal assistant to one of the U.S. Navy members on the show. The character appeared in thirteen episodes but had to maintain a smart dress sense for her job.
Stephanie Mello in Real Life
Cynthia was often seen wearing smart clothing; usually, an office suit, with her dark hair either styled down or partially tied up. She didn’t get much screen time, but it was apparent that she and Leroy Gibbs had a difficult relationship due to him constantly barging into her office.
It has been fourteen years since we last saw Stephanie as part of the NCIS team, but she has managed to find plenty to keep her busy at that time. Over the years she hasn’t changed her hairstyle (she knows what suits her!) but has been seen in many different outfits as the actress has appeared in over 100 commercials.
Liza Lapira as Michelle Lee
As well as this, Stephanie has also had several minor acting roles in television series and continues to do acting for commercials.
The goal of this character was to blend in, and blend in she did during her time in seasons three and four. Michelle Lee achieved this by wearing plain suits as she needed to dress appropriately for her role as part of the legal team for the NCIS group.
Liza Lapira in Real Life
However, Michelle was secretly going undercover as her real job was a spy. Her long dark hairstyle fell around her face meaning she could go about her work undetected for a long time before her identity was uncovered.
Liza has had a prolific acting career since she left the show. Some of her many roles include acting in the likes of Fast and Furious, Cooper Barrett’s Guide to Surviving Life, Repo Men, Super Fun Night, and Dexter – quite a list for this 35 year old actress.
Nina Foch as Mrs. Victoria Mallard
Liza has decided to keep the same hairstyle, but rather than power suits she is always snapped posing in show-stopping dresses while at publicity events for her work.
Victoria Mallard is introduced during 2005 for two episodes as the mother to Ducky Mallard. The character is shown to dress somewhat old-fashioned with her choice of dresses which are generally teamed with oversized hats. Another of Victoria’s accessories are her pet corgis.
Nina Foch in Real Life
However, Victoria exits the show the following year after she developed Alzheimer’s. Abby discovers that she later passed away when she followed Ducky to his mother’s grave, a secret he had kept to himself.
Prior to the show Nina Foch had led a very glamorous life that involved her acting in many black and white movies, making a name for herself during the 1940s. She had previously spent most of her life all made up with her extravagant dress sense and perfectly neat blonde hair. The actress continued her acting career for many years but retired in 2007.
Jessica Steen as Paula Cassidy
Nina’s later roles saw her with very short blonde hair. Sadly in 2008, at 84, the actress passed away.
The first season in 2003 was where we first got a chance to see Paula Cassidy. The strong character joined the team where she worked as one of their criminal profilers but had previously been working as an interrogator for the police.
Jessica Steen in Real Life
Paula wore her strawberry blonde locks pinned back away from her face as this no-nonsense character took on any criminal that stood in her way. She only made her way into six episodes but left the series in 2015.
Prior to being on NCIS, Jessica Steen had acted in a huge number of hit TV shows and movies that included Earth 2, The Outer Limits, Monk, and Homefront just to name a few. At 51 years old the actress has decided to join the blonde world.
Maria Bello as Jackie Sloane
Proving blondes have more fun, Jessica now shows off her feminine dresses as she often appears at publicity events, as well as playing the starring role of Lisa Stillman in the show Heartland.
Season fifteen of the show is still on the air as we speak, and it was the fourth episode that introduced us to Jackie Sloane. Even with her short NCIS career to date, this curly haired blonde has become a hit with fans of the show.
Maria Bello in Real Life
It seems as though there is more to come from this tight fitted dress wearing female as the show has rumored that Jackie will soon be confirmed as a permanent part of the main cast.
It may have taken a moment to recognize 50 year old Maria Bello in NCIS as we had previously been used to the actress with a much shorter hairstyle. She has already played roles in Lights Out, Grown Ups 2, and The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, but decided to grow out her hair for her part as Jackie on the show.
Weronika Rosati as Rivka David
Maria knows how to work the paparazzi as she is always snapped wearing eye-catching outfits at her premiers.
Rivka Davis was the mother to Tali and Ziva David in the series. Even though she has two grown-up children, she wasn’t in the makeup chair for hours to appear older as the character made her appearance during season ten of the show in Ziva’s flashback she was having while on a plane.
Weronika Rosati in Real Life
Even though her time was short on the show, Rivka played an important role in the unfolding of Tony and Ziva’s relationship as the romance was beginning to unfold.
Over her acting career, Weronika Rosati has had plenty to keep her busy. Initially from Poland, the 33 year old actress has appeared in various movies, and soap operas while living in her home nation. She is nearly always captured with her long, very dark curls cascading down her back while showing off her eye-catching dresses.
Alicia Coppola as Lieutenant Commander Faith Coleman
Weronika is both fashionable at premiers and in her normal life, but it doesn’t appear that she will be making a return to NCIS due to her character being killed.
Before appearing on the show, Alicia Coppola had begun her life on television hosting the MTV show Remote Control. From that moment she was quickly picked up to play the role of Lona Devon for Another World.
Alicia Coppola in Real Life
The actress then went on to land roles in the likes of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Star Trek: Voyager, Bull, and Trinity, before getting the part of Lieutenant Commander Faith Coleman in NCIS in 2004, but she left the following year.
In the years since the show, Alicia Coppola has carried on acting in many television shows and movies. The crime dramas must’ve suited the actress as she was cast in roles for Lie to Me, Jericho and Common Law, alongside landing parts in The Young and the Restless, Teen Wolf, and Two and a Half Men.
Jamie Lee Curtis as Dr. Samantha Ryan
Alicia has found herself an acting husband too as she and Anthony Michael, best known for his roles as Father Coates in General Hospital, have tied the knot.
This actress has made quite a name for herself over the years for her incredible talents. She shot to fame after getting cast as Laurie in the famous slasher, Halloween. After her initial breakthrough, the actress was able to land roles in Anything But Love, as well as Buck Rogers, and The Drew Carey Show.
Jamie Lee Curtis in Real Life
It was during 2012 that Dr. Samantha Ryan was born who came into the show for one of many romance storylines that have appeared on the show.
One of the stars of Hollywood has continued to act in many productions over the years. Some of these include playing Joan Day in New Girl, being cast as Tess Coleman, for the movie Freaky Friday, and bringing Dean Cathy Munsch to life for the show Scream Queens.
Margo Harshman as Delilah Fielding
After such a successful career, Jamie has decided to put her acting career on pause while she focuses on writing books for children. So far the actress has published ten novels but will be making a return to acting very soon.
After being entered (at just two years old) to a beauty pageant by her mother, this actress experienced life in front of a crowd from a very young age. While she didn’t continue her attempts to win shows, she did begin to act full time at eight years old, landing her first movie character for the film The Elf Who Didn’t Believe.
Margo Harshman in Real Life
Following from the movie’s success, the actress began starring in the Even Stevens show but was cast for NCIS as Delilah Fielding in 2013.
Over the years Margo Harshman has got herself an incredible acting repertoire from her many roles. Not only did she play a role in the television film The Adventures of Big Handsome Guy and His Little Friend, but Margo has appeared in television shows such as 90210, Grey’s Anatomy, Bones, Bent, and Run of the House.
Jacqueline Obradors as Paloma Reynosa
One of her other famous roles includes her role as Alex Jensen, assistant to Sheldon, on the sitcom The Big Bang Theory.
Paloma Reynosa brings a lot of gripping drama to the show after she declares revenge on her father’s killers. Paloma’s father was Pedro Hernandez, a narcotics dealer, and she was working as the leader of her family’s cartel when her father was murdered.
Jacqueline Obradors in Real Life
During season eight Paloma reveals her revenge plans are to hurt Sharon Gibbs’ father, but he is luckily able to escape. The NCIS team are ready to stop Paloma every time, and she eventually gets killed by her own brother.
Jacqueline Obradors is most recognized for her roles in the movies Unstoppable, and Six Days Seven Nights, but has also managed to have a successful television acting career too. One of her most famous TV characters was that of Detective Rita Ortiz for the drama NYPD Blue which saw the actress nominated an ALMA Award.
Meredith Eaton as Carol Wilson
Following on from the show, Jacqueline has also featured in the shows Lopez, and Cold Case. She and the movie producer Juan Garcia have since gotten married too.
On NCIS, Carol Wilson’s role is a researcher for the Center of Disease Control, but she is also introduced as one of Abigail Sciuto’s friends; the two were at the same college. Carol comes into the show during the Christmas special of season seven when she sets out to help her nephew.
Meredith Eaton in Real Life
He is upset about his mother not being there at Christmas due to the fact she is currently positioned overseas. She enlists Abigail’s help who sets up a video chat for the pair.
Before the show, Meredith had plenty of experience with crime dramas as she has appeared in Boston Legal, Family Law, and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. Her role as Carol helped her continue to land roles as Meredith has since been cast in a remake of the action show MacGyver, as well as appearing in Battle Creek.
Diane Neal as CGIS Special Agent Abigail Borin
Recently Meredith has been cast in The Ones, but we will have to wait a bit longer to see her on screens again as the movie is still in the post-production phases.
Abigail Borin has appeared in both the original version of the show, as well as the New Orleans spin-off. The character was initially enlisted in the U.S. Marines but later retired from her position following the death of her partner.
Diane Neal in Real Life
This strong female character then enrolled with the CGIS, working her way up the ladder until she was promoted to a special agent. On the show, her character’s personality is regularly compared to be similar to Gibbs.
Diane Neal was used to life on the television as she was previously A.D.A. Casey Novak for the show Law & Order. The part led on to minor appearances in shows such as My Fake Fiance, and 30 Rock.
Rena Sofer as Margaret Allison Hart
However, since 2015 it appears as though Diane’s career has come to stand still as she hasn’t been cast since her time on Blue Bloods as Kelly Blake. Diane has also gone through a divorce as her husband, Marcus Fitzgerald, and she split in 2014 after nine years together.
This defense attorney makes her appearance during season seven when she is enlisted to defend various clients that are all linked to a Marine’s death after there was an accident with an experimental jetpack. Margaret tried to get in Gibbs’ way in the investigation but he manages to defeat her over the six episodes she appeared in.
Rena Sofer in Real Life
She later went on to additionally reappear in episodes where Margaret would try and destroy further investigations as revenge against the NCIS team.
Before her time with the show, Rena Sofer had managed to get roles in the movies Another Man’s Wife, and A Stranger Among Us, but since 2014, she hasn’t had many acting roles.
Daniele Sofia Korn Ruah as Kensi Blye
At48 years old Rena has had a successful television career as she has had parts in both 24, and The Chronicle, but her most famous role has been as Quinn Fuller on the show The Bold and the Beautiful; the actress has been in early 500 of the soap opera’s episodes.
As a character for the first season, it is quickly revealed that Kensi Blye has some tough situations to deal with while growing up after her father was murdered. Before joining the NCIS team Kensi had even had to endure a period of being homeless, but she was able to get her life back on track when she joined the team.
Daniele Sofia Korn Ruah in Real Life
She would often wear plain clothing while on the job, but some of her undercover tasks involved Kensi having to run around in swimwear.
Daniele Sofia Korn Ruah has been sought out for modeling work after having her two children due to her unusual eyes. The actress has a condition known as Nevus of Ota which is a birthmark that has made her right eye nearly completely black, while Daniele’s left eye is still brown.
Cote de Pablo as Ziva David
As well as her modeling, Daniele has also done plenty of work at publicity events where she has shown off her new longer hairdo after she decided to grow out her locks.
This special agent hadn’t always worked for the NCIS team as Ziva David had previously been enrolled in the Israeli army. She initially appeared in the third season where she was recognized to wear her hair in a braid underneath her baseball cap, as well as her plain clothing appearance.
However, when Ziva was involved with undercover tasks, she would opt for skirts and heels to try and avoid being detected. The character eventually left in season eleven to return to Israel.