When Pauley Perrette quit “NCIS,” she left a large legacy behind. In 2019, she established a scholarship for John Jay College students interested in forensic science. She spoke about the “Abby effect” in a video for the school. “In real life, young girls were taking inspiration from this fictional TV character and pursuing lives and education in science and forensic science,” She spoke out.
Perrette did not take a break from acting. She scored a starring role in the sitcom “Broke,” which was canceled in 2020 after just one season. She seemed to harken back to her negative experience working on “NCIS” in a tweet about the short-lived series. “This show restored my faith in people, in this industry,” She wrote. But in October 2020, she announced that she was “happily retired” from acting, giving her plenty of time to hang out with her rescue dogs, experiment with her hair, and do a little gardening.
Perrette made two short returns to television on the Los Angeles station KTLA. In July 2021, she participated in Project Angel Food’s telethon to help feed peoplewith serious illnesses that make it difficult or impossible for them to leave their homes. One month later, she recorded a segment for the Love In Action Telethon, which raised over $1.1 million for the LGBTQ+ community (via LGBT News Now). The event featured star-studded performances by Gabrielle Union (Adam Lambert), Gabrielle Union (Eva Longoria), RuPaul, Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin.