‘Halloween Kills’ Star Jamie Lee Curtis Reflects on Former Co-Star Mark Harmon’s ‘NCIS’ Exit

Jamie Lee Curtis is reflecting on her time with her friend Mark Harmon during their shared time on NCIS. Now that Harmon is finally walking away from his position on the show as special agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs, Curtis took the moment to walk down memory lane. 

Curtis shared a photo of the two while working together on the series years ago on Instagram. “I just read that my friend, Mark Harmon is leaving his leadership position [NCIS CBS] One of the unexpected delights of my varied career was being able to do five episodes opposite him and his team in front of and behind the camera. My favorite line was when I was coming down from his bedroom, ‘Practice makes perfect.’ Certainly worked for him and his Jethro Gibbs character. Well done Harmon. Gary would be/is so proud!”

Curtis guest-starred on NCIS during Season 9. She portrayed Dr. Samantha Ryan, the Pentagon Psy-Ops director, who works with Gibbs and his team on their current case. Rumors began circulating that Harmon would be leaving the show started well before Season 19 aired. While he would stay on as an executive producer on the show, fans would no longer see their beloved Gibbs in the same capacity. CBS Entertainment President Kelly Kahl assured viewers in September that while he’ll be appearing much less in the series, fans will still get their Gibbs fix throughout the season. “Mark’s always been part of the show, Mark’s always going to be part of the show,” Kahl responded when asked about Harmon’s future. “In terms of his on-air appearances, we’re just going to have to see how it plays out going forward.”  

After Harmon’s final show aired, showrunner Steve Biner released a statement, giving a final farewell. “As an executive producer and dear friend, Mark continues to be an integral part of the fabric of the show,” Biner told TVLine after the episode aired. “Our north star has always been staying true to our characters, and that truth has always guided the stories we tell and where those characters go. So regarding the future of Gibbs, as long-time fans of the show may have noticed over the years… never count Leroy Jethro Gibbs out.”