‘NCIS’ stars Mark Harmon and Michael Weatherly have both left the show, but their characters’ romance remains a fan favorite. Initially, Gibbs slapping DiNozzo was absolutely unplanned.
Mark Harmon played Leroy Jethro Gibbs in NCIS for almost 400 episodes. Before leaving the show in 2016, Michael Weatherly appeared in 306 episodes. Harmon and Wetherly’s characters complemented each other for 13 seasons.
Gibbs’ trademark head slap, which was frequently thrown at Weatherly’s character Anthony DiNozzo, was never scripted. Harmon smacked Weatherly spontaneously during season 1 filming to bring him back on track, and it just stayed.
What exactly is the ‘Gibbs Slap’ on ‘NCIS’?
NCIS viewers have spent more than 18 seasons watching Mark Harmon as Leroy Jethro Gibbs. Fans missed Harmon’s portrayal of the character as much as they missed his hallmark action, the “Gibbs Slap,” once he left the show.
The “Gibbs slap” refers to Gibbs’ habit of hitting his coworkers on the back of the head. Weatherly’s character, DiNozzo, was the most frequently slapped, but other coworkers were also subjected to it on occasion.
Mark Harmon’s slap on ‘NCIS’ was fully unscripted.
Gibbs was renowned for regularly hitting his coworkers upside the head, but the writing team never intended for it to happen. The first head slap was not part of the script. Harmon once claimed that the smack was an impulsive move he performed while filming to try to get Weatherly back on track.
According to The Thing, Weatherly went off script during the series’ early production, and Harmon smacked him on the back of the head. Instead of breaking character, Weatherly embraced the situation. The moment was included in the fifth episode of the show, and fans adored it. It was quickly added into episodes on a regular basis until Harmon and Weatherly left the program.
Why did ‘NCIS’ stars Mark Harmon and Michael Weatherly leave?
Both Michael Weatherly and Mark Harmon have left the NCIS cast. While they left the show at different times, they both eventually gave up their characters for the same reason. Weatherly decided to depart the show after the conclusion of Season 13. He stated at the time that he was leaving DiNozzo to explore other ventures.
Harmon quit the show in 2021 after nearly 18 seasons as Gibbs. Harmon indicated that he left NCIS for the same reason that Weatherly did. Harmon quit the show to experiment with new characters and work on new projects. He was also seeking for a better work-life balance, as filming frequently kept him away from his family. That doesn’t mean he’d be opposed to returning.
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