For years, fans believed they knew why Pauley Perrette walked away from acting. The official explanation was simple and polite: she wanted a quieter, more peaceful life away from the spotlight. But behind the scenes, that story barely scratches the surface.
Newly surfaced details paint a far more troubling picture—one marked by alleged assault, repeated safety concerns, and a workplace environment so distressing that Perrette reportedly required therapy just to endure it. According to these accounts, one co-star became such a source of fear that continuing on set felt unbearable.
CBS reportedly believed a private settlement would bring the situation to a close. It didn’t.
Now, at 56, Pauley Perrette is finally prepared to speak openly about what really happened during her final years on set—and why leaving wasn’t a choice so much as a necessity.