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Ellie Bishop, portrayed by Emily Wickersham, was a beloved character on “NCIS,” making her departure at the close of Season 18 a surprise to many. The reason behind her exit, however, is straightforward: Wickersham was eager to explore new opportunities. She candidly shared on the “Off Duty: An NCIS Rewatch” podcast, “I was ready to leave the show. It was time, and I was prepared for a new chapter.”
Bill Inoshita/CBS
Within the storyline, Ellie’s exit is attributed to her involvement in an undercover mission orchestrated by Odette Malone, played by Elayn J. Taylor. Odette seeks to provide Ellie with unique training, which Ellie finds thrilling. However, before she departs, a twist unfolds when Ellie is accused of an old intelligence leak from a decade ago, leading her colleagues to suspect she might have been a mole all along. In reality, this accusation is a ruse—crafted by Odette to enhance Ellie’s credibility with her new deep cover targets. As part of this mission, Ellie must also end her budding relationship with Nick Torres, played by Wilmer Valderrama, delivering one of the show’s most poignant moments.
Since saying goodbye to “NCIS,” Wickersham has embraced a new chapter in her personal life. She wed James Badge Dale on September 27, 2024, and the couple has welcomed two sons: Cassius Wickersham Dale in 2021 and Zephyr Badgett Dale in 2024. Her professional endeavors have taken a back seat as she has focused on motherhood.
Fans of Wickersham may be disappointed to learn she hasn’t taken on any new acting roles since leaving “NCIS.” After the intense demands of the show, she felt the need to unwind and recalibrate. On the “Off Duty: An NCIS Rewatch” podcast, she explained, “It was a mix of decompressing and figuring out life without work. Being on ‘NCIS’ is all-consuming, leaving little time for anything else. Adjusting to life after was a significant change for me.”
The future of Wickersham’s acting career, or a potential return of Ellie Bishop to “NCIS,” remains uncertain. In the interim, she stays connected with her fans through Instagram updates. In 2025, she reconnected with David J. North, a former “NCIS” co-executive producer and “NCIS: Origins” co-showrunner. During her visit, she watched a rough cut of Episode 5 from the second season of “Origins” and even received a cap featuring the show’s logo, indicating that while Ellie may have burned bridges within the storyline, Wickersham certainly hasn’t in real life.
Emily Wickersham is still in hiatus mode
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Unfortunately for her fans, Emily Wickersham hasn’t taken on a new role since leaving Ellie behind. The actor admits she needed to take a breath and relax after working so hard on “NCIS.” “It was a combo of decompressing and trying to really relax and figure out how things were going to be without work,” she said on “Off Duty: An NCIS Rewatch.” “Because as you guys know, it’s all consuming. Your life is all ‘NCIS’ when you’re on that show. It’s all day, every day, and you’re not really left with much time to do many things outside of that. So that was a real adjustment for me.”
There’s no word as to whether Wickersham will resume her career, or if Ellie Bishop will make a return to “NCIS” in a guest-starring capacity. In the meantime, Wickersham keeps her fans posted on how things are going for her via her Instagram. In 2025, she reunited with former “NCIS” co-executive producer and “NCIS: Origins” co-showrunner David J. North: She apparently spent time watching a rough cut of Episode 5 of “Origins” Season 2, and even came away with a cap bearing the show’s logo. It’s clear she hasn’t burned any bridges, even if Ellie has.
