Who’s ready for Maria Bello to leave NCIS?
Trick question: The answer is obviously no one! Fans have loved Maria as Jack Sloane for the past few seasons, and it’ll be a sad day when her last episode airs. Especially because viewers have been holding out hope that Sloane and Gibbs (Mark Harmon) would finally make a love connection someday. Hey, there’s still a chance!
Since the show is such a success (there’s even a new spinoff called NCIS: Hawaii coming!) you might rightfully be wondering: Why is Maria Bello leaving NCIS? It doesn’t sound like anything too dramatic happened, but you can get the full story below.
Why did Maria Bello really leave “NCIS”?
Maria is saying goodbye to Sloane and the rest of the NCIS cast simply because her contract has expired, according to CinemaBlend. Her original agreement was for three years, which would have been seasons 15-17. However, season 17 came to an abrupt end due to complications with the coronavirus pandemic. Thankfully, Maria stayed on for a few episodes of season 18, so that her character could get a proper farewell.
It’s also possible that she’s leaving NCIS to pursue other opportunities. According to Newsweek, Maria is working on a new movie called The Woman King, where she will be a writer and a producer. It’s reportedly about an all-female military unity and is said to star Viola Davis. Sloane would definitely approve!
So, what happens to Sloane on “NCIS”?
That’s still unclear. She told Gibbs she wanted to slow down and “just be,” perhaps on a beach somewhere. But the info for her final episode suggests things will end differently:
“When Sloane’s name is discovered in Afghanistan at the site of an abandoned bus with a dead driver, Gibbs accompanies her on a trip to find a group of girls who were kidnapped from the bus. Also, McGee, Bishop, and Torres track down a hacker who emailed compromising information to the Taliban.”
According to TVInsider, we can likely rule out Sloane getting killed off (thank goodness!), as the outlet predicts CBS might want to bring her back in the future.
How does Maria feel about leaving?
Sounds like it’s bittersweet for the actress! She took to Instagram after she finished filming, and posted a bunch of photos with the sweetest caption ever.
“And that’s a wrap for Jack Sloane!!! I’ve learned many things on this journey for the last three and a half years. I learned about commitment and community. I’ve learned that the woman I am enjoys process over product. I’ve never worked with a kinder, more generous group of people," she said. "I only had the privilege of standing by [her wife] Dom’s side during cancer because my producers worked so hard to make sure I was there for every treatment."
She continued, "I understand why this show after 18 years is the most watched in the world—you must all feel our love. Keep watching. I have a feeling there will be many more years to come. Thank you to all of my pals at NCIS and to all of our fans. I am truly grateful.”
Someone grab the tissues, please!
Megan Stein is the executive editor for The Pioneer Woman, and oversees entertainment, features, and news for the website. Whether it's catching up on the latest true crime podcast, or re-watching the best '80s movies for the zillionth time, she's always here to talk about anything and everything relating to pop culture.
