When a TV show becomes a hit, everyone involved hopes to replicate that success. This often leads to suggestions of creating spin-offs. Unfortunately, most spin-offs turn out to be disappointing. However, fans of NCIS were lucky because the New Orleans-based spin-off enjoyed tremendous success during its seven seasons.
Being part of a hit show is a dream come true for most actors. Sadly, this dream can quickly turn into a nightmare when co-stars who seem friendly onscreen cannot stand each other in real life.
The NCIS franchise has had its fair share of drama. With three shows already released and plans for two more spin-offs, many actors have been associated with the franchise. While most have spoken positively about their experiences, one actor didn't enjoy working with the star of NCIS, Mark Harmon. There were reports of tension on set after Harmon's dog bit a crew member, causing co-star Pauley Perrette to object to the dog being on set.
After the dog incident, tensions escalated between Harmon and Perrette to the point where they refused to film together. Shortly after, Perrette left NCIS and eventually retired from acting. While she never explicitly blamed the set drama for her retirement, it is likely that it played a role.
In 2021, when the third season of the show You premiered, fans were eager to discover what would happen next. One of the highlights of the season turned out to be Shalita Grant's portrayal of Sherry Conrad, a social media-obsessed woman.
During an appearance on the talk show Tamron Hall, Grant discussed her decision to leave NCIS: New Orleans after four seasons, despite the show's success. She revealed that she felt compelled to leave due to the treatment she experienced on set. Grant explained that she was treated differently by the show's hair department because of her race, and this resulted in severe damage to her hair.
Grant documented the physical damage caused by the treatment her hair received, which included bald spots and threat of hair loss. She pointed out that while fans may have noticed her character's ever-changing ponytail, they were unaware of the struggles she faced with her natural hair. This led Grant to have her hair done off-set before coming to work. When she and her co-stars didn't want to do anything that would ruin their hair, Grant was the only one labeled as "difficult."
Being labeled "difficult" as a black woman in the industry is a severe blow. Grant emphasized that this type of reputation is essentially a death sentence for a black woman in show business.
