“NCIS” fans have a special place in their hearts for the dynamic between Mark Harmon’s Leroy Jethro Gibbs and Michael Weatherly’s Anthony DiNozzo, even though both actors have left the show. Surprisingly, the iconic “Gibbs Slap” was never part of the script and became a fan-favorite element of their interactions.
Mark Harmon portrayed Leroy Jethro Gibbs in nearly 400 episodes of “NCIS,” while Michael Weatherly appeared in 306 episodes before his departure in 2016. Over 13 seasons, their characters, Gibbs and DiNozzo, formed a compelling partnership.
The “Gibbs Slap” is a signature move that Gibbs uses on his colleagues, most frequently on DiNozzo but occasionally on others. Fans dearly missed this hallmark action once Harmon left the show.
The “Gibbs slap” involved Gibbs delivering a swift head slap to his coworkers. Interestingly, it was never a scripted action. The first head slap occurred spontaneously during the filming of the series. When Weatherly deviated from the script in the early days of the show, Harmon impulsively delivered a head slap to get him back on track. Weatherly embraced the unscripted moment, which was included in the fifth episode of the series, and fans loved it. Subsequently, it became a regular and endearing part of the show, lasting until Harmon and Weatherly exited the program.
Both Mark Harmon and Michael Weatherly left the cast of “NCIS,” with Weatherly departing after the conclusion of Season 13. Weatherly expressed his desire to explore new opportunities as the reason for leaving his character, DiNozzo.
Harmon left the show in 2021 after nearly 18 seasons as Gibbs, citing similar reasons as Weatherly. He wanted to experiment with new roles and engage in different projects. Additionally, he sought a better work-life balance, as filming often kept him away from his family. However, this departure doesn’t rule out a potential return in the future.