NCIS star Pauley Perrette and Criminal Minds actress Kirsten Vangsness have been close friends for decades, and their bond remains strong. In June, the pair attended Sarah McLachlan’s 30th anniversary concert for her album “Fumbling Towards Ecstasy” at the Hollywood Bowl, where Kirsten shared a rare glimpse into their friendship.
“This is our traditional pose of sisterhood,” Kirsten captioned the post, which featured two pictures: one from the concert and another from years earlier. In both photos, Pauley had her arms wrapped around Kirsten’s shoulders from behind.
Pauley and Kirsten have both starred in hit CBS series for years, with Pauley playing Abby Sciuto on NCIS since 2003 and Kirsten debuting as Penelope Garcia on Criminal Minds in 2005. Although Pauley left NCIS in 2018, and Criminal Minds was canceled in 2020, the show was revived in 2023 as Criminal Minds: Evolution, with Kirsten returning as Penelope Garcia.
Their paths have crossed numerous times at CBS events, strengthening their friendship. Pauley is also friends with Kirsten’s co-star Matthew Gray Gubler. In a 2009 interview, Matthew, Kirsten, and Pauley joked about a crossover episode where Penelope and Abby are best friends from school, and Matthew’s Dr. Spencer Reid attended MIT with Abby.
While Kirsten and Pauley may not have appeared on each other’s TV shows, they have supported each other in other ways. Kirsten guest-starred on Pauley’s record “Beautiful Child,” released to support suicide prevention for LGBTQ youth through The Trevor Project. They also appeared together in an “It Gets Better” PSA for the cause. In 2013, they presented at the Streamy Awards, where they humorously challenged themselves to hold hands the entire time they were on stage, even while opening an envelope. They also enjoyed the “free cheese” backstage, showcasing their quirky humor and similarities.
Pauley has been a guest several times on Kirsten’s podcast, “Kirsten’s Agenda,” where Kirsten praised Pauley’s “unconditional kindness” and expressed pride in her friend’s actions. Kirsten affectionately refers to Pauley with nicknames like “sparkle horse” and “punk rock magic princess of all things good.”