Pauley Perrette

Pauley Perrette

Perrette in September 2014
Born March 27, 1969[1]
New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
Other names Pauley P.
Occupation Actress, singer, writer, entrepreneur[2]
Years active 1994–present
Denomination United Methodist[3]
Spouse(s) Coyote Shivers (m. 2000–04) (divorced)[4]

Pauley Perrette (born March 27, 1969)[1] is an American actress, best known for playing Abby Sciuto on the U.S. TV series NCIS. She is also a published writer,[5] a singer and civil rights advocate.[6] Perrette also co-owns the "Donna Bell's Bake Shop" in Manhattan.[2]

Early life

Perrette was born in New Orleans and raised all over the southern United States.[6] On The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, she told host Craig Ferguson that she lived in Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, New York, New Jersey, and California. In a 2011 interview with the Associated Press, Perrette confessed her early ambitions were to work with animals, be in a rock and roll band or be an FBI agent.[7] She attended Valdosta State University in Valdosta, Georgia, where she studied criminal justice,[8] and later moved to New York City to study at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice. While in New York she held a variety of jobs: "Not only was I bartending in club-kids scene, with a bra and combat boots and a white Mohawk, but I also wore a sandwich board on roller skates passing out flyers for Taco Bell in the Diamond District." Perrette also worked as a cook on a Manhattan dinner cruise boat.[7]

Career

Perrette at the NOH8 Campaign in 2009

Perrette has worked for years in television and film, mostly doing commercials, voice-overs, music videos and short films, and worked as a bartender in New York City.[1][6] It was while working odd jobs in New York that a friend introduced her to an advertising agency director. From then on, according to Perrette, "I started booking commercials like crazy!" This prompted her move to Los Angeles, where she had a variety of bit parts and made several guest appearances.[7] In 2001, as a recurring character introduced in season two of Special Unit 2, she played Alice Cramer, the Unit's public relations person. She then landed her current role, playing Abby Sciuto, an eccentric forensic scientist, on NCIS, a TV series based on the Naval Criminal Investigative Service. Perrette's initial appearances as the character were on two episodes of JAG aired in spring of 2003 that served as a backdoor pilot and introduced the characters. She has since appeared as Abby in two 2009 episodes of NCIS: Los Angeles. As of August 2011, she had the highest Q Score (a measurement of the familiarity and appeal) of any actor on a U.S. prime time show.[9]

She also appeared as a waitress at Cafe Nervosa in Frasier during season four (in the episode "Three Dates and a Break Up"), and later guest starred in season one of 24. She has made appearances in several films, including The Ring and Almost Famous.

In addition to acting, Perrette is a published poet, writer (her short story "Cheers..." appears in the anthology Pills, Thrills, Chills, and Heartache: Adventures in the First Person), photographer, and spoken-word artist, a lover of music of all kinds, and a passionate advocate for civil rights. In 2007, she began production on a documentary about U.S. civil rights attorney and author Mark Lane.[6][10] Entitled "Citizen Lane", it was completed in 2013.

In an 2005 interview with Craig Ferguson, the host of The Late, Late Show, Perrette said she has a lifelong crime obsession. She was an undergrad student in sociology, psychology, and criminal science. She started her master's degree in criminal science before ending up in the entertainment industry. She now plays a forensic scientist, her former career goal.[11]

In the January/February 2010 Performer Q Score, Perrette tied in the top 3 alongside Tom Hanks and Morgan Freeman. She was also the only female to make the top 10.[12]

Perrette started appearing in television commercials for Expedia.com in late 2010. She made a guest appearance as a judge on season four, episode six of RuPaul's Drag Race.

Music

Perrette recorded her song, "Fear" (co-written with Tom Polce) under the name "Stop Making Friends". The song was recorded for NCIS: The Official TV Soundtrack which was released on February 10, 2009. "Fear" was featured in a season-six episode of NCIS titled "Aliyah", according to the soundtrack's website.[13]

Prior to this, Perrette was the lead singer in the Los Angeles-based, all-female band Lo-Ball, using the stage name "Pauley P.".[14] A song by Lo-Ball, "Can't Get Me Down", can be heard during the movie Legally Blonde. Perrette appeared in "The Unnamed Feeling" video for heavy metal band Metallica from their album St. Anger. In 2011, Perrette was the featured vocalist on a song called "Fire in Your Eyes" by B. Taylor, a Las Vegas-based hip-hop artist.[15][16]

Personal life

Perrette in October 2009

Perrette was married for three years to actor and musician Coyote Shivers. She has been granted restraining orders against him since leaving him; she has alleged that Shivers subjected her to physical, emotional and sexual abuse during and after their marriage.[4]

Perrette supports many charitable organizations, including animal rescue, the American Red Cross, civil rights, and LGBT rights. During the fall of 2008, Perrette opposed the California ballot initiative Proposition 8, writing a public letter urging Californians to vote against the measure.[17] She is a member of the Hollywood United Methodist Church.[18]

She was engaged to cameraman Michael Bosman, however the two were not legally married, saying they would wait until everyone can get married in the United States. They instead filed for all the legal protections that are available to same-sex couples. The couple had dated for four years, but Bosman did not propose until the legalization of same-sex marriage in California in June 2008. The couple then campaigned very publicly against California's Prop. 8.[19] Perrette and Bosman later split, and in December 2011 she announced her engagement to former British Royal Marine Thomas Arklie.[20] She has again announced that the couple will not marry until Proposition 8 is invalidated.[21]

Perrette toured the real NCIS offices on September 30, 2005, accompanied by an Entertainment Tonight camera crew. During the tour, NCIS Regional Forensic Lab director Dawn Sorenson (Abby's real life counterpart) told Perrette, "You make us all look good, so we're grateful."[22]

The character Abby Sciuto was created by Donald P. Bellisario, who "wanted to create...a character who was seemingly an 'alternafreak,' while portraying her as perhaps the smartest, most capable person on television. Not a junkie, killer, loser, or television stereotype." Perrette added some of her own "contributions" to the character, and also conferred with her friend Clint Catalyst, the "author of Cottonmouth Kisses [who is] often brought in as a guest on TV shows when they are doing pieces on goth or alternative culture." Perrette explained that "Clint and I and our 3,000 closest friends all play together...We've never sat around and labeled each other. Sure, there are nights when a certain event leans more towards one style than the other, but it's not like some turf war with gang colors." Like her character, Perrette has often been asked if she's goth or punk, to which her response is "Who cares?" Consequently, she told her employers that her character isn't the type to seek out a label; Abby "wouldn't call herself anything but Abby...What she represents is a smart, capable chick that cannot be reduced to a stereotype."[23]

Perrette worked with America's Most Wanted in February 2004 to present the city of Prattville, Alabama, with a check for $10,000, which will be used to supplement the reward offer for information leading to the arrest of the person who killed Shannon Paulk.[24] Paulk was from Prattville, Alabama, near where Perrette had once lived as a child. Perrette also donated $10,000 to Detroit law enforcement officials to be used as a reward for information regarding the disappearance/murder of Raven Jeffries,[25] a 7-year-old Detroit girl. (Perrette's husband was from Detroit.)[26] The story originally aired on America's Most Wanted on September 8, 2007 on Fox. She also asked them for help in finding the person(s) who killed her friend, Lisa Williamson, who was murdered in 2007 after her Detroit home was set on fire. In 2009, Perrette worked with America's Most Wanted on the case of Tammy Vincent.[27]

Perrette was hospitalized in 2014 after "a severe allergic reaction to her [character's] trademark ink-black [hair] color." She told CBS News in Los Angeles that her face had swollen to twice its size and warned that "anyone out there [who] dyes their hair, particularly black, you need to be aware of the symptoms."[28]

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes
1994 Magical Make-Over Shannon ABC Afterschool Specials
1996–97 Murder One Gwen 10 episodes
1996 Frasier Rebecca 2 episodes (credited as: Pauley P)
1997 Early Edition Theresa Laparco Episode: "Mob Wife" (credited as: Pauley P)
1997 Price of Kissing, TheThe Price of Kissing Renee
1998 Hand on the Pump Hi-Girl
1998 Hoofboy
1998 That's Life Lisa 6 episodes
1998 Naked Truth, TheThe Naked Truth Ilana Episode: "The Seer and the Sucker"
1998 Drew Carey Show, TheThe Drew Carey Show Darcy 4 episodes
1999 Batman Beyond Cop (voice) Episode: "Golem"
1999 Jesse Gwen 3 episodes
1999 Veronica's Closet Nicole Episode: "Veronica's Little Ruse"
1999 Batman Beyond: The Movie Police officer Voice
1999–
2000		 Time of Your Life Cecilia Wiznarksi 21 episodes
2000 Civility Carolyn
2000 Almost Famous Alice Wisdom
2001 Smash Charley Unknown episodes
2001 My First Mister Bebe
2001 Dead Last Erica Episode: "Death Is in the Air"
2001 Philly Angela Episode: "Light My Fire"
2001 Dawson's Creek Rachel Weir, Ph.D. 2 episodes
2001 American Shame, TheThe American Shame Associate producer
2001–02 Special Unit 2 Alice Cramer 4 episodes
2002 24 Tanya 2 episodes
2002 Red Skies Patty Peirson TV
2002 Ring, TheThe Ring Beth
2002 Hungry Hearts Cokie Conner
2002 Haunted Nadine Episode: "Fidelity"
2003 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Candeece Episode: "Lady Heather's Box"
2003 JAG Abby Sciuto 2 episodes
2003 Ash Tuesday Gina Mascara
2003 Brother Bear Female Lover Bear Voice
2003–
present		 NCIS Abby Sciuto All episodes
2004 Cut and Run Jolene
2004 Moment of Grace, AA Moment of Grace Dr. Grace Peters
2005 Potheads: The Movie LuLu
2008 Singularity Is Near, TheThe Singularity Is Near Ramona
2009 Satan Hates You Marie Flowers
2009 NCIS: Los Angeles Abby Sciuto 2 episodes
2012[29] I Am Bad Mom
2012 Superman vs. The Elite Lois Lane Voice
2013 Citizen Lane self, director Documentary on Mark Lane
2014 NCIS: New Orleans Abby Sciuto 1 episodes

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Pauley Perrette". Baseline Studio systems. Retrieved 2009-02-08.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Donna Bell's Bake Shop". Donna Bell's Bake Shop. Retrieved March 12, 2013.
  3. ↑ "Pauley Perrette: Acting on Faith". United Methodist Communications/United Methodist Church. June 2, 2011. Retrieved February 11, 2013.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Friedman, Roger. "NCIS Actress Pauley Perrette's Endless Nightmare Divorce." Fox News, September 28, 2006.
  5. ↑ Catalyst, Clint; Tea, Michelle. Pills, Thrills, Chills, and Heartache: Adventures in the First Person. p. 201. ISBN 1-55583-753-0.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 "Pauley Perrette". CBS. 2007. Archived from the original on 2007-09-30. Retrieved 2007-10-10.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Associated Press via Kirksville Daily Express. "Pauley Perrette: Goth go-to gal on NCIS". 2011-12-15.
  8. ↑ "Pauley Perrette Biography". TVGuide.com. 1969-03-27. Retrieved 2011-09-11.
  9. ↑ Rice, Lynette (August 3, 2011). "The most popular star in primetime is...". Inside TV (blog). Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2011-08-04.
  10. ↑ "Pauley Perrette". Hollywood Media Corp. Archived from the original on 2013-01-25. Retrieved 2007-10-10.
  11. ↑ "The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jW5y63J_rSM. 2005-05-25. CBS. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  12. ↑ Baldwin, Kristen (2010-03-22). "Pauley Perrette as appealing as Tom Hanks and Morgan Freeman? Kinda awesome. | PopWatch | EW.com". Popwatch.ew.com. Retrieved 2011-09-11.
  13. ↑ "NCIS: The Official TV Soundtrack". Ncismusic.com. Retrieved 2009-06-27.
  14. ↑ Ridge, Carla (July 2000). "I Love the Nightlife". Mash Magazine.
  15. ↑ Tyler, Aaron (May 11, 2011). "GET TO KNOW: B. Taylor". WPIA-FM. Retrieved May 15, 2011.
  16. ↑ Hatch, Danielle (May 6, 2011). "Dunlap native finding success in hip-hop world". Retrieved May 15, 2011.
  17. ↑ "NCIS Star Pauley Perrette Takes On Prop. 8". The Advocate. 2008-10-28. Retrieved 2009-04-13.
  18. ↑ "AfterElton Interview". Retrieved 2009-08-24.
  19. ↑ Hernandez, Greg (2009-04-12). "Why I am a fan of Pauley Perrette". Greginhollywood.com. Retrieved 2011-09-11.
  20. ↑ NCIS' Pauley Perrette Is Engaged — Again
  21. ↑ Engaged NCIS Star Pauley Perrette Tweets She Won't Marry Until Prop 8 is Repealed
  22. ↑ Marcelo, Marla (2005-10-24). "'NCIS' actress Pauley Perrette visits the real NCIS" (PDF). Navy NewsStand. Retrieved 2007-10-10.
  23. ↑ Perrette, Pauley (Summer 2004), "Dearest Abby", Asleep By Dawn: 54
  24. ↑ "Unknown Shannon Paulk killer". America's Most Wanted. Fox. 2007-09-04. Retrieved 2007-10-10.
  25. ↑ "Unknown Raven Jeffries Killer". America's Most Wanted. Fox. 2007-09-07. Retrieved 2007-10-10.
  26. ↑ Nicholas, Jess. "Case gets 'N.C.I.S.' star's attention". Prattville Progress. Archived from the original on 2007-09-27. Retrieved 2007-07-24.
  27. ↑ "America's Most Wanted". 22 February 2009. Retrieved 11 April 2014.
  28. ↑ "NCIS Star Pauley Perrette Issues Hair Dye Health Warning After Severe Allergic Reaction". losangeles.cbslocal.com: CBS News. July 21, 2014. Retrieved July 21, 2014.
  29. ↑ https://itunes.apple.com/gb/movie/i-am-bad/id693378466 and http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2072126/

External links

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