CBS made a crucial error during a robbery scene on NCIS, one that turned into a dangerous ordeal for the three actors involved.
NCIS has endured for an incredibly long time. With such a long journey, though, things had to veer off course occasionally. Fans were disappointed by Eric Christian Olsen’s contentious departure from the show. Cote de Pablo also departed under difficult circumstances, but she continued working on different projects afterward.
The dilemma that may have developed into a complete nightmare and calamity is the subject of the next section. CBS made the grave error of failing to inform others that a sequence was going to be filmed. An armed SWAT unit arrived, turning the jewelry store theft into a nightmare. We’ll discuss what happened and the three actors engaged in this horrific event. Over the incident, CBS was sued in court. We’ll discuss what happened in detail while also looking at other troubling events that occurred behind the scenes.
CBS Failed To Notify Local Authorities And Other Nearby Businesses That A Scene For NCIS Was Being Shot
It is entirely logical that a nearby business owner chose to contact the police… Imagine watching men emerge from an unmarked van with weapons and ski masks. We assume that informing the authorities would be the honorable thing to do. That’s exactly what took place, and that’s what caused all the commotion. The lawsuit claims that this occurred because CBS allegedly forgot to notarize everyone in the area, including law enforcement.
According to TMZ, not notifying others about the scene turned things into complete chaos. Suddenly, the actors faced actual real life cops who were holding them at gun point. TMZ writes, “This prompted cops to race to the scene and point their very real weapons at the actors … who say they could have been killed by the officers with one false move. The 3 men claim the ordeal was terrifying and traumatizing … and they’re still feeling the psychological effects.”
Thankfully, nobody was harmed, however, the traumatic experience turned into a massive lawsuit for the actors involved, along with the jewelry store owner.
Two Actors On NCIS: New Orleans Filed A Lawsuit After They Were Held At Gunpoint By Real Cops
The situation would be taken to court. According to the three men involved in the scene, they were contacted by CBS in October about what the show had in mind. Everyone involved figured that the shoot was going to be standard, and that CBS had received the permits to shoot such a scene. However, it was clear that this was not the case, and it would be taken to court.
TMZ writes of the lawsuit, “The 2 actors involved in the scene, along with the jewelry store owner, have filed a lawsuit in L.A against CBS for allegedly misleading them into shooting a realistic “guerrilla-style” armed robbery in broad daylight … without proper permits or giving cops and neighbors a heads up.”
At the time, CBS failed to issue a statement and kept the matter quiet. We can’t say the same for the show’s ordeal with creator Don Bellisario, who walked away with $116 million from CBS after his lawsuit over profits. As for this ordeal, it is likely that things were settled quietly outside of court. It was certainly a scary situation for the three actors involved. Surely, CBS learned their lesson after this drama took place.
NCIS Faced Lots Of Other Controversy Behind The Scenes, Including Other Upset Actors
In actuality, NCIS encountered a lot of controversy during its existence. Not only were there numerous lawsuits, but there was also conflict among the cast members behind the scenes. Cote de Pablo, in particular, didn’t like her time as a contestant. The actress believed that her Ziva David character wasn’t treated with the appropriate level of respect on the show, despite the fact that she had grown to care deeply for her. She left as a result, and it was a very bitter one.
“I worked eight years in crafting this character and loving her, so when I felt the character was not being treated with the respect that she deserved, all the money in the world [couldn’t make me stay],” she tells All VIPP.
The relationship between Pauley Perrette and Mark Harmon was also problematic behind the scenes to the point where Perrette refused to film scenes with Harmon. Others on the show could have found the actor’s intensity to be a little too much to bear. Even Michael Weatherly initially had a bad relationship with Harmon. The actor constantly maintained a high level of tension, but as time went on, Michael grew to realize and understand why the actor was agitated even when no cameras were there.