“NCIS” fans are no strangers to saying goodbye, with different characters having come and gone over the years. As a result, while the series has consistently stuck to its procedural format throughout its time on the air, viewers have grown used to the fact that any one of its stars could choose to step away at any time. That didn’t, however, make it easier for fans to accept when Emily Wickersham, who played Special Agent Eleanor Bishop on “NCIS” for eight years, decided to say farewell to the series in 2021.
Since then, Wickersham has mostly stayed out of the spotlight. Indeed, she hasn’t appeared in a single project since making her “NCIS” exit, nor has she expressed much public interest in resuming her acting career anytime soon. On the contrary, she’s seemingly been enjoying her home life with her partner, fellow actor James Badge Dale (“World War Z,” “Iron Man 3”), and their son, to whom she gave birth in December 2021.
That said, just because Wickersham has been content with letting the “NCIS” Season 18 finale rema in her most recent acting credit, that doesn’t mean she’s been hesitant to pursue some of her other, non-Hollywood-related interests.
Emily Wickersham started a Substack newsletter in 2023
While “NCIS” fans wait to see Emily Wickersham get cast in a new project, they can still engage with her via her Substack newsletter, Why Not? The newsletter, launched in November 2023, covers everything from her love of fashion to her affection for New York City and her thoughts on motherhood. To date, Wickersham has published five pieces, all of which have given fans insights into her life and opinions the likes of which no episode of “NCIS” could offer. How long she intends to keep her newsletter running is a mystery, as is whether or not she ever plans to pick her acting career back up.
It’s worth noting that it’s possible Wickersham could return to “NCIS” in the future — as those who are aware of what happened to Bishop on “NCIS” will already know, the Season 18 finale purposefully leaves that door open. On the one hand, when she commemorated her exit from the series on Instagram, she seemed content with what she’d done and ready to start the next chapter of her life. On the other hand, once enough time has passed, it’s possible that her interest in reprising her role could be sparked. Either way, there’s always the option of either checking out or revisiting all the “NCIS” episodes Eleanor Bishop fans need to watch.