With the recent reveal of the brand new spin-off series NCIS: Europe, Mark Harmon appears to not be over his longstanding feud with his former co-star.
NCIS is one of the longest-running shows in television history. With over 450 episodes, the military police procedural has spanned across three separate decades. With that much history packed into one TV show, there is bound to be an on-set beef or two. For NCIS, Mark Harmon’s feud with Michael Weatherly was so prominent, that it appears to still be ongoing.
According to a source familiar with the former co-stars’ working relationship, Harmon still has very little patience for Weatherly’s behavior. “As far as he’s [Harmon] concerned, Michael is a toxic pain in the butt,” the source told Closer. “He’s nothing but trouble.” Even after years apart, Harmon still “considers Michael a loose cannon.”
The Details Behind Mark Harmon’s Feud With Michael Weatherly
Bad blood between co-workers is unfortunately a fairly common experience. Whether through a misunderstanding or a good old-fashioned heated disagreement, most beefs lead to relationships that are beyond repair. On the set of Community, Chevy Chase was so despised by Joel McHale that the pair were involved in multiple altercations. Luckily for NCIS fans, Harmon and Weatherly’s feud never got that bad.
In a 2007 interview with The Fulton Critic, Weatherly acknowledged some of his shortcomings on the set of NCIS. When it came to Weatherly’s interactions with Harmon, he believes it all came down to a difference in philosophy. “…Mark Harmon and I were on different poles,” Weatherly said. “I was Antarctica, he was the North Pole and he was just looking down there going ‘What is up with your polarity? What’s going on? The water goes down the drain the other way for me.’ And he was confused by my presence right from the get-go.”
On one particular occasion, Weatherly realized just how different he really was from his co-star. “When CNN Showbiz Today or one of those things asked what was the best part about doing the pilot when were doing the upfronts, I said, ‘I got a rubber gun and I got a fake badge.’ And Harmon looked at me like, ‘That is your CNN answer?’ And I was like a little kid who had one too many bowls of Count Chocula.”
Michael Weatherly’s Behavior Has Been Costly
In 2016, Weatherly exited NCIS to star in the legal drama, Bull. Following a successful season, CBS renewed the show and looked to secure its future. The show signed actress Eliza Dushku to a 3-episode contract, with plans to promote her to a full-time cast member. But when Dushku alleged that Weatherly made several inappropriate comments directed at her, Bull producers promptly ended her contract. After a lengthy investigation, Dushku was awarded a $9.5 settlement in the wake of her termination.
In response to his behavior, Weatherly apologized to Dushku in a statement to the New York Times. “During the course of taping our show, I made some jokes mocking some lines in the script,” Weatherly said in the statement. “When Eliza told me that she wasn’t comfortable with my language and attempt at humor, I was mortified to have offended her and immediately apologized. After reflecting on this further, I better understand that what I said was both not funny and not appropriate and I am sorry and regret the pain this caused Eliza.”
What do you think of Mark Harmon’s feud with Michael Weatherly? Let us know in the comments section.
