Pauley Perrette may have retired from acting in 2020, but the NCIS alum still knows how to make an entrance. Earlier this week, the 56-year-old star made a rare public appearance at an Indigo Girls concert in California — and she wasn’t alone. Joining her was her close friend and fellow TV favorite, Criminal Minds’ Kirsten Vangsness.
The sighting delighted fans, many of whom had no idea the two had been friends for decades. It turns out the bond between Abby Sciuto and Penelope Garcia — two whip-smart, fan-favorite crime-solvers from different TV universes — exists in real life, too.
Life After Abby Sciuto
Since stepping away from Hollywood after 15 seasons as forensic scientist Abby Sciuto on NCIS (2003–2018), Perrette has embraced a quieter, more personal life. She now devotes her time to documentary projects, humanitarian causes, LGBTQ+ activism, home renovations, and spending time with loved ones.
While she’s stayed largely out of the public eye, Perrette remains active behind the scenes, championing causes close to her heart and occasionally surprising fans with updates — and this week’s concert outing was one such surprise.
A Friendship Written in TV History
Vangsness, 53, has played quirky, brilliant FBI technical analyst Penelope Garcia on Criminal Minds since its 2005 debut, also appearing in spin-offs Suspect Behavior and Beyond Borders. Over the years, she and Perrette have formed a lasting friendship, even presenting together at the Streamy Awards and joking about crossover ideas.
In one interview, Vangsness playfully suggested that Abby and Garcia were best friends from school, with co-star Matthew Gray Gubler adding that “Reid and Abby went to MIT together.” While it never happened on screen, fans now say they’d pay to see that “theoretical” episode become reality.
A Night of Music, Color, and Connection
At the Indigo Girls concert, Perrette sported her trademark rainbow-colored locks, a white T-shirt with the U.S. flag and “Evil Empire” slogan, and classic jeans. Vangsness opted for a brighter ensemble: the band’s own purple vest paired with a red mini skirt, patterned trainers, socks, a matching headband, and her signature glasses.
Vangsness later shared photos and a heartfelt caption about the importance of creating joyful moments:
“String those moments together… our strings of lovely experiences give us more fortitude to be of service to our country and our world that is so much in pain and distortion.”
She called the concert “MAGNIFICENT,” adding that it gave her the energy to call her congresspeople the next morning.
Fans Go Wild Over the Pairing
Once the photos hit social media, fans flooded the comments with excitement:
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“Penélope and Abby!”
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“You and Pauley spending time together is something I didn’t know I needed to see.”
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“Pen and Abby is a spinoff crossover I didn’t know I needed before this. Omg!”
Whether or not such a crossover ever happens, one thing is clear: Perrette and Vangsness have a friendship as colorful and enduring as the characters that made them famous.
