<P> Prior to taking up a career in acting, Pauley Perrette had studied at John Jay School of Criminal Science in New York, having previously aspired "to work with animals, be in a rock' n' roll band, or be an FBI agent ." She eventually began acting, later saying, "There's no drug that I ever did that worked as well as being an actor . What you're looking for with substance abuse is escape . But with acting, you can escape into 1,000 different things without almost killing yourself doing it . Acting is a total drug!" </P> <P> Perrette was cast for the role of Abby Sciuto in 2003 . On the subject of her character's creation and its purpose, she said "(NCIS creator) Don Bellisario told me that when he created Magnum, P.I. he wanted to introduce a Vietnam vet who defied the negative stereotype . So with Abby, he wanted to take an alternative - style person with tattoos and make her someone who is happy, totally put together and successful . All the script said about her was: black hair, caffeinated and smart...She's completely unaware that anybody thinks she looks weird . She thinks she looks pretty and never calls herself anything other than happy . And I fight for that ." </P> <P> Child actress Brighton Sharbino was cast to portray 10 - year - old Abby for the season 10 episode "Hit and Run", which featured several flashbacks to a young Abby . Sharbino, who strongly resembled Perrette, reportedly spent time with the latter "in part to pick up on the NCIS vet's mannerisms and such ." </P> <P> Abby has a gothic style of dress, including black dresses and T - shirts, miniskirts, and goth jewelry, including anklets and toe rings . She wears pigtailed dyed hair (due to Perrette's hair being dyed as she is a natural blonde) and has at least nine tattoos on her neck, arms, back, ankle, and other places . Her neck choker appears to be one of her favorite pieces of jewelry . While some of the tattoos are Perrette's and real, others are makeup, such as the large cross on her back applied on occasions when Perrette shows her bare back on camera . The spider web on her neck is not real, either, as producer Bellisario wanted the character to have a tattoo that would be visible (almost) all the time . However, Perrette has expressed dislike for the spider tattoo, saying, "It only takes a few minutes to do, but it feels like old chewing gum," and wishes for an episode where Abby gets it removed . Abby also has a stuffed hippo named "Bert" that makes flatulence noises when squeezed, which has been used for comic effect when Abby is upset . She decorates some of the areas in her lab with toys such as' Bleeding Edge Goth' dolls and' Teddy Scares' . The Teddy Scare' Rita Mortis' can be seen sitting next to her computer monitor . Abby's biggest pet peeve, as revealed in season five's "Lost and Found" by Timothy McGee, is people who claim to be vegetarians, but still eat chicken; her second - biggest pet peeve is people who mishandle evidence . </P>

How old is the character abby on ncis