Former NCIS star Michael Weatherly, who played Tony DiNozzo for 13 seasons, once found a creative way to avoid being used as a background actor on the show.

During an episode of the Partners and Probies podcast, Brian Dietzen shared a funny behind-the-scenes story involving Weatherly. According to Dietzen, Weatherly was asked to appear in the background of a cr1me scene without any lines. After learning he would simply be seen cleaning up in the background, Weatherly agreed but decided to have some fun with it.

Instead of quietly blending into the scene, he repeatedly carried a ladder from a truck to a van and back again throughout filming. Dietzen recalled Weatherly joking afterward that the production team probably wouldn’t ask him to do much background work again.

Weatherly left NCIS in 2016 after portraying Tony DiNozzo for over a decade. He later explained that the departure of co-star Cote de Pablo, who played Ziva David, and his desire to pursue new opportunities influenced his decision to leave the series.

The pair eventually reunited for the spin-off NCIS: Tony & Ziva, although the show lasted only one season. While there are no current plans for another return, Weatherly has joked about revisiting the franchise someday in a project he humorously called “NCIS: Retirement Home.”

For now, fans can still enjoy Weatherly’s memorable run as Tony DiNozzo, along with stories that show why he became one of the franchise’s most beloved stars.