Lauren Holly

Lauren (why her husband is different from the men from her past relationships): I never really had an a--hole guy in my life. In fact, they were the most amazing men on the planet. It was just that their personalities were as big as mine, if not bigger. So to meet somebody who was so stable and down-to-earth was very new. Even the idea of dating was new. In my 20s and 30s, people didn't date. You went out in large groups and eventually you went home together. But with Francis, there were actual dates where he would plan things and call to tell me what time he was picking me up. He wanted me to meet his family. It was so different and it took a little time to understand it.

Lauren (why she stopped acting when she got engaged): I realized this whole other world was out there and open to me. I had been very fortunate in my career up until that point, but for the first time I thought, I just want to settle down, be with the man that I love, and start a family. So I kind of dropped out of the business and moved to New York with Francis and we got an apartment together.

Lauren: Maybe I'm more relaxed that I used to be. I enjoy my work, but you see all these young starlets who want to be in magazines and at all the parties and, for me, it's more about the actual work now. I don't chase any of that other stuff and I look back on that period and it was not fun.

Lauren (on working with Mark Harmon previously on Chicago Hope): He was a bit stand-offish to me at that time, because I'd been brought on for the last year of the show after some of the other female characters were let go and Mark is fiercely loyal to those he cares about. But I thought it was a bit rude and we butted heads a little. Then Mark directed an episode that I was very big in and through that process we got to know each other and started to like each other.

Lauren (on playing a powerful woman on NCIS): It's great because the real NCIS isn't ready for a female director yet, so I'm proud that we break that ground on the show, as if to say, 'Why not?' I've always worked hard myself, going to college on a scholarship and driving a forklift to pay my rent. I was raised with an incredible work ethic, so I really understand her drive and why she's good at what she does.

Lauren (on fitting in with the rest of the NCIS cast): When I first arrived, I was nervous because that cast had been together for a long time and were a big family. When I got to the set, I saw Pauley Perrette (Abby) and I stuck out my hand to shake her hand and she pushed my hand away and hugged me for five minutes, so that was a great introduction. It's genuinely a place with no egos and that's unusual in this business.

Lauren (about her first appearance on NCIS in episode Kill Ari, Part 1): Did you see the first episode? ... Did you see what we were doing in that flashback? Holy cow. Yeah, I think there's going to be some interesting stuff between Mark and me.

Lauren: It started out with ordering 150 T-shirts that said, 'It's Mark Harmon's birthday,' that we passed out to the entire crew.

Lauren: One of the things I was excited about... is that I get one of those black-and-white things.

Lauren (about trying to get pregnant): I like trying. I'm not so sure about childbirth.

Lauren (about acting in NCIS): He had big input into me coming on the show. I was wary of coming back into that hour world, and to join a show that's already on - you never know the temperament of the set. You better love working there, because I can't tell you how depressing it can get if you don't.

Lauren: I had that L.A. mentality, I shredded the garbage and I had picked a house that was isolated.

Lauren: They're always so much fun. And this is a great one because all the music is live.

Lauren: I sure am putting on the frequent flier miles!