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Former 'NCIS' co-star called out for defending Michael Weatherly after Eliza Dushku's claims of sexual harassment

Michael Weatherly with Sasha Alexander, right, and Gina Phillips. (Photo: Maury Phillips/WireImage)
Michael Weatherly with Sasha Alexander, right, and Gina Phillips. (Photo: Maury Phillips/WireImage)

A former co-star is sticking up for Michael Weatherly just days after the New York Times reported that CBS paid actress Eliza Dushku a confidential settlement of $9.5 million last year after she complained that he had sexually harassed her on the set of their show, Bull. Dushku was subsequently written off the show, in which she played Weatherly’s onscreen love interest.

Although the revelation has raised further concern about CBS‘s history with sexual misconduct claims under disgraced chairman Les Moonves, one former co-star is standing by Weatherly.

Sasha Alexander, who played Special Agent Caitlin Todd alongside Weatherly on NCIS, shared a photo and a message offering her support.

Many NCIS fans reacted by calling Alexander a “true friend.” But the former Rizzoli & Isles actress’s gesture also sparked backlash from those who found it inappropriate, given Dushku’s claims of being subjected to talk of threesomes and “rape vans” at work.

Weatherly issued a statement acknowledging that his behavior with Dushku was “not appropriate.”

“During the course of taping our show, I made some jokes mocking some lines in the script,” he said in response to the N.Y. Times report. “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.”

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