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Cote de Pablo
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María José de Pablo Fernández[1] (born November 12, 1979),[2] known professionally as Coté de Pablo, is a Chilean-American actress. Born in Santiago, Chile, she moved to the United States at the age of 10, where she studied acting.
Key Information
De Pablo co-hosted episodes of the Latin-American talk show Control with former Entertainment Tonight host Carlos Ponce at the age of 15 before attending Carnegie Mellon University to study music and theater. After appearing in a number of television roles, she was cast to portray main character Ziva David in the CBS television series NCIS in 2005 and won an ALMA Award for the role in 2011.
Early life
[edit]She was born on November 12, 1979 in Santiago, Chile,[3] to Francisco de Pablo and María Olga Fernández.[4][5] She has a younger sister,[6] Andrea, and a brother, Francisco, who works as a DJ.[7] When de Pablo was 10 years old, her mother took a job in Miami, Florida, at a Spanish-language television network. While there, de Pablo attended Arvida Middle School and New World School of the Arts, where she studied musical theater. In the fifth grade, she found many people could not pronounce her first name of "María José", so she asked them to call her "Coté", a common Chilean nickname for María José.[8] De Pablo attended Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where she studied drama and appeared in several plays, including And the World Goes 'Round, The House of Bernarda Alba, Indiscretions, The Fantasticks, and A Little Night Music. She graduated in 2000 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Drama.[9]
Acting career
[edit]Early roles
[edit]De Pablo began working in the entertainment industry at age 15, when she hosted some episodes of the talk show Control (1994–95) on Univision, alongside former Entertainment Tonight host Carlos Ponce.[10]
After graduation, she moved to New York City to find work as an actress, working as a waitress in an an Italian eatery in Brooklyn and doing babysitting to support herself. In 2000, she had roles in Fox's The $treet and the CBS-drama The Education of Max Bickford.[11] She picked up parts in the New York City Public Theater, on the TV show All My Children, and in commercials. De Pablo played the role of Marguerite Cisneros in The Jury (broadcast on the Fox Network). The show was short-lived, screening only 10 one-hour episodes. In 2005, De Pablo was about to make her Broadway debut in The Mambo Kings[12] as Dolores Fuentes, but the show closed after a short trial run in San Francisco.[6]
NCIS
[edit]
De Pablo is primarily known for her portrayal of Ziva David, an Israeli Mossad officer turned NCIS agent, in the police procedural drama NCIS. She had submitted a videotape audition while waiting for The Mambo Kings to move forward and was asked to fly to Los Angeles for a screen test two days after it was canceled.[6][13] Network executives arranged for her to act alongside series regular Michael Weatherly to test for chemistry during her second audition; he went off script by brushing her hair back and commenting, "You remind me of Salma Hayek". De Pablo's response to Weatherly was to stay in character and she "dismissed him completely". Afterward, producer Donald P. Bellisario met with her as she was waiting for a cab to take her back to the airport, telling her she had landed the part.[13][14]
De Pablo described the character as "someone completely different from anyone else on the show because she's been around men all her life; she's used to men of authority. She's not afraid of men."[15]
In 2006, she won an Imagen Award at the Imagen Foundation Awards for Best Supporting Actress in Television for NCIS. In 2008 and 2009, she was nominated for the same award. Also in 2008 and 2009, she was nominated for an ALMA Award for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Television Series. In 2011, de Pablo was nominated once again for an Imagen Award, but this time it was for Best Actress in Television, not Supporting Actress. She won the 2011 ALMA Award for Favorite Television Actress—Leading Role in Drama.

On July 10, 2013, it was reported by CBS that de Pablo would be leaving NCIS for undisclosed reasons, although she remained long enough to conclude her character Ziva David's storyline at the beginning of season 11.[16] Later, in a 2016 Q&A session, de Pablo stated that part of the reason why she left the show was because of the direction of her character's arc and feeling that the scripts were not good enough to make her stay.[17]
De Pablo later told Cindy Elavsky that Ziva could come back because she did not die.[18] However, in the season 13 finale of the series, it was stated that her character had apparently died in an explosion in Israel.[19]
Three years later in 2019, season 16 episode 'She', revealed that Ziva is alive and has gone into hiding off-screen. De Pablo made a surprise unannounced return to the show in the last scene of the season 16 finale, which aired on May 21, 2019, in which Ziva arrives at Gibbs' basement to warn him that his life is in danger. Producers confirmed that de Pablo would appear in the first two episodes of the show's 17th season and then in the season's tenth and eleventh episodes as part of her storyline.
After NCIS
[edit]In 2014, de Pablo was cast in the film The 33, about the 2010 Copiapó mining accident, as the wife of one of the miners.[20] She was also cast in the 2015 CBS miniseries The Dovekeepers, based on the Alice Hoffman novel.[21] In March 2016, Deadline Hollywood reported de Pablo is slated to return to series television as Laura Kale in Syfy's thriller-drama, Prototype, pending negotiations.[22] In April 2016, TVLine columnist Matt Mitovich confirmed de Pablo's return to series television.[23] The show was to feature "three unlikely colleagues—two of them played by de Pablo and Jack Davenport—who inadvertently stumble upon an invention that challenges the very nature of quantum physics—a discovery which in turn puts their lives in grave danger."[24] In August 2016, Deadline reported that Syfy passed on the show.[25]
On August 28, 2018 Deadline announced that de Pablo and former NCIS castmate Michael Weatherly would be the executive producers of the upcoming CBS detective drama MIA, written by Shepard Boucher; however the series did not proceed to production.[26]
In 2024, it was announced that de Pablo would reprise her role as Ziva David with on-screen love interest Michael Weatherly reprising his role as Tony DiNozzo in a new NCIS spin-off series called NCIS: Tony & Ziva on Paramount+.[27][28]
In September 2025, the first three episodes of Tony & Ziva were made available on streaming services.[29]
Music
[edit]De Pablo performed a portion of Tom Waits' song "Temptation" on the NCIS episode "Last Man Standing", which first aired in the United States on September 23, 2008. Her full performance of the song, including some lyrics in French, appears on NCIS: The Official TV Soundtrack, which was released on February 10, 2009.
She is the singer in Roberto Pitre's Vivo en vida where she sings "Samba in Prelude" and "Cry Me a River".[30] De Pablo was also featured on The 33's official soundtrack, singing "Gracias a la Vida".[31]
Personal life
[edit]De Pablo was in a long-term relationship with actor Diego Serrano as of 2010[update],[32] but the relationship ended in June 2015.[33]
In 2025, Cote de Pablo shared that she recently has become a mother.[34]
Filmography
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994–1995 | Control | Co-host | Latin-American magazine show |
| 2000 | The $treet | Fiona | Episode: "Hostile Makeover" |
| 2001 | The Education of Max Bickford | Gina | Episode: "Do It Yourself" |
| 2004 | The Jury | Marguerite Cisneros | 10 episodes |
| 2005–2013, 2019–2020 |
NCIS | Ziva David | Guest role (season 3, 16) Main role (season 3–season 11) Recurring role (season 17, 4 episodes); 194 episodes |
| 2010 | The Last Rites of Ransom Pride | Bruja | |
| 2015 | The 33 | Jessica Vega | |
| 2015 | The Dovekeepers | Shirah | Miniseries |
| 2016 | Prototype | Laura Kale | TV movie, Not Going Forward[35] |
| 2019 | Seneca | Celeste | |
| 2025 | NCIS: Tony & Ziva | Ziva David[36] | Main role; also executive producer |
Other Media
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Off Duty: An NCIS Rewatch Podcast[37] | Self | Co-hosted with Michael Weatherly and includes guest interviews with previous NCIS franchise cast members |
- Notes
| Year | Title | Voice role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | TOCA Race Driver | Melanie Sanchez |
Awards and nominations
[edit]| Year | Association | Category | Work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Imagen Awards | Best Supporting Actress in Television | NCIS | Won | [4] |
| 2008 | Nominated | [38] | |||
| ALMA Awards | Outstanding Actress in a Drama Television Series | Nominated | [4][39] | ||
| 2009 | Nominated | [40][41] | |||
| Imagen Awards | Best Supporting Actress in Television | Nominated | [42] | ||
| 2011 | Best Actress in Television | Nominated | [43] | ||
| ALMA Awards | Favorite Television Actress—Leading Role in a Drama | Won | [44] | ||
| 2012 | Favorite TV Actress-Drama | Nominated | [45] | ||
| 2016 | Imagen Awards | Best Supporting Actress - Feature Film | The 33 | Won | |
| 2020 | Best Supporting Actress in Television | NCIS | Nominated | [46] |
References
[edit]- ^ "Cote de Pablo biography". A+E Networks. Retrieved May 31, 2012.
- ^ "Celebrity birthdays for the week of November 10-16". The Associated Press. November 4, 2024. Retrieved September 7, 2025.
Actor Cote de Pablo is 45
- ^ "Cote de Pablo: "I have never done anything in Spanish and I would love to be able to do it"". America Reads Spanish. September 7, 2025.
- ^ a b c "CBS bio". CBS. Archived from the original on November 1, 2008. Retrieved October 30, 2008.
- ^ Lee Hernandez (November 4, 2010). "EXCLUSIVE: Cote de Pablo on the Chilean Miners Rescue: "In That Moment, I Felt Proud to be Chilean"". Latina. Retrieved May 31, 2013.
- ^ a b c Ximena Urrejola (October 6, 2009). "Detalle noticia". mer.cl (in Spanish). Retrieved July 15, 2010.
- ^ Jacqueline Neiss (October 1, 2007). "NCIS's Cote de Pablo visits Israel". OK!. p. 72. Archived from the original on July 22, 2010. Retrieved July 15, 2010.
- ^ Lee Hernandez (February 10, 2009). "'NCIS' Star Cote de Pablo, on the Pleasures of Kicking Men's Behinds on TV". latina.com. Retrieved July 15, 2010.
- ^ "Carnegie Mellon University Digital Collections: 103d Commencement". University Libraries Digital Collections. Retrieved November 24, 2025.
- ^ "Cote de Pablo". BuddyTV. Retrieved July 6, 2013.
- ^ Lisabeth, Zach (July 29, 2020). "Ziva From NCIS Looked Much Different When She Was Younger". Looper.com. Retrieved February 9, 2021.
- ^ Tugend, Tom (March 15, 2007). "'NCIS' Mossad agent's cover gets blown—she's Chilean". jewishjournal.com. Retrieved July 15, 2010.
- ^ a b Owen, Rob. "Prime Time – Carnegie Mellon Today". carnegiemellontoday.com. Archived from the original on May 9, 2013. Retrieved June 26, 2011.
- ^ Marsi, Steve (October 29, 2009). "Cote de Pablo Dishes on NCIS' Ziva and Tony". tvguide.com. Archived from the original on September 26, 2011. Retrieved June 26, 2011.
- ^ Mason, Dave, "De Pablo adds spice to 'NCIS'", The San Diego Union-Tribune, January 3, 2006. Retrieved February 11, 2013.
- ^ Gonzalez, Sandra. "Cote de Pablo leaving 'NCIS'". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved July 11, 2013.
- ^ Bradley, Laura (February 13, 2019). "Are Ziva and Cote de Pablo Ever Actually Coming Back to N.C.I.S.?". Vanity Fair. Archived from the original on November 12, 2021. Retrieved November 12, 2021.
At a Q&A, de Pablo said that she chose to leave at least in part because of the quality of the series, and the direction of her character's arc. Specifically, she said, the scripts she was reading were not good enough to make her want to stay.
- ^ Elavsky, Cindy (January 19, 2014). "Celebrity Extra". King Features. Retrieved April 22, 2014.
- ^ Evans, Greg (May 17, 2016). "Michael Weatherly's 'NCIS' Finale Finally Answers The Ziva Question". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved May 18, 2016.
- ^ "Former 'NCIS' Star Cote De Pablo Joins Chilean Miner Movie 'The 33'". Deadline Hollywood. January 10, 2014. Retrieved January 14, 2014.
- ^ Kondolojy, Amanda (July 16, 2014). "Cote de Pablo to Star in CBS's Upcoming Miniseries The Dovekeepers" (Press release). TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on July 19, 2014. Retrieved July 16, 2014.
- ^ Andreeva, Nellie (March 11, 2016). "Cote de Pablo Poised To Star in Syfy Pilot 'Prototype'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved April 8, 2016.
- ^ "Matt's Inside Line: Scoop on Grey's, Bones, Flash, Grimm, Arrow and More!". TVLine. April 12, 2016. Retrieved April 13, 2016.
- ^ Petski, Denise (March 24, 2016). "JR Bourne & Toby Hemingway Join Syfy Pilot 'Prototype'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved April 13, 2016.
- ^ Andreeva, Nellie (August 1, 2016). "'Prototype' Sci-Fi Thriller Drama Pilot Not Going Forward At Syfy, Being Shopped". Deadline. Archived from the original on August 2, 2016. Retrieved February 9, 2021.
- ^ Petski, Denise (August 28, 2018). "Michael Weatherly & Cote de Pablo Reteam To Produce 'MIA' Detective Drama at CBS". Deadline Hollywood.
- ^ B.Kile, Meredith (February 28, 2024). "The duo will reprise their roles as Ziva David and Tony DiNozzo in a new Paramount+ series". Entertainment Tonight. Retrieved March 2, 2024.
- ^ Andreeva, Nellie (May 7, 2024). "'NCIS' Tony & Ziva Spinoff Series Gets Official Title". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved June 9, 2024.
- ^ Willman, Chris (September 4, 2025). "In 'NCIS: Tony & Ziva' the Gratification Is Beyond Delayed, but Reuniting Two of TV's Most Beloved Characters After 12 Years Makes for the Best 'NCIS' Spinoff Yet: TV Review". Variety. Retrieved September 5, 2025.
- ^ Kott, Crispin. "CD Reviews". Roll Publishing. Retrieved May 31, 2012.
- ^ James Horner (November 6, 2015), The 33, WaterTower Music, retrieved April 8, 2016
- ^ Nudd, Tim (November 29, 2010). "NCIS's Cote de Pablo Loves Her Boyfriend for Being a Bad Influence". People. Archived from the original on November 30, 2010. Retrieved June 26, 2011.
- ^ Palacios, Paula (June 4, 2015). "Cote de Pablo: 'Yo soy el sueño americano'". caras.cl. Archived from the original on September 23, 2015. Retrieved June 6, 2015.
Recién soltera tras varios años de relación con el actor ecuatoriano Diego Serrano
- ^ "Cote de Pablo Says Exploring Motherhood in NCIS: Tony & Ziva 'Was a Treat' After Becoming a Mother in Real-Life (Exclusive)". People.com. Retrieved September 5, 2025.
- ^ "'Prototype' Sci-Fi Thriller Drama Pilot Not Going Forward At Syfy, Being Shopped". August 2016.
- ^ Bechara, Diego Ramos (February 28, 2024). "Paramount+ Orders New 'NCIS' Spin-Off Starring Cote de Pablo, Michael Weatherly". Variety. Retrieved March 25, 2024.
- ^ "Spotify – Web Player". Spotify.
- ^ "2008 Nominees". imagen.org. Retrieved March 21, 2015.
- ^ "2008 NCLR ALMA AWARDS" (PDF). almaawards.com. Retrieved March 21, 2015.
- ^ Robertson, Willa (August 25, 2009). "Alma Awards announce nominations". Variety. Retrieved March 19, 2015.
- ^ "2009 NCLR ALMA AWARDS" (PDF). almaawards.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 13, 2014. Retrieved March 21, 2015.
- ^ "Imagen Awards 2009 Nominations & Winners". imagen.org. Retrieved March 21, 2015.
- ^ "Imagen Awards 2011 Nominees". imagen.org. Retrieved March 21, 2015.
- ^ Cubria, Kaitlin (July 28, 2011). "Cubria, Kaitlin (July 28, 2011). "BIG Competition: Selena, Demi, Victoria and Naya Go Head-to-Head at the ALMA Awards."". teen.com. Archived from the original on January 19, 2012. Retrieved March 21, 2015.
- ^ "2012 NCLR ALMA AWARDS" (PDF). almaawards.com. Retrieved March 21, 2015.
- ^ "Nominations Announced for the 35th Annual Imagen Awards". August 5, 2020. Retrieved October 11, 2020.
External links
[edit]Cote de Pablo
View on GrokipediaEarly life and education
Childhood and family background
María José de Pablo Fernández, known professionally as Cote de Pablo, was born on November 12, 1979, in Santiago, Chile.[1] Her parents are Chilean: her father, Francisco de Pablo, a businessman, and her mother, María Olga Fernández, who worked in television.[7][8] The nickname "Cote," pronounced "Ko-tee," is a common Chilean affectionate diminutive for the name María José.[9] De Pablo grew up in a close-knit family with her younger sister Andrea and brother Francisco, the latter of whom is a DJ.[8] When she was 10 years old, her family relocated from Santiago to Miami, Florida, after her mother secured a position at the Spanish-language television network Telemundo.[1] This move marked a significant transition, as de Pablo, who spoke Spanish as her first language, had to adapt to an English-speaking environment while maintaining strong ties to her Chilean heritage through family traditions and language.[10] The household remained bilingual, fostering her fluency in both Spanish and English from an early age.[1] In Miami, de Pablo's formative years involved immersion in a vibrant multicultural setting, where she first encountered the performing arts through school activities at Arvida Middle School.[3] Her early exposure to music and theater during this period, influenced by her mother's television background, sparked an initial interest in creative expression, though she navigated the challenges of cultural adjustment in her pre-teen years.[1]Formal education and early interests
De Pablo attended Arvida Middle School in Miami, Florida, after her family relocated from Chile when she was ten years old.[3] There, she began exploring her interests in the arts, though specific early activities during middle school are not widely documented.[1] She later enrolled at New World School of the Arts, a performing arts high school in Miami, graduating in 1996.[8] At NWSA, de Pablo focused on musical theater, combining acting, singing, and dance, which helped her discover a sense of belonging in the performing arts community.[8] Her passion for performance was further ignited at age 15, when she co-hosted episodes of the Latin-American talk show Control alongside Carlos Ponce on the Univision network, marking her initial foray into professional media.[1] This experience, combined with her high school training, solidified her commitment to a career in acting over other pursuits. In 1996, de Pablo entered Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, majoring in music theater within the School of Drama.[11] During her four years there, she immersed herself in rigorous training, participating in several university productions that honed her skills, including Indiscretions, The Fantasticks, The House of Bernarda Alba, And the World Goes 'Round, and A Little Night Music.[3] These roles emphasized her versatility in dramatic and musical contexts, building on her high school foundation.[1] She graduated in 2000 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in musical theater, crediting the program's intensity for shaping her professional approach to acting.[11]Professional career
Early acting roles
Following her graduation from Carnegie Mellon University in 2000 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in musical theater, Coté de Pablo relocated to New York City to pursue acting professionally. She supported herself through side jobs, including waitressing at an Italian restaurant in Brooklyn and babysitting, while attending auditions and performing in theater productions.[1][7] De Pablo's entry into professional television acting came soon after, with a guest role as Fiona in the single episode "Sometimes You Get What You Need" of the Fox financial drama The $treet in 2000.[12] The following year, she appeared as Gina in the episode "The Nanny from Hell" of the CBS series The Education of Max Bickford, marking another brief but notable early credit.[12] In parallel, de Pablo continued her theater work, which had been a focus during her college years. She made her off-Broadway debut in a 2001 production of Shakespeare's Measure for Measure at The Public Theater in New York City, alongside regional performances that built on her musical theater training.[3] By 2004, de Pablo secured a recurring role as Marguerite Cisneros, a key juror, in the Fox legal series The Jury, appearing in all 10 episodes of the short-lived show before its cancellation.[12] These early opportunities, though limited, highlighted her versatility as a bilingual actress navigating a competitive industry. De Pablo has described this phase as a period of significant struggle, typical for emerging performers in New York, involving persistent auditions and financial instability while avoiding typecasting in ethnic-specific parts.[7]Breakthrough on NCIS
Cote de Pablo was cast in 2005 as Ziva David, a Mossad officer and liaison to the NCIS team, after auditioning alongside Michael Weatherly, who played Tony DiNozzo, in a room observed by network executives.[11] Mark Harmon, the show's lead, initially expressed reservations about adding a relative newcomer like de Pablo to the established cast.[13] Ziva was introduced in the season 3 premiere episodes "Kill Ari: Part 1" and "Part 2," where she arrived in the U.S. to assist in the investigation of her half-brother Ari Haswari, a terrorist targeting the NCIS team.[12] De Pablo was initially hired on a recurring basis for season 3 but was promoted to series regular ahead of season 4, solidifying Ziva's place on the team.[12] Over the course of her tenure, the character evolved from a stern, no-nonsense Mossad operative assigned to NCIS to a fully integrated special agent who gained U.S. citizenship and developed deep personal bonds with her colleagues.[12] Ziva's dynamic with Tony DiNozzo particularly deepened, transitioning from professional rivalry and banter to mutual respect and an underlying romantic tension that became a central element of the series.[14] De Pablo portrayed Ziva across seasons 3 through 11, from 2005 to 2013, appearing in over 200 episodes and contributing to major story arcs that explored the character's traumatic backstory, including her time in Mossad, the loss of her mother and sister, and ongoing conflicts with her father, Eli David, the director of Mossad.[12] These narratives highlighted Ziva's internal struggles with loyalty, revenge, and redemption, culminating in her departure during the season 11 episode "Past, Present, and Future," where she returned to Israel to protect her family from threats tied to her past.[14] De Pablo's exit stemmed from failed contract negotiations with CBS, despite substantial offers, as she sought greater creative input for Ziva's storyline and new professional opportunities beyond the long-running series.[15][16] Following her initial departure, de Pablo made brief returns to the role, a surprise guest appearance in the season 16 finale "No More Changes" (2019), and in four episodes of season 17 (2019–2020) that revisited Ziva's presumed death and her survival while undercover.[12] Ziva's portrayal significantly elevated de Pablo's profile, with the character emerging as a fan favorite for her strength, complexity, and wit, while the "Tiva" pairing—referring to Tony and Ziva—spawned a dedicated shipping fandom that influenced fan discussions and even show developments long after her exit.[17][18]Post-NCIS projects
Following her departure from NCIS in 2013, Cote de Pablo transitioned to a variety of film and television roles that showcased her versatility and connection to her Chilean roots. Her feature film debut came in The 33 (2015), where she played Jessica Peralta, the determined wife of a trapped miner in this drama inspired by the real-life 2010 Copiapó mining accident in Chile. The project allowed de Pablo to explore themes of resilience and family, drawing on her heritage for authenticity. That same year, de Pablo starred as Shirah, a mystical healer and prophetess, in the CBS/ABC miniseries The Dovekeepers (2015), an adaptation of Alice Hoffman's novel set during the siege of Masada. Her portrayal earned critical acclaim for its emotional depth and intensity, with reviewers noting her commanding presence in the ensemble cast. In 2016, she took on the lead role of Laura Kale, a brilliant virologist racing against a deadly outbreak, in the television film Prototype. The thriller highlighted her ability to handle high-stakes action and science-fiction elements. De Pablo continued with voice work, including narration for episodes of Destination Truth (2010), though much of her animated contributions came earlier; later projects included select voice roles in documentaries exploring Latin American history. In a notable return to the NCIS universe, de Pablo reprised her iconic role as Ziva David alongside Michael Weatherly's Tony DiNozzo in the Paramount+ spin-off series NCIS: Tony & Ziva (2025), which premiered on September 4, 2025, on Paramount+, which follows the characters' life in Europe amid new dangers; the show, announced in 2024, premiered to strong viewership, capitalizing on the enduring popularity of their on-screen dynamic. Throughout this period, de Pablo has shifted toward producing and selecting projects with personal significance, particularly those centered on Chilean or Latin American narratives, such as her involvement in developing stories about immigrant experiences and cultural identity.Music and other creative pursuits
Cote de Pablo's musical pursuits stem from her Chilean heritage and early training in music theater at Carnegie Mellon University, where she earned a degree in 2000 and performed in productions such as Indiscretions, The Fantasticks, and The House of Bernarda Alba.[3] Her work often reflects a fusion of Latin American influences with broader pop and theatrical styles, drawing from the vibrant cultural traditions of her birthplace in Santiago, Chile, and her upbringing in Miami, Florida.[7] De Pablo's recorded output remains limited, prioritizing her acting career, but includes notable vocal contributions to other projects. She provided lead vocals on two tracks—"Samba in Prelude" and "Cry Me a River"—for Chilean composer Roberto Pitre's album Vivo en Vida, blending bolero-inspired rhythms with contemporary arrangements to highlight her bilingual versatility.[19] In 2015, she sang an original ballad of hope in the film The 33, a performance that underscored themes of resilience amid tragedy and was featured on the official soundtrack, further showcasing her emotive soprano range.[20] Tracks like her rendition of "Gracias a la Vida" and covers such as "Temptation" are available on streaming platforms, emphasizing personal and cultural introspection over commercial releases.[21] Beyond music, de Pablo has engaged in producing and advocacy efforts that extend her creative impact. Although her primary focus has been acting, she has advocated for greater Latinx representation in media, delivering keynotes on the topic and emphasizing the need for authentic bilingual storytelling in entertainment.[22] Fluent in Spanish and English, she has expressed a strong desire to expand her work into Spanish-language projects to better reflect immigrant experiences and cultural diversity, while also supporting immigration rights through public platforms.[23][7] These pursuits highlight her commitment to using her platform for broader cultural fusion and social representation, though no new musical releases were announced as of 2025.Personal life
Relationships and family
Cote de Pablo was in a long-term relationship with actor Diego Serrano, which lasted from approximately 2000 until June 2015.[24] Following the end of that relationship, de Pablo has kept her romantic life largely private, with no public confirmations of subsequent partners or marriage.[25] In September 2025, during promotion for NCIS: Tony & Ziva, she revealed that she is a mother, describing the role's exploration of parenthood as "a treat" informed by her own experiences, though she did not disclose details such as the number of children, their names, or the identity of their father. She became a mother during delays in the spin-off's production, allowing her to prioritize family before resuming work.[26][2] De Pablo has consistently emphasized maintaining her family's privacy despite her high-profile career, avoiding public discussions of personal milestones beyond occasional reflections tied to her work.[26]Public persona and interests
Cote de Pablo maintains a notably private public persona, rarely engaging on social media and limiting discussions of her personal life in interviews to emphasize her professional commitments and cultural background instead. She has explained her absence from platforms like Instagram and Twitter as a deliberate choice to safeguard her privacy, stating in a 2019 interview that it helps her avoid the pressures of constant public scrutiny. This approach aligns with her low-profile lifestyle in Los Angeles, where she resides when not traveling for work, preferring a grounded routine away from the Hollywood spotlight.[27][7] De Pablo's interests reflect a commitment to physical well-being and her Chilean roots, including yoga, which she incorporated into her routine following a neck injury sustained during filming, and running, a habit she began as a child to build discipline. She takes pride in her heritage, owning a home in Santiago and advocating for immigration rights based on her own experience immigrating from Chile to the United States at age 10 without speaking English, which she describes as a challenging transition that informs her empathy for immigrant families. While she has not publicly detailed support for bilingual education programs, her story highlights the personal hurdles of language barriers for young immigrants.[28][7][29] In philanthropy, de Pablo has been involved in women's health initiatives, notably joining the CDC's Inside Knowledge Campaign in 2015 to raise awareness about gynecologic cancers, including a public service announcement encouraging cervical cancer screenings based on her own health scare. She supports organizations such as the American Cancer Society, Feeding America, and Operation Smile, focusing efforts post-2013 on causes aiding vulnerable populations. Her advocacy extends to broader women's issues through speaking engagements on representation in entertainment.[30][31][32] In 2025 interviews reflecting on her career resurgence with the NCIS spin-off, de Pablo discussed balancing motherhood—having become a mother in real life—with professional demands, noting that portraying Ziva as a parent felt "organic" and allowed her to draw from personal experiences of prioritizing family during project delays. She described the timing as "divine," enabling her to focus on raising her son before returning to acting. Her net worth is estimated at around $7 million as of 2025, primarily from acting roles and endorsements.[2][26][33]Filmography and media appearances
Television roles
Cote de Pablo's television career began with a guest appearance in the 2000 Fox series The $treet, marking her entry into scripted narrative roles.[34] She followed this with a guest role as Gina in the 2001 episode "Do It Yourself" of the CBS drama The Education of Max Bickford.[35] In 2004, de Pablo secured a recurring role as Marguerite Cisneros, a juror navigating a high-profile murder trial, in the Fox legal series The Jury, appearing in all 10 episodes before its cancellation.[36] De Pablo achieved widespread recognition for her portrayal of Ziva David, a skilled Mossad liaison officer who joins the NCIS team and later becomes a special agent, from season 3 through season 11 (2005–2013), contributing to nearly 190 episodes of the long-running CBS procedural.[37] After departing NCIS, she took on the lead role of Shirah, a mystical healer and rebel leader during the Siege of Masada, in the 2015 CBS miniseries The Dovekeepers, a two-part historical drama based on Alice Hoffman's novel.[38] In 2016, de Pablo starred as Laura Kale, an ambitious engineer and mother entangled in a biotech conspiracy, in the Syfy original TV movie Prototype, directed by Juan Carlos Fresnadillo.[39] She made a surprise guest appearance as Ziva David in the season 16 finale of NCIS (2019), revealing her survival. She returned to the NCIS universe in 2019–2020 for four episodes of season 17, reprising Ziva David in storylines involving her faked death and reunion with the team, including the midseason finale on December 17, 2019, and the January 7, 2020, premiere.[18] As of 2025, de Pablo stars as Ziva David in the Paramount+ spin-off NCIS: Tony & Ziva, co-leading alongside Michael Weatherly's Tony DiNozzo in an ongoing action-comedy series exploring their family life amid international threats.[40] De Pablo's television work includes numerous episodes, with the majority stemming from her pivotal contributions to the NCIS franchise.[34]Film roles
Cote de Pablo's transition to feature films following her television success marked a shift toward dramatic roles that often drew on her Chilean heritage and bilingual skills. Her film debut came in the 2010 Western drama The Last Rites of Ransom Pride, where she portrayed Bruja, a mysterious outlaw woman who aids the protagonist in a tale of revenge and redemption across the American frontier.[41] In 2015, de Pablo took on a leading role in The 33, a survival drama inspired by the real-life 2010 Copiapó mining accident in Chile, playing Jessica Salgado, the resilient wife of trapped miner Mario Sepúlveda. Her performance highlighted the emotional toll on families during the 69-day ordeal, contributing to the film's portrayal of international solidarity in the rescue effort. The movie, directed by Patricia Riggen, earned praise for its authentic depiction of the event and featured an ensemble cast including Antonio Banderas and Juliette Binoche.[42] De Pablo continued exploring complex characters in the 2019 independent drama Seneca, directed by Jason Chaet, in which she played Celeste, a Puerto Rican woman navigating themes of colonialism, identity, and personal aspirations in modern America. The film, which premiered at the New York Latino Film Festival, offered a poignant look at cultural displacement and emotional resilience, aligning with de Pablo's interest in stories reflecting Latino experiences.[43][44] With approximately three major film credits to date, de Pablo's cinematic work emphasizes dramatic narratives rooted in real-world struggles and cultural depth, showcasing her versatility beyond television. As of late 2025, no upcoming feature films have been announced, though her post-NCIS career has allowed selective pursuits in independent cinema.[12]Other media contributions
De Pablo began her professional stage career with an appearance in the Shakespearean production Measure for Measure at the New York City Public Theater in 2001.[3] This Off-Broadway role marked an early highlight in her theater work, showcasing her dramatic range before transitioning to television. In 2005, she was cast as Dolores Fuentes in the musical The Mambo Kings, a planned Broadway adaptation of Oscar Hijuelos' Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, but the show closed during its pre-Broadway tryout in San Francisco. These stage credits, rooted in her musical theater training at Carnegie Mellon University, demonstrated her versatility in live performance formats.[1] In addition to acting, de Pablo has contributed to commercial advertising, appearing in nationally aired TV campaigns tracked by media monitoring services, with recent airings exceeding 100 instances in a single month as of late 2025.[45] Early in her career, while based in Miami during the early 2000s, she participated in local Spanish-language shoots, leveraging her bilingual heritage to connect with Hispanic audiences in promotional content.[3] De Pablo has also engaged in digital media through hosting and guest appearances. In 1994, at age 14, she co-hosted the Chilean television program Control, a youth-oriented show focused on music and culture, drawing from her early exposure to her mother's broadcasting career.[12] More recently, in 2025, she co-hosts the video podcast Off Duty: An NCIS Rewatch on Spotify alongside former co-star Michael Weatherly, where the duo revisits episodes of NCIS and discusses behind-the-scenes insights, tying into the promotional cycle for the NCIS: Tony & Ziva streaming series on Paramount+.[46] This podcast represents an expansion into interactive streaming content, blending nostalgia with contemporary fan engagement. Her musical endeavors extend to media outputs beyond stage performances. De Pablo contributed vocals to the 2009 NCIS: The Official TV Soundtrack, including a cover of Tom Waits' "Temptation" originally featured in a 2008 episode, with promotional clips circulating online to highlight her singing talent.[21] She also appeared on Roberto Pitre's 2007 album Vivo en Vida, providing guest vocals on tracks that blend Latin influences, accompanied by live performance excerpts shared in music media. These contributions underscore her multifaceted creative presence in audio and video formats. De Pablo has made notable guest spots on talk shows, often discussing her Chilean heritage and bilingual upbringing. In a 2012 appearance on The Talk, she shared personal anecdotes about her cultural roots and early career inspirations, connecting her Miami-raised identity to her professional path.[47] Such appearances have allowed her to engage audiences on topics beyond acting, emphasizing her advocacy for diverse representation in media.Awards and nominations
Acting accolades
Cote de Pablo has received recognition for her acting, particularly for her portrayal of Ziva David on NCIS, earning four wins and seven nominations across various awards ceremonies focused on Latino talent and television excellence.[48] Her accolades highlight her contributions to drama series and feature films, with most honors tied to her breakthrough role on the long-running CBS procedural.[1] By November 2025, no major acting awards have been announced for her performance in the NCIS: Tony & Ziva spinoff, which premiered earlier in the year.[49] The following table summarizes her key acting accolades:| Year | Award | Category | Result | Project | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Imagen Awards | Best Supporting Actress - Television | Won | NCIS | [1] [5] |
| 2008 | ALMA Awards | Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series | Nominated | NCIS | [5] |
| 2008 | Imagen Awards | Best Supporting Actress - Television | Won | NCIS | [5] |
| 2008 | ALMA Awards | Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series | Nominated | NCIS | [50] |
| 2009 | Imagen Awards | Best Supporting Actress - Television | Nominated | NCIS | [5] |
| 2009 | ALMA Awards | Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series | Nominated | NCIS | [48] |
| 2010 | Imagen Awards | Best Actress - Television | Nominated | NCIS | [5] |
| 2011 | Imagen Awards | Best Actress - Television | Nominated | NCIS | [5] |
| 2011 | ALMA Awards | Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series | Won | NCIS | [48] |
| 2012 | ALMA Awards | Favorite TV Actress - Drama | Nominated | NCIS | [5] |
| 2016 | Imagen Awards | Best Supporting Actress - Feature Film | Won | The 33 | [51] [52] |
| 2020 | Imagen Awards | Best Supporting Actress - Television | Nominated | NCIS | [53] |
