What Happened to Cote de Pablo?

María José de Pablo Fernández, professionally known as Cote de Pablo, was born in Santiago, Chile, on November 12, 1979. She moved to Miami, Florida, at age 10, where her mother worked for a Spanish-language television network. De Pablo later studied musical theater at Carnegie Mellon University, graduating in 2000. Her early career included co-hosting the talk show "Control" and roles in television series like "The $treet" and "The Education of Max Bickford," as well as stage productions.

De Pablo's breakthrough came in 2005 when she joined the cast of "NCIS" as Ziva David, an Israeli Mossad officer who becomes an NCIS agent. Her portrayal quickly made Ziva a fan favorite, and she remained a main cast member for eight seasons. In July 2013, CBS announced her departure from the show, which came as a shock to many fans. De Pablo later clarified in 2016 that her decision was due to "political things and scripts not being good enough," as she felt her character's arc was not being treated with the respect it deserved.

Following her exit from "NCIS," de Pablo took on various projects. She starred in the 2015 film "The 33," based on the 2010 Copiapó mining accident, and the CBS miniseries "The Dovekeepers." She was also attached to the Syfy pilot "Prototype" in 2016, which was not ordered to series, and in 2018, she and former "NCIS" co-star Michael Weatherly were announced as executive producers for the CBS detective drama "MIA," though this series also did not proceed to production.

In a highly anticipated return, de Pablo reprised her role as Ziva David for a multi-episode arc in "NCIS" seasons 16 and 17, beginning with a surprise appearance in the 2019 season finale. This return provided closure for her character, who had been presumed dead. The enduring popularity of her character and her on-screen chemistry with Michael Weatherly (Tony DiNozzo) led to the announcement in February 2024 of a new Paramount+ spin-off series, "NCIS: Tony & Ziva."

The 10-episode limited series, which saw Tony and Ziva raising their daughter Tali in Paris before an attack forces them on the run across Europe, premiered in September 2025. However, in August 2026, it was confirmed that "NCIS: Tony & Ziva" was canceled after its first season, primarily due to high production costs associated with filming in Europe and viewership numbers that did not meet the studio's expectations.

As of October 2026, while the spin-off has ended, the storyline established in "NCIS: Tony & Ziva" remains canon within the "NCIS" universe. Michael Weatherly is slated to return to the flagship "NCIS" series for a season-long arc in Season 24, which premieres on October 6, 2026. This development suggests that the door remains open for Cote de Pablo to potentially reprise her role as Ziva David in future "NCIS" episodes, continuing the beloved characters' story. In her personal life, de Pablo was in a long-term relationship with actor Diego Serrano until 2015. She publicly confirmed becoming a mother in 2025.