Cote de Pablo is a Chilean-American actress best known for playing Ziva David on NCIS. Born in Santiago in 1979 and raised in Miami from age 10, she built her career through theater and television before becoming one of the franchise’s most recognizable stars.
Quick answer: De Pablo is 46 as of August 2026. She is not publicly known to be married, and in 2025 she confirmed that she is a mother while keeping details about her child private. Her latest major screen role was Ziva in NCIS: Tony & Ziva, which ran for one season on Paramount+.
| Quick fact | Details |
|---|---|
| Full name | Cote de Pablo, born María José de Pablo Fernández |
| Born | November 12, 1979 |
| Age in August 2026 | 46 |
| Birthplace | Santiago, Chile |
| Raised in | Miami, Florida |
| Education | Carnegie Mellon University |
| Best known for | Ziva David in NCIS |
| Recent series | NCIS: Tony & Ziva |
| Children | One; personal details have not been made public |
Key takeaways
- She moved from Chile to Miami when she was 10.
- She graduated from Carnegie Mellon University in 2000.
- Her breakthrough came after she joined NCIS in 2005.
- She left as a regular in 2013 and later returned for several episodes.
- She became a mother before discussing the experience publicly in 2025.
- NCIS: Tony & Ziva reunited her with Michael Weatherly in 2025.
Early life in Chile and Miami
De Pablo was born María José de Pablo Fernández on November 12, 1979, in Santiago, Chile. Her family moved to Miami when she was 10 after her mother took a television job in the United States. Her interest in performance developed during her school years. She attended New World School of the Arts in Miami before studying drama at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh.
She graduated in 2000 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. Her stage training matters when looking at the career that followed. Long before Ziva David became familiar to millions of viewers, she had experience in musical theater, drama, and live performance.
Readers interested in other film and television personalities can browse Writeortell’s entertainment coverage.
The career that came before NCIS
Her television experience started early. As a teenager, she co-hosted episodes of the Latin American entertainment program Control. After college, she pursued acting in New York and appeared in smaller television parts before landing a regular role on the Fox legal drama The Jury in 2004. A year later, her career changed sharply.
CBS cast her as Ziva David during the third season of NCIS. The character entered the series with ties to Israel’s Mossad before becoming closely connected with the NCIS team. The role also brought industry recognition. CBS reported that de Pablo won an Imagen Award in 2006 and an ALMA Award in 2011 for her work on the series.
Why Ziva became her signature role
Ziva was written as capable, guarded, and physically formidable, but the character’s appeal went beyond action scenes. Her evolving relationships with Gibbs, the NCIS team, and Tony DiNozzo gave the role a strong emotional side. Her chemistry with Michael Weatherly became especially important. Their Tony-and-Ziva storyline developed over years rather than resolving quickly.
That unfinished relationship helped keep interest in the characters alive long after both actors had stepped away from regular appearances. De Pablo joined the show in 2005 and remained a regular for eight seasons. Her exit was announced in 2013, with CBS confirming that she would return briefly to close the character’s immediate storyline.
Why did she leave NCIS?
The answer has developed over time. In 2013, de Pablo called the decision personal and said she preferred not to discuss its exact details. She also stressed that leaving had been difficult and that she wanted a proper farewell rather than disappearing without closure. During a 2016 public Q&A, she gave more context.
She said concerns about the scripts and the direction planned for Ziva influenced her decision. That later explanation made clear that her attachment to the character played a major part in the choice. The departure did not become a permanent goodbye. Ziva was eventually revealed to be alive, and the actress returned for several episodes during the 2019 and 2020 seasons.
For another long-form look at a creative career, see Writeortell’s Hayao Miyazaki profile.
Cote de Pablo in 2026: What is she doing now?
Her most recent major television project brought her back to the role that defined her screen career. NCIS: Tony & Ziva premiered on Paramount+ in September 2025 and reunited Ziva with Tony DiNozzo, again played by Michael Weatherly. The 10-episode story followed the pair and their daughter, Tali, across Europe after an attack placed the family in danger. De Pablo and Weatherly also served as executive producers, giving them a larger creative role in the characters’ return.
Paramount+ canceled the spinoff after one season in December 2025. The completed season remains available on the service, including for U.S. viewers with access to Paramount+. That cancellation closed the standalone series, but it did not erase the characters from the larger franchise. As of August 2026, her latest major screen credit remains the Tony-and-Ziva reunion.
Her private life, relationships, and motherhood
De Pablo has kept much of her life outside acting away from public view. She was previously in a long-term relationship with actor Diego Serrano. Reports in 2015 described the relationship as having ended after several years. No reliable source has reported a marriage. A 2025 People profile of the NCIS cast described her as single, so claims about a current husband or secret marriage should be treated carefully unless she confirms them herself.
One major personal update did become public in 2025. During promotion for NCIS: Tony & Ziva, she confirmed that she is a mother. She did not disclose her child’s name, gender, or other private details. She said becoming a parent gave her a new perspective while playing Ziva as a mother. That real-life experience added another layer to a character she had first started playing two decades earlier.
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Movies and television beyond Ziva
Although NCIS dominates her public profile, her credits extend beyond the franchise. In 2015, she appeared in The 33, the drama based on the 2010 Chilean mine disaster. She played Jessica Vega, the wife of miner Álex Vega, alongside a cast that included Antonio Banderas, Juliette Binoche, and Rodrigo Santoro.
That same year, she starred as Shirah in the CBS historical miniseries The Dovekeepers. The production adapted Alice Hoffman’s novel about women living during the Roman siege of Masada. These roles show that her work has spanned historical drama, film, network television, and streaming projects rather than a single franchise.
The story continues beyond one role
Her career is closely tied to Ziva David, but the full story is wider than that. It includes a childhood move from Chile, years of theater training, film work, and awards. It also includes a return to the NCIS universe that once seemed unlikely. For readers catching up after NCIS: Tony & Ziva, the key point is simple. The spinoff ended after one season. De Pablo’s place in the franchise is still a major part of why fans keep following her work.
Frequently asked questions
She is 46 years old as of August 2026. She was born on November 12, 1979, so she will turn 47 in November 2026.
There is no reliable public confirmation that she is married. She previously had a long relationship with actor Diego Serrano, while People described her as single in its 2025 coverage.
Yes. She confirmed in 2025 that she had become a mother. She has chosen not to make identifying details about her child public.
Their famous relationship belongs to their NCIS characters. Weatherly is married to Bojana Janković, and the actors have described their connection as a close friendship and a long-running professional partnership.
She initially described the decision as personal. In 2016, she said concerns about scripts and the planned treatment of Ziva contributed to her departure.
No. Paramount+ canceled the series in December 2025 after its first 10-episode season. Season 1 remains available to stream.
Celebrity Net Worth has published an estimate of about $9 million. That figure is a third-party estimate, not an audited financial disclosure from the actress, so it should not be presented as confirmed personal wealth.
