Cote de Pablo sh0cked NCIS fans when she returned to the show at the end of season 16. The Chilean actress, on the other hand, began her career as a television personality.
De Pablo had a long and successful career, and her role as Ziva David on NCIS was her big break. She was on the show for 12 years before leaving to pursue other interests.
Cote de Pablo is still working as an actor today, but the mystery surrounding her absence from NCIS remains unsolved. One thing was certain: she and Mark Harmon had a special relationship.
This is all there is to know about Cote de Pablo – and the top-secret meeting with Harmon that no one knew about.
Cote De Pablo was born Mara José de Pablo Fernández in Santiago, Chile, on November 12, 1979. Her family decided to leave South America when she was ten years old and move in Miami, Florida.
Cote de Pablo’s childhood and move to the United States
The departure from Chile was, of course, a huge adjustment for de Pablo. Especially since she went to a place where they spoke a different language and the kids at her new school couldn’t pronounce her name.
As a result, she altered it to “Cote,” which is a typical nickname in Chile, according to de Pablo.
De Pablo told Prevention in 2012 that moving to Miami was a difficult transition for her. She longed for her homeland and her pals. It became a “defining” period in her life.
“But I grew up here.” And I discovered my calling because I attended a performing arts high school. “I had always been interested in the arts, but performing became even more important as a means of communicating with people in my new country,” she explained. “It wasn’t till I got to the United States that I learned to speak English.”
“Those were formative years for me.” I constantly refer to myself as a hippie. “I’m not a glamorous person on the inside,” de Pablo remarked. “I come from a traditional, conservative environment.” But being in a hippy environment at school helped me to explore the creativity and imagination that we all have.”
Cote de Pablo may have been meant from the start to be a television personality. Her mother found a position at Telemundo, a Spanish-language television channel, after her family relocated to Miami.
As previously said, she developed a strong interest in the arts and enrolled at Carnegie Mellon University.
First job in television
She desired a musical and theatrical education, and she performed in several plays while at Carnegie Mellon. It includes parts in The House of Bernarda Alba, And The World Goes Round, and A Little Night Music.
She earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in acting and musical theater in 2000.
Cote de Pablo followed in her mother’s footsteps and went directly into show business. She went on to anchor the Latin-themed television discussion program Control, and she also participated in a few smaller theater pieces at the New York City Public Theater.
De Pablo soon moved on to television, and after modest roles on All My Children and Fling, as well as advertisements, she earned her big break. Cote de Pablo was cast as Officer Ziva David in the cr1minal drama series NCIS in 2005.
De Pablo, who played the buttkicking female agent, quickly became a fan favorite.
Knowing your character’s emotions is critical, and de Pablo had no trouble with that. For her, Ziva David shares many of her characteristics and heritage.
“My character’s strength is similar to mine, but to a much greater extent.” “Losing family members as a result of a war,” explained Cote de Pablo. “There are times when I just have to hold my heart.” But I also have to keep in mind that if I played the character from my perspective, she would be breaking apart all the time. She had to keep her cool because this is the world she grew up in.”
‘NCIS’ star Cote de Pablo plays Ziva David.
Acting sounds like a dream job, and it most likely is. However, there are times on set when things can be quite difficult. And de Pablo has likewise had this experience.
“I literally had 48 hours to learn a monologue in Hebrew.” “It was terrifying,” she said. “I used to look down on people who were playing Latin roles, for example, because I could tell they didn’t speak Spanish.” It would irritate me. Then I thought, Oh my God, I’m right there. Everything I judged has come back to bite me in the buttocks.”
Cote de Pablo appeared in 189 episodes of NCIS from 2005 and 2013. She had brief comebacks in 2019 and 2020. She never returned as a regular cast member, however.
The actress was nominated for three American Latino Media Arts Awards during her time on the program, and she won one in 2011 for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series.
When you work on a production for as long as Cote de Pablo, special ties arise amongst cast members. For some, this means discovering their one true love, while for others, it means forming friendship relationships that will last a lifetime.
On the set of NCIS, Cote de Pablo and Mark Harmon developed a particular bond. There were even speculations that the two were having an affair. That, however, was never the case, according to her.
Relationship with Mark Harmon
Mark Harmon is more of a mentor buddy. To me, he was always like a father figure. Obviously, Ziva and Gibbs have it, but so do Cote and Mark, she told BUILD.
“He’s a very busy, well-known man.” Obviously, there are many months when you don’t talk, but it’s wonderful to know that when you have friendships, but especially in the family – that’s a given – you can go a long time without talking, but you’ve created a foundation. A sturdy basis.”
You can truly go anywhere with that foundation. “You can go years without saying anything,” de Pablo continued. “Really big things can happen, and then you’re back, and you can pick up right where you left off.”
When De Pablo and Harmon worked together on NCIS, they had a great rapport. In addition, the actress admits to giving him many nicknames on filming.
“I’ve got Mark, Marcos, Dorko, Dorky.” “I mean, I have so many names,” she explained to BUILD.
When Cote de Pablo left NCIS in 2013, fans were devastated. Years later, she said that she left because she respected her character and partly because of “political things” and “scripts not being good enough.”
Happiness took over in 2016, when she made a brief comeback as Ziva David, sh0cking the crowd.
Cote de Pablo’s covert rendezvous before the resumption of ‘NCIS’
Mark Harmon devised a scheme to surprise her before she returned to set. De Pablo and Harmon met after years apart during a covert meeting attended by executive producers.
“Well, I turn around, and I come outside, and who do I see?” she recalled in a 2019 AOL interview. “I just hugged him tight and he went Cotes.” It was like a hug right in the chest, you know, and it was extremely heartfelt.”
So, what is Cote de Pablo up to these days? As previously said, the 42-year-old actress studied both acting and music, and she recently spoke with Prevention about maybe working in musicals in the future.
Following her departure from NCIS, Cote de Pablo participated in the 2010 Chilean mining disaster thriller The 33. She also acted in the miniseries The Dovekeepers and the film Prototype in 2016. Aside from her NCIS appearances, Cote de Pablo’s most recent film credit came in 2019, when she was cast in Seneca.
On NCIS, Cote de Pablo’s character Ziva David had a particular bond with Michael Weatherly’s character Anthony DiNozzo. Many fans may have thought that feelings would be felt off-screen as well, but this is not the case.
So, Cote de Pablo is married? Or does she have a boyfriend? From 2000 to 2015, she was linked to actor Diego Serrano. However, de Pablo does not appear to have any romantic ambitions at the present. But she knows what she wants in a relationship.
Cote de Pablo’s love life, relationship, and net worth
The acclaimed actress confessed to Watch! Magazine that she likes someone who appreciates conversing and engaging in meaningful talks.
One of the things I love is just being able to talk to someone, to be vulnerable and feel someone else’s vulnerability,” de Pablo stated in 2010. And, more importantly, to find the joy and laughter.” Everything is fine if you can laugh with someone.
Finding the right person to spend the rest of your life with isn’t always easy. Finally, whether you’re in a relationship or not, the most essential thing is that you’re happy.
Cote de Pablo hopes to start her own family in the future. Finding the right individual, on the other hand, can be difficult.
“I believe it will happen eventually… Things have moved slowly. “I believe they will come happily when the time is right,” Cote de Pablo told Rachel Ray in 2013.
“I’d rather have someone who can balance me out.” Someone who can just switch off the engine when I’m out of control. A balancing force. Someone who is capable of balancing and counterbalancing. That is, in fact, the best situation. And that is quite difficult to come by.”
Cote de Pablo has a net worth of $6 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth.
Cote de Pablo had a major impact on NCIS, and she is still one of the most beloved characters to this day. We hope to see her in many more projects in the future, and we wish her the best of luck.
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