Cote de Pablo - wikipedia Cote de Pablo This name uses Spanish naming customs : the first or paternal family name is de Pablo and the second or maternal family name is Fernández. Cote de Pablo De Pablo at the 2011 ALMA Awards María José de Pablo Fernández ( 1979 - 11 - 12 ) November 12, 1979 ( age 38 ) Santiago, Chile Alma mater Carnegie Mellon University ( BFA ) Occupation Actress, singer Years active 1994 -- present Known for Ziva David on NCIS Height 1.70 m ( 5 ft 7 in ) María José de Pablo Fernández, known professionally as Cote de Pablo ( born November 12, 1979 ), is a Chilean - American actress and singer. Born in Santiago, Chile, she moved to the United States at the age of ten, where she studied acting. 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 theatre. 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. De Pablo won an ALMA Award for the role in 2011, and NCIS became the most watched television program in the United States during season 10 ( 2012 -- 13 ). She performed a portion of Tom Waits ' song `` Temptation '' for a 2008 episode of NCIS. Outside of the series, she has acted as a vocalist for songs in Roberto Pitre 's Vivo En Vida CD. Contents 1 Early life 2 Acting career 2.1 Early roles 2.2 NCIS 2.3 After NCIS 3 Music 4 Personal life 5 Filmography 6 Awards and nominations 7 References 8 External links Early life De Pablo was born in Santiago, Chile, to Francisco de Pablo and María Olga Fernández. She has a younger sister, Andrea, and a brother, Francisco, who works as a disc jockey. When de Pablo was 10 years old, her mother, María Olga Fernández, took a job in Miami, Florida, at a Spanish - language television network. There, de Pablo attended Arvida Middle School and New World School of the Arts, where she studied musical theatre. In the fifth grade, she found many people could not properly pronounce her first name of `` María José '', so she asked them to call her `` Coté '', a common Chilean nickname for María José. De Pablo attended Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where she studied music and theater 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 Musical Theater. Acting career Early roles Cote de Pablo ( pictured ) 2007 Cote de Pablo first 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. After graduation, she moved to New York City to find work as an actress, working as a waitress in an Indian restaurant in Manhattan and an Italian eatery in Brooklyn to support herself. 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 as Dolores Fuentes, but the show closed after a short trial run in San Francisco. NCIS Cote 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 sent in 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. Network executives arranged for her to act alongside series regular Michael Weatherly to test for chemistry during her second audition ; he went offscript 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 ''. Afterwards, producer Donald 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. 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. '' 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 on long enough to conclude her character Ziva David 's storyline at the beginning of season 11. De Pablo later told Cindy Elavsky that Ziva could come back because she did not die. However, in the season 13 finale of the series, it was stated that her character had apparently died in an explosion in Israel. After NCIS In January 2014, de Pablo was announced to have been cast in the film The 33, about the 2010 Copiapó mining accident, as the wife of one of the miners. She was also cast in the 2015 CBS miniseries, titled The Dovekeepers, based on the Alice Hoffman novel. In March 2016, Deadline.com reported de Pablo is slated to return to series television as Laura Kale in Syfy 's thriller - drama, Prototype, pending negotiations. In April 2016, TVLine columnist Matt Mitovich confirmed Cote 's return to series television. The show will 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. '' However, in August 2016 Deadline reported that Syfy passed on the show. Music De Pablo performed a portion of Tom Waits ' song `` Temptation '' on the NCIS episode, `` Last Man Standing '', which first aired in the U.S. on September 23, 2008. Her full performance of the song, including some lyrics in French, appears for the first time on NCIS : The Official TV Soundtrack, which was released on February 10, 2009. She is also the singer in Roberto Pitre 's Vivo en vida where she sings `` Samba in Prelude '' and `` Cry Me a River ''. Cote was also featured on The 33 ( film ) official soundtrack, singing Gracias a la Vida. Personal life De Pablo was in a long - term relationship with actor Diego Serrano, but they were reported as having broken up in June 2015. As a consequence of kickboxing during scenes, de Pablo was injured several times on NCIS, including injuring her neck and back. She currently lives in Los Angeles. Filmography Film and television roles Year Title Role Notes 1994 -- 1995 Control Co-host Latin - American magazine show 2000 The $ treet Fiona Episode : `` Hostile Makeover '' The Education of Max Bickford Gina Episode : `` Do It Yourself '' The Jury Marguerite Cisneros 10 episodes 2005 -- 2013 NCIS Special Agent Ziva David Seasons 3 -- 11 ( 188 episodes ) The Last Rites of Ransom Pride Bruja 2015 The 33 Jessica Vega 2015 The Dovekeepers Shirah Miniseries 2016 Prototype Laura Kale TV movie Video game Year Title Voice role Notes 2002 TOCA Race Driver Melanie Sanchez Awards and nominations Year Association Work Result Ref. 2006 Imagen Awards Best Supporting Actress in Television NCIS Nominated 2008 Nominated ALMA Awards Outstanding Actress in a Drama Television Series Nominated 2009 Nominated Imagen Awards Best Supporting Actress in Television Nominated 2011 Best Actress in Television Nominated ALMA Awards Favorite Television Actress -- Leading Role in a Drama Won 2012 Favorite TV Actress - Drama Nominated References Jump up ^ `` Cote de Pablo biography ''. A + E Networks. Retrieved 31 May 2012. Jump up ^ Schneider, Michael ( June 10, 2013 ). `` America 's Most Watched : The Top 25 Shows of the 2012 - 2013 TV Season ''. TV Guide. Retrieved July 6, 2013. ^ Jump up to : `` CBS bio ''. Retrieved October 30, 2008. Jump up ^ 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. ^ Jump up to : Ximena Urrejola ( October 6, 2009 ). `` Detalle noticia ''. mer.cl ( in Spanish ). Retrieved July 15, 2010. Jump up ^ Jacqueline Neiss ( October 1, 2007 ). `` NCIS 's Cote de Pablo visits Israel ''. OK Magazine. p. 72. Archived from the original on July 22, 2010. Retrieved July 15, 2010. Jump up ^ 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. Jump up ^ `` Cote de Pablo : Biography ''. CBS Interactive Inc. Retrieved 7 August 2013. Jump up ^ `` Cote de Pablo ''. BuddyTV. Retrieved July 6, 2013. Jump up ^ Tugend, Tom ( March 15, 2007 ). `` ' NCIS ' Mossad agent 's cover gets blown -- she 's Chilean ''. jewishjournal.com. Retrieved July 15, 2010. ^ Jump up to : Owen, Rob. `` Prime Time - Carnegie Mellon Today ''. carnegiemellontoday.com. Archived from the original on May 9, 2013. Retrieved June 26, 2011. Jump up ^ 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. Jump up ^ Mason, Dave, `` De Pablo adds spice to ' NCIS ' '', The San Diego Union - Tribune, January 3, 2006. Retrieved February 11, 2013. Jump up ^ TV.com ( 1979 - 11 - 12 ). `` Cote de Pablo Biography ''. TV.com. Retrieved 2016 - 01 - 09. Jump up ^ Gonzalez, Sandra. `` Cote de Pablo leaving ' NCIS ' ''. Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 11 July 2013. Jump up ^ Elavsky, Cindy ( January 19, 2014 ). `` Celebrity Extra ''. King Features. Retrieved April 22, 2014. Jump up ^ Evans, Greg ( 2016 - 05 - 17 ). `` Michael Weatherly 's ' NCIS ' Finale Finally Answers The Ziva Question ''. Deadline.com. Retrieved 18 May 2016. Jump up ^ `` Former ' NCIS ' Star Cote De Pablo Joins Chilean Miner Movie ' The 33 ' ''. Deadline.com. 2014 - 01 - 10. Retrieved 14 January 2014. Jump up ^ Kondolojy, Amanda ( 16 July 2014 ). `` Cote de Pablo to Star in CBS 's Upcoming Miniseries The Dovekeepers '' ( Press release ). TV by the Numbers. Retrieved 16 July 2014. Jump up ^ Andreeva, Nellie. `` Cote de Pablo Poised To Star In Syfy Pilot ' Prototype ' ''. Deadline. Retrieved 2016 - 04 - 08. Jump up ^ `` Matt 's Inside Line : Scoop on Grey 's, Bones, Flash, Grimm, Arrow and More ! ''. TVLine. Retrieved 2016 - 04 - 13. Jump up ^ Petski, Denise. `` JR Bourne & Toby Hemingway Join Syfy Pilot ' Prototype ' ''. Deadline.com. Retrieved 2016 - 04 - 13. Jump up ^ Kott, Crispin. `` CD Reviews ''. Roll Publishing, Inc. Retrieved 31 May 2012. Jump up ^ James Horner ( 2015 - 11 - 06 ), The 33, WaterTower Music, retrieved 2016 - 04 - 08 Jump up ^ Nudd, Tim ( November 29, 2010 ). `` NCIS 's Cote de Pablo Loves Her Boyfriend for Being a Bad Influence ''. people.com. Retrieved June 26, 2011. Jump up ^ Palacios, Paula ( 2015 - 06 - 04 ). `` Cote de Pablo : ' Yo soy el sueño americano ' ''. caras.cl. Retrieved 6 June 2015. Recién soltera tras varios años de relación con el actor ecuatoriano Diego Serrano Jump up ^ Steely, Jon ( April 2011 ). `` Cote De Pablo The `` NCIS '' Special Agent Sings, Spars, Shoots, and Sleuths ``. venicemag.com. Archived from the original on July 25, 2011. Retrieved June 26, 2011. Jump up ^ Hahn, Kate ( 2011 ). `` Cote de Pablo : Radiating Inner and Outer Beauty - Prevention.com ''. Prevention magazine. Retrieved June 26, 2011. Jump up ^ `` ASCAP Honors Top Film and Television Composers and Songwriters at 19th Annual Awards Celebration ''. ASCAP. April 21, 2004. Retrieved March 21, 2015. Jump up ^ `` 2008 Nominees ''. imagen.org. Retrieved March 21, 2015. Jump up ^ `` 2008 NCLR ALMA AWARDS '' ( PDF ). almaawards.com. Retrieved March 21, 2015. Jump up ^ Robertson, Willa ( August 25, 2009 ). `` Alma Awards announce nominations ''. Variety. Retrieved March 19, 2015. Jump up ^ `` 2009 NCLR ALMA AWARDS '' ( PDF ). almaawards.com. Archived from the original ( PDF ) on July 13, 2014. Retrieved March 21, 2015. Jump up ^ `` Imagen Awards 2009 Nominations & Winners ''. imagen.org. Retrieved March 21, 2015. Jump up ^ `` Imagen Awards 2011 Nominees ''. imagen.org. Retrieved March 21, 2015. Jump up ^ 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. Retrieved March 21, 2015. Jump up ^ `` 2012 NCLR ALMA AWARDS '' ( PDF ). almaawards.com. Retrieved March 21, 2015. External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to Cote de Pablo. Cote de Pablo on IMDb Cote de Pablo at TVGuide.com Cote de Pablo at TV.com VIAF : 19469891 LCCN : no2007127229 Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cote_de_Pablo&oldid=816220610 '' Categories : 1979 births 21st - century American actresses Actresses from Miami American television actresses American people of Chilean descent Carnegie Mellon University College of Fine Arts alumni Chilean television actresses Chilean emigrants to the United States Hispanic and Latino American actresses Living people People from Santiago Hidden categories : CS1 Spanish - language sources ( es ) Wikipedia indefinitely move - protected pages Articles with hCards Wikipedia articles with VIAF identifiers Wikipedia articles with LCCN identifiers Talk Contents About Wikipedia Aragonés Čeština Dansk Deutsch Eesti Ελληνικά Español فارسی Français 한국어 Íslenska Italiano Lëtzebuergesch Magyar Nederlands 日本 語 Norsk Polski Português Русский Simple English Српски / srpski Srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски Suomi Svenska Edit links This page was last edited on 20 December 2017, at 01 : 14. 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Question: who is the actress that plays ziva on ncis
Answer: Cote de Pablo