Cote de Pablo Opens Up About NCIS Exit (‘No Second Thoughts’), Her Fans’ Reaction and Ziva’s Possible Return
Exactly a year-and-a-half after the news first broke that she and NCIS were parting ways, Cote de Pablo has answered many burning questions about Ziva’s “rushed” exit storyline, the “outpouring of love” she felt from fans and whether she’d ever return to the CBS drama she called home for eight years.
Following her appearance at the Television Critics Association winter press tour — where she was promoting the upcoming CBS mini The Dovekeepers — de Pablo said that after her break from NCIS, “I took a couple of months off, and my entire family came over which was really great. They knew that it was a tough transition for me, and within three-and-a-half months I had an offer,” for the Chilean miner biopic The 33.
“For the most part I have had incredible opportunities knock on my door — I have read them, I have been not quite interested,” she said. But The 33 afforded her both an opportunity to return “home” to Chile and work with “incredible people” including Juliette Binoche, Antonio Banderas and Gabriel Byrne. “I thought, ‘My god am I ready for this?'” de Pablo relates. “And I was ready.”
Invited by TVLine to reflect on and assess her NCIS exit storyline, which was folded into the first two episodes of Season 11, de Pablo admitted, “I think it was rushed. I would have liked a little bit of closure. But I think all in all I could not be more blessed, because I got a chance to be with my ‘love,’ Michael [Weatherly, who plays Tony]. Any time you put Michael and I together there’s going to be a spark, and there’s going to be real honesty, and for that I am forever grateful. Because in that sense there was a sense of conclusion as far as what [the characters] felt for each other.”
As such, and given that she got much-needed personal time, de Pablo attests that she has “no second thoughts” about ending her NCIS run. “I’m very happy with my choices. I spent time with family, which was incredibly important for me. I’ve had time to deal with me, which I couldn’t really do for a long time, so I’m blessed for that.”
Of course, a chunk of the NCIS fanbase reacted strongly to losing de Pablo and Ziva, with an “ouptouring of love” she says was “humbling.”
“When you make decisions like this, you never expect for people to fully understand,” she added. “So it was really delicious to feel that kind of love and I’m always grateful for that.”
So, might she one day reprise her role as Ziva, even on a one-off basis? “I think the fact that they never killed the character off is very telling,” de Pablo noted with a smile. “Under the right circumstances, I think it could definitely be explored.”
As for locking into another series regular TV role, de Pablo let out a hearty laugh before telling TVLine, “I’m not sure if I’m ready to sign a 6- or 7- or 8-year deal. I did a long run [on NCIS] and it was remarkable and I learned a lot.” That said, she’s game “if it was the right story. If we could keep up telling a really good story, that’s the most important thing if you’re an actor.”
Thank you for interviewing Cote today and for sharing her words with us. Of course she is missed on NCIS but I’m thrilled she’s moving on to grander things. :-)
Not thrilled she moving on. Want her back.
Shouldn’t it be her choice what she wants to do?
Oh, it is her choice. Just like it’s our choice to say that we would like for her to come back. :-)
Agreed, on all points.
MARCEL THANK OF COTE and not ourselves. Be happy for her. She is happy be happy for her.
Gee, I’m so sorry we can’t speak for ourselves…..and I DO WANT COTE TO COME BACK AS WELL CAUSE SHE’S MISSED VERY MUCH. Also, same thing goes for a lot of characters that have left other shows.
She will be sucessful no matter what she does has a biv following of fans who love watching her shes talented beyond believe wish her well know she will be a winner needs family time to keep head on straight been a long time gor her wothout a break but she will be fine am sure wish her well and god bless her
So do I! At least she’s open to coming back, just like she stated in her other interview right after she left in Sept. 2013. I’ll always have hope that Cote will come back! :-)
I think we’ll see her come back part-time as a successor to her father…..
I really hope she comes back too, I don’t watch most of the episodes now, just can’t stand that current replacement member, sooner they bump her off the sooner we might get Cote back, just keep killing them off till she comes back, they have all been crap, the program has completely lost its sparkle as well as its number one rating now.
Me too. Show not as good anymore , I liked her style , I watch couple of episodes with the new girl , sry but can’t watch it
I feel the same! Loved Zevas character and her chemistry with Tony!
Feel sorry for new girl like following elvis to the stage to sing she got an uphill battle Cote is a hard act to follow but eho knowd maybe will frive her to be her best and a new star will be born but Cote is a land mark at NCIS?
I stop watching not because Cotr/Ziva left but because Emily/Bishop arrived. I wax still enjoying he show before her arrival. She killed the show for me. I am still enjoying LA and am trying to get into NO because I like Scott/Pride and Lucas/Christopher.
Cote/Ziva was a backbone in NCIS. The “new” NCIS after she left is not so good.It´s more stiff.
I agree with Liz Arpin. The show is not the same!!!
Show not the same. Need something in it too bring it back. New girl a joke July
Need her back
Danne – Gibbs is the backbone of the show.
I agree too. I watched some of the old shows recently and wow! it really underlined the huge hole that is missing. I tired to watch, but I couldn’t get through it.
Need to find new bread for that slick piece of butter. Stay away from NCIS
NCIS doesn’t need a Rosie O’Donnell look-a-like
Cote/ Ziva, we do so miss you! We do all hope you will come back, anyway you can.
I agreed with that, I think that she is not thinking straight. She’s losing touch with what the fans wants, if she knows what’s best for her she would rethink the way she’s been thinking
It doesn’t matter what the “fans” want – she needs to do whats best for her life.
Yes, heaven forbid she do what’s best for her, and what she wants to do…think of the poor fans!
Ditto hope at least cameos wont be same without her very talented helps to make the show #1 for sure yes?
That’s a tad disturbing.
i dont want her back i want bishop
I know what you want!!
I agree 100%. Wish she would come back to NCIS. She made it more interesting.
I totally aggree
I totally agree with you. I want Cote back too.. Thank you so, so, so very much for posting this Comment. It means a lot to me!!!!!!!!!
I agree! The show just isn’t the same without her!
Amen she’s a superstar loaded with talent and hotter than a pistol, know she will continue to do well we all love her in tv land for sure!
Hope she will come back ncis is a great show, maybe cameos or something maybe character marriez “tony”?
Cote, You are in our hearts and prayers…we understand.
I prefer you in Chile
Stop being a Dickhead!!!! I love Ziva David and I really want her back on NCIS..
well said…. still s her / Tiva so much!
Time to find another series like the biggest loser.
You look like Rosie O’Donnell
I love this article & I love Ziva. I love Cote too.
Thank you for doing the interview. ;)
I’d hit that.
This phrases so offensive for its double meaning and how it objectifies the person being spoken of. Let’s all agree that the phrase needs to disappear from western lexicon and we need to pull back on the abuse imagery.
Look at miss feminist here.
Is that supposed to be an insult?
I agree Abby, but it just makes these guys seem like Neanderthals.
agree!!!!Abby, It is offensive
I’d hit you.
No more Internet until your 14th birthday.
STOP. BEING A DICKHEAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You can’t blame here for wanting time off after eight years. Glad she spoke out about things.
NTM it was one of her first TV shows after leaving acting school!
It’s one thing for experienced actors like Mark Harmon and David McCallum to stay in a show for 12 years, but for a brand-new actress?
Your acting is more like Rosie O’Donnell – now yo look like her, too
Roger Jones, I’ve seen at least 4 previous comments from you on this topic and they all say the same thing. We get the picture so you can turn off the recorded loop you have playing in your head.
I would def. tune back on NCIS if Ziva makes a little come back, I was not happy when Cote/Ziva wasn’t returning especially her chemistry with Dinozzo. I hoping to see TIVA make it till the series end but guess not. But overall good luck to her and her new mini series!
Of-course her storyline was rushed. She quit only three days before shooting. They had to rewrite her story very fast so it would be rushed.
She didn’t quite 3 days before the season started. It was announced she and CBS couldn’t come to a contract agreement on July 13, 2013.
And when do u think they shoot the episodes? they shoot months in advance
@JB – no one said she quit 3 days before the season started. Hege said she quit 3 days before shooting started, which is correct. They start shooting in July so they have episodes in the can for September.
David M. (Ducky said in a interview). She left three days before shooting.
Filming started July 17th and the writers were back to work sometime in late May/ early June. By the time they start filming the first new episode, they’ve written at least 4 episodes and are in various stages of 4 more. By announcing that she wasn’t going to return on July 13th, it meant that they had to scramble and re-write the first 1/3 of the season (of which episode 1 and 2 were all ready deep into pre-production: scouting, casting, set construction, etc.) So yes, by waiting so long to decide not to sign, she heavily impacted the production of the show.
Having said that, she sounds happy and the show managed to right the ship. Season 12 has been very strong in my opinion. I’m still enjoying each and every episode!
If I’m not wrong MH said that they had 5 or 6 episodes already written and had to change all of them.
He did indeed say that in a recent interview, which meant the writers had to pull all the stops out to rewrite the first 2 episodes and alter the others appropriately
Meaning that she was lucky they didn’t choose the easier way out and killed Ziva off in the first minutes of SP.
LM said that the cast and crew knew well in advance that she may not return. He said they had no excuse for not being prepared with alternate sl’s. He said it, not me.
It’s NOT the same w/o Ziva being there.
Which was 3 days before NCIS started filming their next season.
However, she had been in talks with the producers for months about whether she was staying or going. The final decision was made at a late date but not her feelings about wanting to do more in her career.
Considering that at the CBS UpFronts in NYC, it was announced by Harmon that ‘all would be back’ that year, it’s very obvious that there assurances that she would sign
Interesting, also, how the story about her role in 33 has changed from that was apparently one of the supposed sticking points in negotiations and now we are being told she was offered the role months later….
Given verifiable statement made near her sudden departure, by HER, and her unwillingness to curb the behavior of some of her more rabid fans I’d say someone is either telling lies now, or told them then, and allowed them to stand, either way.
Given my issues with the character Ms d Pablo played, changing stories to suit herself, nit taking responsibility for her actions, etc, this article reads like Ms de {Pablo is much like Ziva complete with a Chilean accent that she never managed to lose…
Not loosing accent is not the worst thing that can happen – some people can’t lose their hateful behavior even after her departure.If it was so annoying to see her on screen why did you even bother to check out her other projects?
BTW,Selma Hayek,Penelope Cruz,Antonio Banderas …they all still have that accent.What about British accent? It is an accent as well,right? Or Australian? Irish? Are you ok with Daniel Craig,Marion Cotilliard,Colin Firth,Gerard Butler,Benedict Cumberbatch…etc..etc.Are they bothering you?
Are maybe you think all these actors are not busy enough because of their accents?
We love Cote with or without accent.She left and that was the right thing to do.She just proved that.Good luck, Cote.Can’t wait to see what is next for you.
Daniela, The accent is a problem when she is SUPPOSED to be an Israeli… Even more so when she is supposed to be a super spy able to BLEND. My disliking the accent has nothing to do with the accents origins but the fact that such a talented actress couldn’t adjust her voice to better match the character… See Simon Baker versus Patrick Jane… Simon Baker is obviously Australian but that is not the voicing he uses for Patrick Jane…
I wish her luck but she is not the be all and end all, as an actor, that seems attributed to her….
Interesting..so,you are ok with accents but just not her accent because she is not talented enough for you,right? Well, I don’t think critics,Roma,CBS and huge amount of her fans would agree with you.You have all rights to have your opinion about her though.Also you have all rights not to watch whatever she does, specially after her departure from the show you love.After all she was replaced with an actress who is ‘awfully’ talented and CBS can’t wait when she finally will fill those very big shoes.Also she has no accent – double win!
As you say Daniella, a huge amount of HER fans would say different: fine but as someone who is not a fan all I’ve seen is basically a one note actor… The fact that you can fast forward most of the Ziva scenes without impacting the story is probably anle to be blamed on the writers but apart from Dead Man Walking I saw little of the supposed talent that is attributed to Ms de Pablo… on that note I also wish we’d seen more of that Ziva and less of the woman lacking in self control, over whelmed but her own sense of entitlement, and suprisingly lacking in observational skills one would have thought essential to being a spy… Was it writing or was it the way scenes were acted… Let’s what she’s like after she has a few more roles under her belt.
Your hatred of a woman you have never met is sick. Stop it. Go get an appt with a psychiatrist. You have scary psyche problems.
Cote de Pablo did not have a contract with CBS. It expired when the shooting of season 10 was finished. She stayed in the negotiations for months but she owed CBS nothing without a contract. They should have had a plan in place in case she didn’t re-sign. The shame does not go her but on CBS. They are big boys, they know how this works.
At UpFronts it was announced that the whole cast would be back….
Try again about needing a back up plan.
Mark Harmon should not have been opening his mouth in the 2013 upfronts to say the whole cast including Cote was coming back. Everyone in the real world knows that no contract= no commitment. Mark Harmon should have known better than to say such a thing.
Yeah, how dare he expect a fellow co-worker to continue to honor a commitment to the show and fellow actors after MONTHS of NEGOTIATIONS! That’s it, blame Harmon—wow, freaking unbelievable! SMDH!!
I totally agree with you.
Thank you so much for posting that comment.
I totally agree with you. I love you,
and thank you so, very much for posting this comment.. It means a lot to me.. I love you so, so much.
I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Thank You so, so, so, so, much…
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo. :)….”
It sounds like Cote is in a great place. Wishing her continued happiness and job successes.
I’ve never even seen NCIS and I’m sick to death of this woman.
Productive comment.
LOL
Bwahaha. Well played, Matt.
Mind you it is reminicent of the Bishop sucks posts that flood NCIS’ facebook page… Basically, not a productive comment at all.
Just like you have been making mindless Ziva/Cote posts for 8 years. Why do you even come to a page that is clearly about Cote de Pablo if you hate her? I know why. Because this feeds some weird, need in you. I saw comments from you about Cote on a page from about 6 years ago and you are still saying the same thing. So, others can’t complain about Bishop yet you can still slam a character and a person that isn’t even on the show anymore?! That’s the pot calling the kettle black!
Here is your comment from an article in EW about 32 will they or won’t they couples. Notice, it says FIVE years ago.
JustJeanette Autumn Gray • 5 years ago
Would you be saying Creator trumps canon if DB hadn’t wanted a romantic partner and yet the show went for one? The Ziva character requires such suspension of disbelief already. Adding Tony loving ‘that crazy ninja chick’ to the mix and I’ll head for “As the Bullpen Turns”
I like Bishop. I don’t complain about her. And if I didn’t like her, I certainly wouldn’t be going on these pages to complain about her non stop nor do it for years! I also do not talk about Ziva or Cote on the NCIS page.
But, why should those who don’t like Bishop stop complaining. You did it for years and you are still doing it.
You can find it at ew.com when you google 32 will they or won’t they couples. If you click on the picture of Tony and Ziva you can then click on the comment thread and your comment comes up. This page won’t let me paste the link.
That’s kinda creepy.
Stalking 5 year old articles seems a little overly obsessive to me.
I wan’t stalking Christine. I’ve been sick with the flu and when I was reading through aritcles, one came up on my side bar about the 32 best will they and won’t they couples. I found it odd that they would mention Tony and Ziva since she is no longer on the show. As I was reading it, I realized it was from a long time ago. When I scrolled through the comments, there was one from Just Jeanette. So, what is more obsessive, accidentally stumbling across an article yesterday or someone complaining about a character they don’t like for over 5 years?!?
Wow, stalking much?
For all you incredibly sad people saying “OOOOOH!!! STALKER!!!”, uh…are you actually so limited that you can’t fashion a Google search?? Because I did the same thing Shelly did after reading several comments on this story. There are a scary amount of posts from “justjeanette” (aw shucks, your just lil ol’ Jeanette…how cute). I haven’t been on an NCIS thread since I stopped watching the show over a year ago. The character of Bishop is so horrible she wrecked the show for me – and this is NOT a “Ziva or nothing” complaint. Replace Ziva with a decent character & a reasonably talented actress & I’d be back watching. But even tho it’s been over a year since I saw an NCIS thread, it only took me about 30 seconds to recognize that “justjeanette” name. Just read her bizarre, delusional posts. Ziva should be in prison! Her accent is wrong! Cote is a piece of garbage for a human!! I can say without hesitation that justjeanette is an obsessed sociopath. Her hatred for a woman she’s never met, and a character that is pure fiction, is frightening in its zeal.You freaks calling out Shelly for recognizing what a disturbed individual justjeanette is – and one that is totally memorable given her psychopath – are the weirdos. If there’s a stalker here, its lil ol Jeanette. A jealous old lady living with a dozen ferrets.
Thanks for the support! I appreciate so much! And my thoughts exactly!
So glad you took the time to read an article about a show & an actress that you have never seen & graced us w/your opinion. Thanks, Et al!! Numbscull
Your loss, very good show.
WOW? How did you manage that?
I totally agree with you. I want Cote back too.. Thank you so, so, so very much for posting this Comment. It means a lot to me!!!!!!!!!
I hope that “the right circumstances” present themselves sooner rather than later
Can’t wait for the Dovekeepers!
And it’s great that Cote de Pablo is happy although Ziva is STILL missed on NCIS and lots of TIVA fans would have wanted to see some sort of closure after 8 years!
Looking forward to the Dovekeepers and all her future projects!
And a lot of other fans would have preferred a different closure; Ziva hauled off to jail for her role in Kate’s death for a start.
Imust admit the entitlement of the TIVA fen remains frightening… If the type of treatment, particularly in later seasons such as 5, 6 and 7 are considered LOVE some people really need a reality check.. And don’t pull out the “it’s ONLY TV excuse” because I’d like to know why that sort of behaviour, fictional or otherwise is mistaken for love; worse when it’s not fictional at all. As for her comment about her love, Michael… That just eggs on the fen who were happily wishing MRS Weatherly miscarry because she shou;dn’t behaving Michael’s children Cote should.
Huh???
Penna girl, there is, unfortunately, a sector of the Cote De Pablo fan base that ship Michael/Cote, yes, the real people. When Bojana was pregnant with her, and Michael’s, first child there were pictures shared on Twitter and other social site of pregnant Bojana with a target on her belly… These are MOTE shippers and they are truly frightening.
Me to it is or was a good show.
She looks so lovely and refreshed. She had really started to look tired and overworked during her time on NCIS. The time off has been very good to her.
Packed on quite a bit of weight, too…..
Well there you have it hopefully whoever made the conspiracy that the entire NCIS cast and everyone at CBS was against Cote will see reason.
You’re kidding, right? The new conspiracy theory from some (not all, but some) will no doubt be that CBS forced her to say all that, holding The Dovekeepers hostage.
Don’t give them any ideas. I for one am happy that she’s content with her choice.
Oh, so am I! Cote’s moving onto grander things now. :-)
I think the cast was mad and scared in the wake of her immediate, and unexpected departure. Remember, Marvel Agents of Shield was coming out, and it was airing vs NCIS. Prior to her departure, there was rampant media and web speculation that AOS might beat NCIS.
.
NCIS is a cushy gig. Everybody makes a poop ton of money, and there was real fear amongst some of the cast that her departure might seriously damage the show and its ratings. So, I think some of the cast was mad at her for potentially killing the goose that laid the golden eggs.
.
Now that the cast is removed from her decision, and given that the ratings are fine, I would be willing to be that the cast isn’t as mad at her as they were in the aftermath of the decision.
Well, that’s a waay lot of supposition on your part isn’t it? Are you speaking for the cast? You know all of this as a fact? Umm, no, I don’t think so. The only thing I observed after she left was a small fan group speculating and making up some horrible things about the cast and CBS, because THEY didn’t want her to go. NCIS has been on for 12 seasons, the residuals alone would keep the cast monetarily satisfied. There hasn’t been any statements reflecting “fear” for “killing the goose”, it is an ensemble cast. I respect her decision to want to continue doing other things and move on, how sad some people just can’t respect that as well.
Less supposition than those who were screaming hate at the cast for not publicly supporting de Pablo (actually, they did, they publicly supported and accepted her decision to leave) and who were convinced that her ex-colleagues were all so devastated by her departure that they were almost unable to continue working.
To me the cast seemed hurt and baffled by her decision, which none of them saw coming, yet they accepted and supported it and got on with the show – and their jobs – without her.
I would have felt betrayed had a key player at my employment walked out days before the start of a new project, maybe they did too.
I cant wait to see the dovekeepers,her fans are going to support and love her forever whatever she wants to do , she is so talneted , humble , gorgeous, dhe deserves it and more I hope she comes back as guest star at least to NCIS
But there is little evidence of her fans supporting her and loving her “whatever she wants to do” and a lot of evidence that they believe all she should do and all she should want to do is return to NCIS.
Very few seem able to accept that she could have made an unforced decision to leave NCIS to do what she wants with her career.
If you think there is little evidence of her fans supporting, have a look at the comments on this thread.
I count 9 comments asking for her to return to NCIS, 3 wishing her well in her future career and 3 looking forward to the Dovekeepers (out of about 60 current comments), most of the rest are generally commenting on the situation or the article.
That’s not much evidence of her fans supporting her in her career choices.
We score comments differently then. I see none of her fans hoping that her career tanks now that she’s left NCIS. Some do wish she would return but none of her fans saying “It serves her right to have her career fail.” Granted, that’s harder to judge because a number of people here resent her for various reasons.
@Kath. I haven’t seen ANYONE hoping that de Pablo’s career tanks now that she has left NCIS (but I am sure you can find me an example or two), although I have seen plenty dismissing both of her recent projects as mere irritations with “once she has finished filming she will be free to return to NCIS”. As if NCIS is the thing she should be allowed to do with her career.
Very few of those claiming to be her fans want her to do anything except “return to NCIS”, as illustrated in these comments.
–
I have seen plenty of posts hoping that NCIS will tank without her and/or calling for Wickersham to be fired for taking over from de Pablo.
There are some people who are the fanatic in fans (I’m sure I don’t need to point them out if you’re here). Always were, always will be. There’s also a lot of hate for her, partly because of the way she was written, partly because of how badly they handled the Tony/Ziva relationship, and sadly partly because of the fact that Ziva was a foreigner and was never low enough on the NCIS totem pole for their liking.
But if you look at the majority of CdP/Ziva fans, I think you’ll find that while they regret her leaving NCIS, they wish her well in her future. Some are still watching NCIS, others like me have moved on. (I like Ellie but I’m so bored with Gibbs, Tony, McGee, Abby and Ducky, they never seem to change or grow, it’s been 11 years in their own time warp.)
Well I’ve run across this article again two months later and I stand by my previous comment. It is a really depressing indictment of de Pablo’s career that there are so many so-called fans who only want her to return to NCIS as Ziva and not do anything else. Although at least there are a few more looking forward to The Dovekeepers.
It’s also surprising how many here are flat our saying she made a wrong decision – as if they are more competent to define her life path than she is.
I am certainly looking forward to seeing the viewing figures for The Dovekeepers.
Look to the NCIS facebook page that is held hostage by Bring Back Ziva and Bishop Sucks comments…. on any post regardless of topic.
Oh, you mean the hundreds of different people that actually voice their opinions on Facebook in regards to the show and have been doing that for a long time? What about those that hated Ziva for years and tried for 8 years to get rid of her and guess what, they’re still not happy even though Ziva’s gone. :-)
I think what Pete was saying is that yes, her fans love and support her as long as she is playing Ziva and doing what they want her to do. And there is an element (not all, but definitely an element) that seems to feel exactly that way.
I think that’s a small proportion of her fans, because there are fanatics everywhere. If you look at the comments here, no one is saying that.
@Kath (have to reply to myself, since I can’t reply to you ’cause we’re too far down the reply chain) – the reply to the first comment on this article says exactly that:
marcel says:
January 13, 2015 at 1:09 PM
Not thrilled she moving on. Want her back.
Does that sound very supportive of her wishes and desires?
That’s one person, and even that person doesn’t want her career to tank just because she left NCIS..
Most of the comments that are pro-Cote support her in her career even those people who wish Ziva were still on NCIS. (However, it seems to me that a few of the people who hate Ziva/Cote wouldn’t mind at all if her career tanked.)
When is the Dovekeepers show going to show?
Thank you for this closure.
NCIS hasn’t been as good since she left, but I’m glad she’s feels happy with the decision.
You haven’t watched the last couple of programs, have you? I thought they were very good. They were fast moving.
I haven’t caught the last episode yet but I did see the one where Diane was killed (sadly, because she was a recurring character I really liked). That episode was someone in Gibbs’ past targeting people he cared about to hurt him, followed by NCIS:NO, in which someone from Pride’s past targets people around Pride trying to hurt him. I like NCIS:NO (love Loretta, like Pride) but it seems like both shows are on a repeating loop.
I wish her the best in her indever.
Funny about her comments about the rushed feel of Ziva’s departure. .. Given it is known she basically couldn’t find time to actually be there for the first episode at all. Add in the lateness of her decision not to resign, verifiable facts, and yet history seems to have changed markedly in the mind of Ms de Pablo.
As to her comments about her love, Michael, I think I would have preferred she address some of the behavior of some of her fans, particularly those who think Michael & Cote should be together instead of stirring the pot, again.
I wish her well in her new career but much of this article feels like trolling by Cote for attention, particularly for Dovekeepers which she kind of needs to succeed.
Ditto!!!
Oh, you mean CBS needs this to succeed since they bought the rights long before Cote and the other cast members were announced. But sure, let’s lay blame at Cote if it falls apart and not CBS who was willing to invest time and money into this production with Roma and Mark.
But I’m hoping this is a success for CBS and shows they’re willing to take risks on projects like this. :-)
No, de Pablo was a success in a very successful TV show which she left at the height of its success – as with many actors before her in a similar situation, she could do with her ‘next’ project also proving to be a success. Whether anyone claims it to be attributable to her or not.
That is totally seperate to CBS wanting it to be a success for their business reasons.
If Dovekeepers proves to be a flop, of course there will some who will blame it on de Pablo, just as others will claim it is all on her if it is a success – merely because she is one of the more high-profile people associated with the project. That is the nature of showbiz.
I wish her well both in her career and with the Dovekeepers, the subject matter does not appeal to me regardless of her participation (although I would likely have never heard of it without her involvement). I have a mild interest in seeing her play a part other than Ziva, but I might just wait for her next project.
The writers needs to write a better story so that the actor can do a better job playing it. It’s all the writers falt for the failure of the show.
No, I meant Cote needs it to succeed… for all her drama education she has had basically ONE TV role. Many of her comments in this article are lacking in a degree in terms of truth… it is public record she suddenly didn’t sign at the last minute and couldn’t find time to be available to wrap up Ziva’s storyline well; she is said to have already had the role in 33 and in fact that was supposedly one of the sticking points.
Apparently, she also didn’t want to do a lot of the publicity stuff that Sean, Pauley, and Michael do preferring to keep her private life private (and that’s her right) but she’s since glimmer onto social media for Dove keepers so again one questions the validity of her early dislike (see, I think her publicists have pointed out that apart from the TIVA fanatics she’s not that we’ll known).
Actually no, it’s really cdp that needs DK to be a huge success as this is her first project away from NCIS.
oh and where is the proof that CBS bought the rights before the cast was announced.
The rights to The Dovekeepers were bought by CBS in December of 2013. Cote was announced as part of the cast in July, 2014. The rest of the cast was announced in July/Aug of 2014. Cote
was already gone before CBS bought the rights as she left in July of 2013.
Actors routinely make the rounds for their soon to be released projects so Cote doing that is rather routine. And probably contractually required.
She was here promoting the hell out of DOVEKEEPERS. And of course NCIS questions will be/were asked, hardly solicited. Nothing untoward going on.
Kind of expected NCIS to be asked about, Matt….Would have been surprised if it wasn’t.
If she was “promoting the hell out of DOVEKEEPERS” then shouldn’t the article have been about that show? It appears that, instead, you fell into the click-bait trap of writing an article that would only continue to inflame the pro/con Ziva/Cote debate. Questions to her about NCIS should have been a small paragraph in a larger article about an upcoming television show that she was promoting.
“Click bait,” or sharing the first meaningful CdP/NCIS quotes in well over a year? Yeah, I’m good with the story, but thanks for the ombudsmanship.
When Dovekeepers is closer to airing, I am sure that’s when more of the interviews will be released.
Yup. More than two months away.
Gibbs doesn’t believe in coincidences and neither do I. Her opening her mouth just at the time she needs to drum up media buzz for her upcoming project? Not a coincidence. Her trying to stir the tiva fans? Not a coincidence. It’s all media spin and fan manipulation.
Too bad
Maybe it’s as simple as she was out doing p.r. for her upcoming movie, and she was asked by interviewers about the ending of her time on NCIS and answered their questions.
It doesn’t have to be some big manipulative thing.
See Matt’s above comment. Regardless of if you’re a CDP fan or not, it is obvious she is promoting the the Dovekeepers, as she should and probably is contractually bound to do.
Promoting Dovekeepers, yes….
Stirring up TIVA fen by comments like herlove, Michael, NO, not cool.
I saw that, but I’m choosing to not discuss it. That has no impact on why she was promoting a miniseries.
and it’s obvious that both cote & roma are fine wiht using NCIS buzz to keep DK out there until it actually airs….
cdp, though, being willing to fan the MOTE flames yet again is just too much
what I don’t understand (I guess never understood really) is why CBS or the NCIS brass didn’t put a stop to the really flirtatious MOTE stuff. They just don’t seem to have had MW’s back.
she sounds content and very happy with the way things turned out. she has said all along it was her decision, and it sounds like her reasons were similar to Sasha’s (Kate) she needed time for herself. I love Ziva always have and always will, but the last yr and 1/2 some people have made it very difficult to even mention her name. The hate they have and openly showed for writers, actors producers etc has been sickening. NCIS is a great show but that’s all it is a show, entertainment. I hope this interview would quiet them up some, but I doubt it, so sad. But very happy the show has gone on and VERY successfully at that, and hasn’t been hurt at all Mark Harmon and the others and all the crew have shined through it all brightly, and will keep going strong .
What she said!
Ditto!
Hear hear!
Very well said, Emmalynn.
I do miss Cote, and I look forward to her return if it ever happens. And if it doesn’t happen, still all the best to her. I do wish there could have been a way for her to return for Gibbs’ father’s funeral. As a favor to the person she looked up to. Maybe even as a face in the crowd around the casket.
Dead on screen does not mean dead off screen. For some reason I believe they are going to kill her character off screen and tie it into the Russian storyline with Gibbs they have going.
I really doubt that they’ll kill off her character. She has a lot of fans so I think that they’ll probably have her appear in the last episode of the series whenever that is.
There’s not much storyline upside to that which I can see, internet would be more peaceful after a while but that’s a different thing eh?
And arguably with Diane’s death they’ve had enough bodies for a while, on or offscreen. I’m on board with how Jimmy was written on that score.
Too little too late.
Call me crazy, but I don’t want her back at all.
I agree. I didn’t think she fit in as an U.S. agent. Not realistic story line at all.
I don’t either…I’m glad she’s gone and is living her life and I love the way NCIS has reinvented itself to be less of a saturday morning cartoon show to a more cerebral team process.
Love Ellie as the probie – it’s been far too long since there was one on the team….
Count me among those who don’t want her back either. I wish her well, just well away.
You are realy SAD.
Happy for Cote that she took time for herself and her family. It hasn’t been the same on NCIS since she left. There’s a void. I would love to see her return to the series even if it is on a part-time basis.
I’m in! I love the story of Masada…
I never did really see the chemistry between Ziva and Tony. To me, it almost seemed forced and not nearly as intense as it was between Tony and Jeanne Benoit. Now that time has passed, I would love to see that relationship revisited.
oh yeah! Although I really hated the way they ended up writing Jeane as such a needy woman, I loved those two together since we actually got to see Tony as Tony and not just as the comic relief that he’s so often written as.
If they could get Scottie back, it would be great to find out that they found a way to keep in touch and had managed to become friends at the very least
Tony’s relationship with Jeanne was a more mature relationship. He was actually drawn into her life,though obviously difficulties doomed them since he was undercover. With Ziva, all I saw was games and walls to keep him out.
So, you think it is healthy to be in a “false” relationship based on lies? Umm Tony DiNardo, college professor? Did he really love her or was he in love with the idea of being in love in a normal life? Oh, and she then falsely accused him of murder. I think Tony deserves a little better than Jeanne, too.
The way it was written, it came across to me that Tony fell in love with Jeanne. He certainly cared for her deeply and had strong misgivings the longer the subterfuge lasted. He knew it was going to be devastating to her when she found out who he really was. As for her falsely accusing him of murder, well, the show IS a drama. Her father, who she had been very close to, had just been murdered and she found out the man she loved and thought she knew was an undercover cop who’d been investigating her dad – her world was upended. I can see how blaming Tony for her dad’s death would occur to her.
Also, I referred to the relationship as more mature, not “healthy.” We saw Tony deeply relating to a woman in an intimate, caring, loving way. That’s boatloads more than we got with Ziva’s flirting and come-ons and then throwing up walls. But no, neither relationship was healthy. They were TV.
We could also say that Ziva was grieving the death of her boyfriend when she threw Tony on the ground and pointed a gun at him. So, why does Jeanne get a pass in grieving her father but Ziva doesn’t get a pass for grieving her boyfriend and finding out about her father’s betrayal? I am not saying either is right but people sure like to throw Ziva under the bus for having those emotions in the days following a significant death in her life.
Yeah. It’s true Tony did makeup a last name and a job but I always thought he was more himself when he was with Jeanne, more comfortable in his own skin. And yes, the bitterness got her in the end, but before then, she was in love with him and treated him with love and respect, which is a far cry from how Ziva treated him.
Jeanne never had a party for everyone on the team and didn’t invite only him on purpose and smirk smugly when he found out just to be mean, or request he be kicked off the team, or throw him injured to the ground and shove a gun in him, or leave him vulnerable without backup, and sleeping with Adam when he’d clearly given her his heart, couldn’t even be civil when he gave her his bed while she was grieving, and the look on his face when she and McGee opened the door to the dive apt. while she & McGee were tracking Bodnar knowing he’d been left out on purpose (& her face showed it) and when she had to call Gibbs to come save her showing she didn’t give Tony any credence as being able to help, disrespecting his leadership while Gibbs was in Mexico
and I’m sorry, but if someone crosses the world and rescues you from a terrorist and you can’t be nice to him for more than episode or 2?, someone does that for you, you don’t get to treat him like dirt ever again … just too many examples to name. Her belittling him and her ever-present air of superiority, going so far even as to refer to him as ‘dead weight’ (which the writers were happy to turn into a regular thing by turning her into wonder woman and everyone else nothing more than her props. She made it quite clear she had no respect for him and did not see him as an equal. And all the ‘are you jealous’ comments made ad nauseam told me she just wanted him to want her for the sake of having power over him, not because she had any real feelings for him. She even put him in the friend zone outside the cabin. There’s no question but that his relationship with Ziva was toxic for him.
If the writers had meant for me to like Ziva, they’d have made her a good person. People may not like Bishop but she is at least giving the team respect for their experience and is a team player and is eager to be mentored and is far less divisive to the team. More than can be said about Ziva.
And if Cote wanted me to think she was an honorable person, she would have handled her quitting and the subsequent fan fallout in a far more honorable manner.
By your own reckoning, then he deserves better than Ziva, who also accused him of murder, as well.
Did I say anything about a Tony and Ziva relationship? I do not believe I even mentioned Ziva in my comment. And the point is over as she is no longer on the show. I do not think Michael Weatherly and his character should be held hostage until she chooses to return or not return. That isn’t fair to him in any way, shape or form.
Interesting how perceptions differ. I thought Tony’s relationship with Jeanne was all about lies and neediness. He lied, she lied to get back at him, and even in the end he couldn’t be honest with her about her feelings.
It is interesting how perceptions differ! I enjoy reading the comments and seeing how we all interpret the storylines our own way.
I thought Tony’s relationship with Jeanne was good for him in that it allowed him to grow up a little and open up to a mature adult relationship. And then the producers hit the breaks again and shoved him back into the immature Tony again because they never wanted anyone to change from who they were in the opening years, a bunch of single people solving crimes.
I think a lot of the reasons people get angry at the show is because of decisions the show-runners have made, not the characters themselves or the actors. (I find it hard to believe that Michael Weatherly really wants to play Frat Boy for the length of his time on NCIS, or Sean Nerdy Clutz.)
I ageer
Yeah. That would have been really hard to turn down.
I understand why she felt she had to leave, Mark Harmon is starring in his sixties, David MacCallum is working as much as he wants in his seventies, but women have a much harder time than men getting good roles as they age. I can think of only one woman in her sixties, Susan Sullivan on Castle, who has a regular gig on a TV show.
Sorry, accidentally replied to the wrong person
That was the writers doings. Not Tony’s.
I’d tap that.
Cote as Ziva is still greatly missed on NCIS. However, I am glad she (as an actress) has found a new vehicle for her many talents. I already have it on my calendar to watch on March 31st.