Cote de Pablo’s Early NCIS Experience: A Scare on Set and a Path to Success
Fans of “NCIS” are well-acquainted with Cote de Pablo, who played Ziva David from Season 3 onward after Sasha Alexander’s Caitlin Todd exited the series. However, de Pablo’s journey on the show wasn’t without its challenges. In an episode of “Off Duty: An NCIS Rewatch,” de Pablo and co-host Michael Weatherly, who played Tony DiNozzo, recalled a particularly stressful moment during her early days on set.
Weatherly shared how, during one of her first episodes, de Pablo was overwhelmed by the fast-paced nature of TV production. While still learning to navigate call sheets, she was unexpectedly called to shoot a significant autopsy scene with David McCallum’s character, Dr. Donald “Ducky” Mallard. The scene involved a lengthy monologue, which she hadn’t memorized due to the sudden schedule change.
De Pablo, coming from a theater background, needed time to memorize her lines and was unprepared for the quick turnover demanded by TV filming. Panicked and feeling like a “failure,” she struggled through the scene, even resorting to counting out loud as the camera rolled, as suggested by the director.
Fortunately, the producers understood her predicament and scheduled a reshoot, allowing de Pablo to properly prepare. Reflecting on the experience, she admitted to being sleepless and anxious, but ultimately, the reshoot went well. This experience marked a turning point, helping her adapt to the TV environment and paving the way for a successful tenure on “NCIS.”
De Pablo portrayed Ziva for nearly a decade, eventually returning for recurring roles in Season 17 after the character was thought to have been killed off in Season 13. She and Weatherly are now set to reprise their roles in the upcoming spinoff “NCIS: Tony & Ziva,” which will follow their characters on the run in Europe.
