One of the first major shifts in the status quo of “NCIS” occurred at the end of the Season 2 finale when Special Agent Caitlin Todd, played by Sasha Alexander, was killed by the terrorist Ari Haswari. This dramatic turn set the stage for another significant change early in Season 3, when Cote de Pablo was introduced as Ziva David, Ari’s half-sister and Caitlin’s replacement on the team. De Pablo became a main cast member for eight seasons and later made guest appearances in Seasons 16 and 17. Now, she is set to co-lead the upcoming “NCIS: Tony and Ziva” spinoff with Michael Weatherly, which will stream exclusively on Paramount+.
Cote de Pablo and Michael Weatherly have developed a close relationship over the years, but their initial meeting during de Pablo’s audition for the role of Ziva was far from smooth. This story was recounted in the first episode of their new podcast, “Off Duty: An NCIS Rewatch,” where they discussed their beginnings on the show.
During her audition, de Pablo tested with Weatherly immediately after another actress. Unfamiliar with both Weatherly and his character, Tony DiNozzo, de Pablo misinterpreted Weatherly’s ad-libbed comment, “Oh, you’re so pretty. You remind me of Salma Hayek,” as an attempt to sabotage her audition. This led to a moment of intense emotion for her, which she described as “Rage Against the Machine.”
However, the unexpected shift in the audition’s dynamic led the casting team to find the interaction genuinely amusing, highlighting the chemistry between the two actors. De Pablo hadn’t seen the first two seasons of “NCIS” and didn’t realize Weatherly’s ad-lib was in character for Tony, who often made movie references. Weatherly explained that he was looking for a way to disrupt the scene and stand out, not to undermine her performance. His impromptu comment, though seemingly out of place, was in line with DiNozzo’s persona.
Despite the rocky start, the dynamic established during this audition played a crucial role in de Pablo being cast as Ziva David. “NCIS” co-creator Don Bellisario soon informed her of the good news. Originally intended as a guest character, Ziva was promoted to a series regular by the fourth episode of Season 3, “Silver War.” She remained in this role until the second episode of Season 11, “Past, Present, and Future.” Contrary to earlier assumptions that her character had died offscreen towards the end of Season 13, Ziva made a surprising return in Seasons 16 and 17.
This behind-the-scenes anecdote not only sheds light on the casting process for “NCIS” but also illustrates the serendipitous moments that can lead to lasting on-screen chemistry and beloved television characters.