Cote de Pablo real name, María José de Pablo Fernández, is a Chilean-American actress and singer, with a whopping net worth of $6 million. She is best known for her role as Ziva David on the hit TV series NCIS.
Her performance gained wide recognition and earned her awards, including an ALMA Award for Favorite Television Actress. She was previously in a long-term relationship with actor Diego Serrano, which ended in 2015.
Who is Cote de Pablo?
Cote de Pablo is an talented actress and singer, widely known for her iconic role as Ziva David on the CBS series NCIS. She portrayed the character, an Israeli Mossad officer turned NCIS agent, from 2005 until 2013, and later returned in 2019.
Before her success on NCIS, Cote began her career at age 15 when she co-hosted the Latin-American talk show Control. In addition to acting, Cote is also a talented singer.
She performed a portion of Tom Waits’ song Temptation on NCIS, and her full performance appeared on the official TV soundtrack.
Cote has also showcased her vocal abilities on Roberto Pitre’s album Vivo en Vida, where she sang tracks like Samba in Prelude and Cry Me a River. Cote’s portrayal of Ziva earned her critical acclaim and several awards, including an ALMA Award in 2011.
Her success in television, coupled with her musical contributions, made her a respected figure in the entertainment industry. Despite her fame, Cote maintains a relatively private life.
She continues to be beloved by fans, with her return to NCIS in 2019 made her place as one of television’s most memorable characters.
Cote de Pablo Early Life & Education
Cote de Pablo was born as María José de Pablo Fernández on November 12, 1979, in Santiago, Chile. She is Chilean descent and holds Chilean-American nationality.
Cote’s father, Francisco de Pablo, was a civil engineer, and her mother, María Olga Fernández, was a former actress. She has a younger sister, Andrea, and a brother, Francisco, who works as a DJ.
At the age of 10, Cote moved with her family to Miami, Florida, after her mother secured a job at a Spanish-language television network. This relocation marked a major shift in her life, as she adapted to a new culture and language.
In Miami, she attended Arvida Middle School and later, New World School of the Arts, where she developed an interest in musical theater. During her school years, Cote faced the challenge of her name, María José, being difficult for others to pronounce.
To make things easier, she chose to go by Coté, a popular nickname for María José in Chile. Cote’s love for the arts flourished as she pursued musical theater at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh.
There, she earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theater, performing in various plays like And the World Goes ‘Round and The Fantasticks. Her time at Carnegie Mellon helped refine her acting and singing skills.
Cote de Pablo Age
Cote de Pablo is 45 years old as of 2024 because she came into the world on November 12, 1979, in Santiago, Chile. According to her birthday, she falls under the Scorpio zodiac sign.
Early Career and Breakthrough in TV
De Pablo began her career in 1994 at the age of 15 when she co-hosted episodes of the talk show Control on Univision, alongside Carlos Ponce. This early exposure to television set the stage for her future in the industry.
After moving to New York City, de Pablo worked multiple jobs to support herself, including waitressing at an Indian restaurant in Manhattan and an Italian eatery in Brooklyn. During this time, she also appeared in commercials and landed small roles on TV shows such as All My Children and The $treet”
Her first significant role came in 2004 when she was cast in Fox’s legal drama The Jury as Marguerite Cisneros. Though the show was short-lived, it helped establish de Pablo’s presence in television.
The cancellation of The Jury led to her next big break: de Pablo auditioned for CBS’s hit show NCIS. Her audition for the role of Ziva David, an Israeli Mossad officer turned NCIS agent, was successful, and she joined the show in 2005.
Ziva’s character, known for her intelligence, strength, and no-nonsense attitude, quickly became a fan favorite. Over her tenure, de Pablo appeared in more than 200 episodes and earned critical acclaim for her portrayal of Ziva.
Her performance garnered several award nominations and wins, including Imagen Awards and ALMA Awards, with de Pablo winning the ALMA Award for Favorite Television Actress in a Leading Role in Drama in 2011.
Departure from NCIS and Return
In 2013, de Pablo made the difficult decision to leave NCIS after Season 11, citing dissatisfaction with the direction of her character’s arc. Ziva’s departure was marked by an emotional storyline, but de Pablo remained involved long enough to complete Ziva’s story.
Though Ziva’s character was believed to have died in an explosion in Israel, the show revealed in 2019 that Ziva was alive and in hiding, much to the delight of fans.
Cote made a surprise return in the Season 16 finale and appeared in the first few episodes of Season 17, which gives her fans the reunion they had long hoped for.
Film and Other Projects
In addition to her work on NCIS, de Pablo ventured into film and other television projects. In 2014, she starred in the film The 33, based on the real-life 2010 Copiapó mining accident in Chile.
She portrayed the wife of one of the miners, a role that garnered praise for her emotional performance. In 2015, she appeared in the CBS miniseries The Dovekeepers, based on Alice Hoffman’s novel, which tells the story of four women during the Roman siege of Masada.
In 2016, de Pablo was slated to star in Syfy’s Prototype, a thriller-drama about a discovery in quantum physics that puts the lives of the protagonists at risk.
Unfortunately, the project was not picked up, and in 2018, de Pablo, along with her NCIS co-star Michael Weatherly, was involved as an executive producer for a new CBS detective drama called MIA. However, this project also did not move forward.
In 2024, de Pablo was confirmed to reprise her role as Ziva David in the highly anticipated NCIS spin-off, NCIS: Tony & Ziva, which will stream on Paramount+. This reunion with Michael Weatherly as Tony DiNozzo is highly anticipated by long-time fans of the series.
Cote de Pablo Movies and TV Shows
Some of Cote de Pablo movies and TV shows are listed below:
- The 33
- NCIS: Los Angeles
- The Dovekeepers
- NCIS: Tony & Ziva
- Bon Cop, Bad Cop
- The Street
- The Education of Max Bickford
Music Career
Alongside her acting career, de Pablo is also an accomplished singer. She showcased her musical talent on NCIS, performing Tom Waits’ song Temptation in the 2008 episode Last Man Standing. Her full performance of the song, including some lyrics in French, was later released on the NCIS: The Official TV Soundtrack.
De Pablo’s musical talents extended beyond NCIS; she also contributed to the soundtrack of The 33, performing Gracias a la Vida. Additionally, she appeared on Roberto Pitre’s album Vivo en Vida, where she sang “Samba in Prelude” and “Cry Me a River”.
Cote de Pablo Songs
Some of Cote de Pablo songs are listed below:
- Temptation
- I Don’t Believe it Anymore
- Buried Alive
- The Collapse
- Nasty Little Perv
- Samba In Prelude
- Gracias a la vida
Social Media Appearance
Cote de Pablo is known for keeping a low profile when it comes to social media. She does not have personal accounts on major platforms like Instagram, X, or Facebook.
While there are fan-operated pages dedicated to her, these are not officially managed by de Pablo herself. She has expressed in interviews that she prefers to maintain her privacy and avoid the public exposure that comes with a social media presence.
Cote de Pablo Net Worth
Cote de Pablo has an estimated net worth of $6 million as of 2025. She primarily made her money through her acting career, particularly from her role as Ziva David on NCIS, where she earned $120,000 per episode.
She has also appeared in films like The 33 and contributed to soundtracks, including singing Temptation for NCIS.
Beyond acting, Cote has made money from production deals, such as co-executive producing the drama MIA with Michael Weatherly, and from endorsements with beauty brands.
Cote de Pablo Husband and Kids
Cote de Pablo is not currently married. She was previously in a long-term relationship with Ecuadorian actor Diego Serrano, but they parted ways in 2015 after 15 years together.
Since their breakup, Cote has kept her personal life very private and has not remarried or publicly confirmed any new romantic relationships. Although there have been rumors about a potential romance with her NCIS co-star Michael Weatherly, both have denied such claims.
They have consistently showed their strong professional relationship and close friendship, but there is no evidence to suggest they have been romantically involved.
Cote has shown a preference for keeping her relationships out of the public eye. She focuses more on her career and personal life, remaining tight-lipped about her dating status and opting not to share any details about her love life with the media.
Cote de Pablo Husband/Relationships
Cote de Pablo was in relationship with Ecuadorian actor Diego Serrano. The two were together for an impressive 15 years, from 2000 until their reported separation in June 2015.
Their relationship was known for being both loving and supportive. Cote is known for her reserved and homebody nature, often found herself embracing a more spontaneous and adventurous lifestyle thanks to Serrano.
After her breakup with Serrano, Cote has remained intensely private about her personal life. She has not married or have a child, and has not publicly confirmed any new romantic relationships.
Some of her fans speculations about a romantic relationship between de Pablo and her NCIS co-star Michael Weatherly, especially considering their close on-screen chemistry. However, both Cote and Weatherly have consistently denied these rumors.
In interviews, Cote has referred to Weatherly as like my brother, making it clear that their bond is one of strong friendship and professional respect rather than anything romantic.
Despite the rumors, Cote and Weatherly have maintained a close relationship built on years of working together.
Cote de Pablo Height and Weight
Cote de Pablo stands at a height of 5 feet 7 inches which is equal to 170 centimeters or 1.70 meters and weighs approximately 59 kilograms which is equal to 130 pounds. She has dark brown eyes and black hair, which contribute to her striking and memorable appearance.
Bottom Line
In the Bottom line, Cote de Pablo is a renowned actress and singer. Her career spans television and music. She has received numerous accolades and gained a strong fan following. Her achievements continue to inspire audiences worldwide.
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