Cote de Pablo is a Chilean actress best known for playing the role of Mossad Officer Ziva David on the CBS crime drama NCIS from 2005 to 2013.

Cote de Pablo, 34, is in a long term relationship with actor Diego Serrano. The couple isn’t married yet. Nor do they have any kids.

Born on November 12, 1979, in Santiago, Chile, Cote de Pablo got her big break in 2005, when she landed a starring role as Mossad Officer Ziva David on the CBS crime drama NCIS. The following year, she was awarded the Imagen Award for best supporting actress – her first major award.

Cote de Pablo was born Maria Jose de Pablo Fernandez on November 12, 1979, in Santiago, Chile.

When she was 10, Cote de Pablo and her family moved to Miami, Florida, where her mother landed a job on the Spanish-language television channel, Telemundo.

Once in the US, Cote de Pablo began to focus her education on music and theater, including studying at Carnegie Mellon University.

Cote de Pablo left NCIS in July 2013, just before Season 11 premiere (photo CBS)

While at Carnegie Mellon, Cote de Pablo appeared in several plays including The House of Bernarda Alba, Cloud Techtonics, Indescretions, The Fantasticks, And The World Goes ‘Round and A Little Night Music.

Cote de Pablo graduated from Carnegie Mellon in 2000 with a BFA in Acting and Musical Theater

Her first big break was when she was the co-host of a Latin themed television talk show, Control, with co-host Carlos Ponce. Cote de Pablo hosted the show off-and-on from 1994 to 1995 on the Univision network.

In 2001, Cote de Pablo appeared in the New York City Public Theater production of Measure for Measure. After two years with the theater, she moved into small television roles on such shows as The Education of Max Bickford, All My Children, Fling and The $treet.

In 2004, Cote de Pablo appeared in a Volkswagen commercial and starred on The Jury, a short-lived television series on FOX. The show only lasted for 10 episodes before it was canceled.

The following year, Cote de Pablo made her Broadway debut in The Mambo Kings, playing the role of Dolores Fuentes.

Cote de Pablo’s big break came later that year, however, when she landed a starring role as Mossad Officer Ziva David on the CBS crime drama NCIS.

Her performance won Cote de Pablo her first major award in 2006, when she was given the Imagen Award for best supporting actress.

In 2008, Cote de Pablo was nominated for two more awards: the Alma Award for outstanding actress in a drama television series and another Imogen Award for best supporting actress.

In 2009, Cote de Pablo appeared in the film The Last Rites of Ransom Pride with Jason Priestly and Kris Kristofferson, among others.

In July 2013, just before NCIS‘s season 11 premiere, it was announced that Cote de Pablo would be leaving the show.

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