Did CBS Really Try To Convince Cote De Pablo To Stay On NCIS?
Cote de Pablo played Special Agent Ziva David on "NCIS" and remains beloved by fans of the CBS series. The Chilean American actor played a former Mossad officer on the CBS series, and viewers loved Ziva's romance with Tony DiNozzo, played by Michael Weatherly. Fans were convinced Weatherly and de Pablo had a relationship off-screen!
It was easy to see why fans thought the on-screen couple was dating after Weatherly and de Pablo interviewed each other on Entertainment Tonight in 2009. The chemistry between the two "NCIS" actors was easy to spot. Weatherly said, "My first impression was that you were a very put-together young lady from New York. I was amazed by the focus and the clarity of the performance, and before I knew it, I had fallen hopelessly, desperately into an enchanted spell."
The popular actor debuted on the CBS series in 2005. According to Showbiz Cheat Sheet, de Pablo remained on the popular series until 2013. The actor came back for a guest-star gig in 2020, but she did not return to the show permanently. But you won't believe what de Pablo was offered to stay on "NCIS" when she first left!
Cote de Pablo was offered 'a lot' of money to stay
Cote de Pablo from "NCIS" was offered "a lot" of money to remain on the show in 2013. CBS News reported that CBS CEO Les Moonves said, "We offered Cote de Pablo a lot of money, and then we offered her even more money because we really didn't want to lose her. We love her. We think she was terrific ... And ultimately, she decided she didn't want to do the show. It was purely her decision. Moonves continued, "But we did everything humanly possible. We feel like we exhausted every opportunity, and she just decided she didn't want to do the show."
Express noted de Pablo earned $120,000 for each episode, which would have earned the Chilean American actor over $23 million during her time on the CBS series. While we don't know the exact amount offered to de Pablo, the fact that Moonves said they offered "a lot of money" and then offered more tells fans the network backed up the money truck for the "NCIS" star, but it did not sway her.
What has Cote de Pablo been up to after NCIS?
Cote de Pablo's money earned on "NCIS" allows her to choose her acting roles carefully. So, what is de Pablo doing now? The years spent playing Special Agent Ziva David allow de Pablo the kind of security that most actors only dream about. After leaving "NCIS" in 2013, de Pablo was selective in her acting projects. According to IMDb, de Pablo starred in the 2015 film "The Dovekeepers." She followed up with a dramatic role in "The 33," which received critical raves, then worked on the 2019 film "The Crossing."
Then de Pablo made a short return to "NCIS" in Season 17. According to USA Today, the beloved cast member was welcomed back to the show. "They were waiting for me, standing up, and they clapped as I went in," de Pablo said. "I think I said something along the lines of, 'Woo-hoo, I'm back!' It was great." She added, "It really felt like just slipping back into a really comfortable slipper."