The fascinating tale of Ziva David’s NCIS termination. Examine the character’s legacy, the sudden departure, and the actress Coté de Pablo’s viewpoint on the development of her role.
Actress Coté de Pablo last adorned our screens as Ziva David on the television series NCIS quite some time ago. There has been a lot of conjecture regarding the mystery surrounding her departure from the CBS crime thriller. But the actress revealed details about the reasons that many might find shocking, shedding light on the matter.
The Legacy of Ziva David in NCIS
The CBS action-packed police drama, NCIS, has witnessed significant cast changes since its debut on September 23, 2003. While the demise of Special Agent Todd, the departure of Tony DiNozzo, and the exit of agents Sloane, Bishop, and Gibbs were significant, Ziva David’s exit was particularly impactful.
Following the tragic death of Special Agent Caitlin Todd in the third season of NCIS, Special Agent Ziva David (played by Chilean actress Coté de Pablo) joined the ranks of the United States Naval Criminal Investigative Service’s special agents. Thanks to a deal made by her father, the Mossad director, and NCIS director Jenny Shepard, Ziva was able to work as a liaison officer for the agency. At the conclusion of the sixth season, she returned to Mossad after four years in this position. She rose to become one of Gibbs’s most cherished agents at this time.
The Unexpected Exit of Ziva David
CBS revealed in July 2013 that Ziva David would be leaving the show after its eleventh season. But Coté de Pablo’s character appeared to be killed off in the thirteenth season of 2016, after a mortar strike that was planned by former CIA agent Trent Kort. The devoted viewers of the show had many questions after this departure.
Coté de Pablo was not pleased with leaving her role in NCIS as Ziva David. She later revealed in an interview that her exit was due to personal reasons. The actress sought more respect for her character and felt that certain storylines were not honoring Ziva or the women who have been loyal to the police action drama. She stated, “I love this character! I spent eight years crafting her, and when I felt she wasn’t treated with the respect she deserved… They were going to send Ziva back to Israel and turn her into a miserable woman.” Her concerns were eventually addressed as her character made a comeback in seasons 16 and 17 of NCIS. The storyline suggested that the agent had faked her death. By the end of the seventeenth season, Ziva received the closure she deserved, moving to Paris to reunite with Tony DiNozzo and their young daughter Tali, introduced in the thirteenth season.