The Untold Story of Ziva David: 20 Secrets That Made Her NCIS’s Most Beloved Character

"Cote, run!"

The words still echo in Cote de Pablo’s memory—a teacher’s desperate shout as a 10-year-old girl, fresh off a plane from Chile, sprinted toward an uncertain future in America.

Little did she know, decades later, millions would be shouting her character’s name too—begging Ziva David not to leave NCIS.

This is the real story behind the woman who brought Mossad’s fiercest agent to life… and why her departure left a hole in the show no one has filled.

1. Her real name isn't Cote

María José de Pablo Fernández sat in a Miami classroom, cheeks burning as her new teacher stumbled over her name. "Just call me Cote," she blurted out—a split-second decision that would define her forever.

2. The Track Star Who Couldn’t Speak English

When they moved, she barely spoke English, and had a hard time until a teacher helped her find her way.

"And so I remember in 5th grade, I had a teacher… who was wonderful and he was an older man. And the only thing I knew really was 'run.' I knew what that meant. And so he put me into the track and field, and so he got me starting to run and all that stuff, and before I knew it, I was a little track and field star. And I remember, he would say in the middle of a competition, he would scream and get very red and scream, 'Cote, run!' And that's all I knew." - she said.

3. She wanted to be a secretary

While other girls dreamed of Hollywood, young Cote arranged highlighters in rainbow order, practicing shorthand on a vintage typewriter. "I wanted to be The Secretary," she laughed. Life had other plans.

"I, believe it or not, wanted to be a secretary, much like Maggie Gyllenhaal in The Secretary. … I had clips all over and markers, and you know, the old-fashioned typewriters… I like to follow direction… and, by the way, I became an actor, so I'm kind of doing it anyway."

She apparently told TV Guide

4. Performing arts became her home

Cote was cast as a European agent. Then—plot twist—producers changed her to Israeli overnight. "They handed me a Hebrew monologue and said ‘Shoot tomorrow.’" The result? TV history.

She entered an art high school to learn English. She revealed that she's always been interested in art, but actually studied it because it was "a way to communicate with people in my new country… My friend had the perfect quote for it: 'You've found your tribe.'" We're not Chilean. or Argentinian or Brazilian or Russian, we are actors."

5. University

Her love of art continued in high school. She later studied musical theater at Carnegie Mellon University.

6. Leaving Broadway

After graduating, she appeared on stage at the New York City Public Theater for a Shakespeare production, but left Broadway when she landed her iconic role in NCIS.

7. Terrified of Guns

Ziva David role on NCIS

She may be playing an Israeli special forces veteran in 'NCIS', but the star revealed in an interview on "Good Morning America" that she's never fired a gun and that she's also very afraid of them.

8. The Exit That Broke Our Hearts

Pablo revealed that she "wanted to stay for more episodes, but had no choice." She later told TVLine that she felt the writers "rushed" her exit and that she "would have liked some closure."

9. Fans petitioned for her return to the show

She left the show after eight years and over 180 episodes. Fans were very upset to see her leaving and petitioned for her return.

"When you make decisions like this, you never expect for people to fully understand. So it was really delicious to feel that kind of love and I'm always grateful for that."

During an interview with TVLine.com she said

10. Singing on NCIS

No one expected it—not even the crew. That haunting lullaby Ziva sang in Season 6? Pure Cote. The take they used was the first time she’d ever sung it aloud.

While known for her acting skills, Ziva surprised NCIS fans with her beautiful singing voice in a touching scene in Season 6. This unexpected talent added another layer to her complex character, making her even more relatable.

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