Arts & Entertainment

'NCIS,' TV Show With Roots in Washington Area, Losing Key Actor?

Fans of "NCIS" — a show about a real-life government agency based in the Northern Virginia area — may want to hold on to their remotes. It looks like the show may be about to lose a key cast member.

CBS' "NCIS," a TV show with roots in the Washington area, will apparently move on without actress Cote de Pablo, who plays Ziva David, who decided to leave the show after eight seasons, according to Associated Press news reports Tuesday. CBS addressed the news with TV writers in Los Angeles.

The hit show features an ensemble cast helmed by actor Mark Harmon.

“We respect Cote’s decision, thank her for being an important part of the NCIS team, and for eight terrific years playing Ziva David”, CBS said in a statement. “Cote and CBS share a great respect for the NCIS audience, and we look forward to working with her and the producers on appropriate closure in this chapter of Ziva’s story.” 

Actress Cote de Pablo, 33, plays "NCIS" character David on the hit program which pulls in about 20 million viewers each episode. CBS apparently offered the actress more money to stay on the show, according to the AP report, but it didn't change her mind.

Cote de Pablo's full name is María José de Pablo Fernández; she is originally from Santiago, Chile. In a statement released earlier, de Pablo said she looks forward to "finishing Ziva's story." 

The real NCIS, Naval Criminal Investigative Service, is headquartered in Quantico. The TV program often references local neighborhoods in Northern Virginia.

The TV program, which airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET, debuts Sept. 24 for its 11th season.

Are you a fan of the show? What do you think about the cast shake-up?



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