Ziva David: Difference between revisions

| family = Eli David (father, deceased)<br />Rivka David (mother, deceased)<br />[[Ari Haswari]] (paternal half brother, deceased)<br />Tali David (sister, deceased)<ref name=personalinfo/>

| significant_other = [[Anthony DiNozzo]]

| relatives =

| religion = [[Judaism|Jewish]]

| extra-hdr = Career at NCIS

| lbl31 = Position

| lbl32 = Rank

| lbl33 = Years of Service

| data33 = {{circa|2005–2013}}

| data34 =

}}

 

Ziva is introduced to the show as an Israeli citizen, an agent of the [[Kidon|Kidon unit]] of the [[Mossad]], a daughter of [[List of NCIS characters#Eli David|Mossad Director Eli David]], and a friend of [[List of NCIS characters#Jenny Shepard|NCIS Director Jenny Shepard]]. She was assigned to NCIS as a [[liaison officer]] in an arrangement between Eli and Jenny, a position she held for four years until she returned to Mossad in the season 6 finale, "[[Aliyah (NCIS)|Aliyah]]". After being captured by terrorists in Somalia while on assignment for [[Mossad]] and presumed dead, she was eventually saved by [[Leroy Jethro Gibbs|Gibbs]], [[Anthony DiNozzo|Tony]], and [[Timothy McGee|McGee]], who brought her back to America.<ref name="Yahoo"/> These events led to her resigning from Mossad, applying to become an NCIS agent, and being sworn in as a U.S. citizen.<ref name="Yahoo"/>

 

 

Outside of fiction, the cultural impact of Ziva became a subject of discussion among various critics, with academics and rabbis weighing in on the matter. Newspapers such as ''[[The Jerusalem Post]]'' cited her as the only full-time Israeli character on an American mainstream network television show,<ref name="Jerusalem Post"/> and [[Harvard]] preceptor Eitan Kensky identified her as the "most prominent televisual Israeli" in the United States.<ref name=Kensky>{{cite web|last=Kensky|first=Eitan|title=On NCIS, the 'New Jew' Is Much Like the Old|url=http://blogs.forward.com/the-arty-semite/135566/on-ncis-the-new-jew-is-much-like-the-old/|work=[[The Jewish Daily Forward]]|date=February 22, 2011|access-date=August 5, 2013}}</ref> Her depiction was generally praised for exposing the Western public to Israeli society and culture,<ref>Tamir, Ariel (January 31, 2013). [http://voices.yahoo.com/israeli-spy-characters-infiltrate-popular-american-11995480.html?cat=39 Israeli Spy Characters Infiltrate Popular American Television Shows] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140104104650/http://voices.yahoo.com/israeli-spy-characters-infiltrate-popular-american-11995480.html?cat=39 |date=January 4, 2014 }}. Yahoo! Retrieved February 10, 2013.</ref> its positive portrayal of an Israeli, and its "cheerleading for American ties to Israel".<ref>Smith, Kyle (May 12, 2012). [http://www.nypost.com/p/news/opinion/opedcolumnists/why_ncis_is_tv_most_popular_show_eQuFx0nsG6lG3em25wHYgO/1 Why 'NCIS' is TV's most popular show] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130630020926/http://www.nypost.com/p/news/opinion/opedcolumnists/why_ncis_is_tv_most_popular_show_eQuFx0nsG6lG3em25wHYgO/1 |date=June 30, 2013 }}. ''New York Post.'' Retrieved February 10, 2013.</ref> The role made de Pablo the second most popular actress on U.S. primetime television in 2013, according to [[Q Score]],<ref>{{cite web|title='NCIS' Star Pauley Perrette Named Most Popular Primetime TV Star|url=http://www.aoltv.com/2011/08/04/ncis-star-pauley-perrette-is-named-the-most-popular-primetime/|work=HuffPost|access-date=February 20, 2013}}</ref> and a 2013 study by E-Poll Market Research listed her among the top 10 most appealing celebrities in America.<ref>{{cite web|title=Actress Betty White named America's most appealing celebrity|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/entertainment-us-celebrities-idUSBRE9390WM20130410|work=[[Reuters]]|access-date=April 11, 2013|date=April 10, 2013}}</ref>

De Pablo later said that the character was simply described as a generic eastern European woman and that she had used a Czech accent when auditioning.<ref name="Carnegie Mellon Today">{{cite web |url=http://www.carnegiemellontoday.com/article.asp?aid=831 |title=Prime Time – Carnegie Mellon Today |first=Rob |last=Owen |work=carnegiemellontoday.com |access-date=February 6, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130509134122/http://www.carnegiemellontoday.com/article.asp?aid=831 |archive-date=May 9, 2013 }}</ref> Over 50 actresses reportedly auditioned for the role, and another actress with a longer résumé had initially been the frontrunner.<ref name="Carnegie Mellon Today"/> During a screen test, de Pablo and other actresses were paired with [[Michael Weatherly]], who went offscript by brushing her hair back and commenting, "You remind me of [[Salma Hayek]]." De Pablo described her response as follows: "I dismissed him completely. My primary thought was, 'Don't let this guy get physically close to you.' And, at that moment, everybody in the room started laughing and thought it was the funniest thing in the world because the chemistry between the two characters was perfect."<ref name="Carnegie Mellon Today"/> Co-executive producer Charles Floyd Johnson remarked that de Pablo won the role of Ziva for her reaction to Weatherly's departure from the script, saying, "When you get actors who really listen and respond organically in the moment to what they're hearing, sometimes magic happens. They really seemed to get that immediately, and that doesn't always happen."<ref name="Carnegie Mellon Today"/>

 

 

Producers cast child actress Gabi Coccio, then aged 13, to portray a young Ziva for a flashback in the tenth season episode "[[Shiva (NCIS)|Shiva]]" in 2013.<ref>{{cite web|last=Constantino|first=Faye|title=NCIS 10×12 Shiva, First Look Pictures and More|url=http://tvfilmnews.com/ncis-10x12-shiva-first-look-pictures-and-more/|work=TV Film News|access-date=February 25, 2013|date=January 11, 2013}}</ref> According to Coccio's father, this was "her first national appearance and first on a show like this".<ref name=telegram>{{cite web|last=Infante|first=Victor|title=Former Holden girl to appear on 'NCIS'|url=http://www.telegram.com/article/20130114/NEWS/130119813/1312/mobile&TEMPLATE=MOBILE|work=[[Telegram & Gazette]]|access-date=August 5, 2013|date=January 14, 2013}}</ref> She reprised the role later that season in "[[Berlin (NCIS)|Berlin]]", this time appearing in several flashbacks.<ref name="press release">{{cite web|title=NCIS – Episode 10.21 – Berlin – Press Release|url=http://www.spoilertv.com/2013/04/ncis-episode-1021-berlin-press-release.html|work=SpoilerTV.com|access-date=April 6, 2013|date=April 4, 2013}}</ref> During the show's summer hiatus, she confirmed via Twitter that she would appear again in the eleventh season.<ref>[http://instagram.com/p/cMz5gpL6fU/# Photo by Gabi Coccio]</ref>

Officer Ziva David first appears in the third season, having been sent to NCIS following the murder of Special Agent Todd by Ari Haswari. She is Ari's control officer and half-sister due to the fact that they shared the same father, Mossad's then Deputy Director, Eli David ([[Michael Nouri]]). Eli is later described as Director of Mossad.<ref name="Jewish World Review"/>

 

 

Her early storylines center on her integration and attempts to be accepted by the other characters. Due to her relation to Ari, Ziva's appearance and eventual assignment to Gibbs' team draws fierce resentment from team member [[Anthony DiNozzo]], forensic specialist Abby Sciuto, and even Gibbs himself when he learns that Director Shepard had assigned Ziva to his team without his knowledge. She later proves her worth in the same episode by using her training to save herself and [[List of NCIS characters#Dr. Donald "Ducky" Mallard|Dr. Donald "Ducky" Mallard]] from Dr. Burns, a rogue member of the [[Smithsonian]] [[Anthropology]] Lab. This in turn causes the team to develop a newfound respect for her and sets the foundation for Ziva's strong friendship with Ducky.

The following week, "[[Shiva (NCIS)|Shiva]]" drew 22.86 million viewers and became the most watched episode in the series.<ref name=ratings>{{cite web|url=http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2013/01/16/tuesday-final-ratings-ncis-off-their-rockers-the-new-normal-adjusted-up/165524/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130119194327/http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2013/01/16/tuesday-final-ratings-ncis-off-their-rockers-the-new-normal-adjusted-up/165524/|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 19, 2013|title=Tuesday Final Ratings: 'NCIS', 'Off Their Rockers' & 'The New Normal' Adjusted Up|last=Kondolojy|first=Amanda|work=TV by the Numbers|date=January 16, 2013|access-date=April 21, 2013}}</ref> It focuses on the immediate aftermath of the killings and establishes Ziva's desire to seek revenge. Throughout the episode, both she and Vance attempt to participate in the investigation despite being prohibited due to their connections with the deceased. Eventually, it is revealed that Eli was killed by his protégé, Ilan Bodnar ([[Oded Fehr]]), who Ziva had known since they were children. Bodner found out about the secret discussions between his boss and the Iranian official, and believes that David's actions could seriously threaten Israel's security. After a failed attempt to kill Ziva, he escapes and disappears.<ref name=tvf>{{cite web|last=Wolfe|first=Douglas|title=NCIS Review: You Are Not Alone|url=http://www.tvfanatic.com/2013/01/ncis-review-you-are-not-alone/|work=TV Fanatic|access-date=February 9, 2013|date=January 15, 2013}}</ref>

 

 

===Subsequent events===

Ziva's relationships with her colleagues steadily improve, and she invites Gibbs, Abby, McGee, and Palmer over to her apartment for dinner in the third season. Abby, who thinks Ziva is an excellent cook, begins to soften towards her, as the latter works to earn her friendship, first by helping Abby put a bomb back together for information and later by remembering her birthday. Abby, in turn, expresses concern when Ziva and Tony go missing in "Boxed In". In the third season finale, the tension comes to a head, and Abby angrily tells Ziva she has no emotions, prompting both women to slap each other.<ref name="Yahoo!"/> They later apologize after Tony goads them into it, and both women punch him in the arm when he jokingly suggests that they should "tongue-kiss" one another.

 

 

Ziva's relationship with McGee develops to resemble one of a brother and sister.<ref name="Yahoo"/> While Ziva teases McGee a great deal, often with Tony, they remain on friendly terms (Ziva's teasing is far more playful than Tony's, who takes a much more sadistic approach to the pranks he pulls on McGee) and continue to communicate when the team was disbanded between Seasons 5 and 6. He and Abby both urge Ziva to repair her friendship with Tony in the aftermath of their fallout in the sixth season finale. After Ziva is revealed to be alive, McGee outright states that Ziva is like a sister to him and he trusts and understands her enough that Ziva simply shaking her head at McGee from a distance is a request that he stand down that McGee follows.

In the Season 7 episode "Reunion", Gibbs confronts Ziva about Director Vance's allegation that she had been ordered by Mossad Director David to gain his trust by killing Ari. She admits that she had been under orders to kill Ari when it became clear that he was out of control, but elucidates that she had never intended to go through with it, believing him to be innocent. She further confides to Gibbs her feelings on the subject of Ari's death and her family: "I would have lied to you. He was my brother, and you were nothing. But I was wrong about Ari, and you ... Now he is gone. Eli is all but dead to me and the closest thing I have to a father is accusing me{{nbsp}}...". Ziva reveals that when she finally killed Ari, it was truly to save Gibbs and she was not following her orders, re-earning Gibbs' trust.<ref>Berenstein, Ari (September 30, 2009). [https://archive.today/20130412053027/http://voices.yahoo.com/ncis-season-7-episode-2-reunion-recap-review-4556217.html?cat=2 NCIS Season 7 Episode 2: "Reunion" Recap & Review]. Yahoo!. Retrieved February 8, 2013.</ref> In the seventh season episode "[[Good Cop, Bad Cop (NCIS)|Good Cop, Bad Cop]]", the bodies aboard the ''Damocles'' are recovered and Mossad attempts to make Ziva the scapegoat for the death of Staff Sergeant Daniel Cryer, USMC, one of the passengers. After he persuades her to tell her version of the story and she is cleared, Gibbs whispers something to her and kisses her on the forehead,<ref name="October 2009">Marsi, Steve (October 27, 2009). [http://www.tvfanatic.com/2009/10/mark-harmon-dishes-on-gibbs-ziva-and-the-future-of-ncis/ Mark Harmon Breaks Down Gibbs, Ziva and the Future of NCIS]. ''TV Fanatic''. Retrieved February 9, 2013.</ref> causing her to break down in tears of relief. Mark Harmon later disclosed that he had improvised the final moments of the scene, and when questioned about what Gibbs said, replied, "[De Pablo]'s not gonna tell you any more than I am—I don't think. That's our secret."<ref name="October 2009"/> Following investigation into Ziva's role in the events aboard the ''Damocles'', Director Vance approves an exonerated Ziva's application to join NCIS after initially rejecting it. Director Vance hands the approved application to Agent Gibbs, who in turn transmits it to Ziva, whom he calls "Probie".<ref name="Good Cop, Bad Cop"/>

 

 

When Ziva learns that her boyfriend who had proposed to her was the murderer of a Navy petty officer, Gibbs is the only one to accompany her when she confronts him and he tries to comfort Ziva very much as a father would afterwards.

Though viewers were initially wary of Sasha Alexander's replacement,<ref name="Carnegie Mellon Today"/> Cote de Pablo received "huge praise" over the years for her portrayal of Ziva David,<ref name="Lopez"/> later winning an [[ALMA Award]] and an [[Imagen Award]].<ref name="Lopez">{{cite web|last=Lopez|first=Michael|title=NCIS' Cote De Pablo Could Be Leaving Show At The End Of Season|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/19/ncis-cote-de-pablo-could-leave-show_n_3117806.html|work=[[Huffington Post]]|access-date=May 18, 2013|date=April 19, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Portraits of NCLR ALMA Award winners (Photos)|work=Examiner.com|date=September 17, 2011}}</ref> In 2013, E-Poll Market Research released the results of a study naming the top 10 most appealing celebrities in America. De Pablo was ranked third, behind only actresses [[Betty White]] and [[Sandra Bullock]].<ref name="Mother Nature Network">{{cite web|title=National treasure Betty White named 'most appealing celebrity'|url=http://www.mnn.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/blogs/national-treasure-betty-white-named-most-appealing-celebrity|work=[[Mother Nature Network]]|access-date=April 12, 2013|date=April 11, 2013}}</ref> Other figures on the list included de Pablo's co-star, [[Pauley Perrette]] ([[Abby Sciuto]]), British singer [[Adele]], and Olympian [[Gabby Douglas]].<ref name="Mother Nature Network"/>

 

 

 

Ziva's "will they/won't they" relationship with Tony DiNozzo, dubbed "[[Tony DiNozzo and Ziva David|Tiva]]" by viewers,<ref name="Glenn Diaz 2010">Diaz, Glenn (March 11, 2010). [http://www.buddytv.com/articles/ncis/ncis-what-do-cote-de-pablo-and-35173.aspx NCIS: What Do Cote de Pablo and Michael Weatherly Think of Tiva?]. [[BuddyTV]]. Retrieved February 9, 2013.</ref> became a prominent subject of interest.<ref>{{cite web|last=Pace|first=Robert|title=Will Ziva & DiNozzo Form a Romance on 'NCIS'?|url=http://www.etonline.com/tv/130106_NCIS_Cast_on_Ziva_David_and_Tony_DiNozzo_s_Relationship/index.html|work=[[Entertainment Tonight]]|access-date=May 29, 2013|date=February 5, 2013|archive-date=May 15, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130515101940/http://www.etonline.com/tv/130106_NCIS_Cast_on_Ziva_David_and_Tony_DiNozzo_s_Relationship/index.html|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |first=Jessica |last=Durham |url=http://www.fashionnstyle.com/articles/7625/20130603/ncis-spoilers-ziva-tony-will-tiva-take-next-step-season-11-season-10-finale-hints-character-death-fans-reveal-love-cbs-couple.htm |title='NCIS' Spoilers Ziva Tony: Will 'Tiva' Take Next Step in Season 11? Season 10 Finale Hints Character Death While Fans Reveal They Love CBS Couple |work=Fashion & Style Magazine |date=June 3, 2013 |access-date=June 4, 2013 |archive-date=June 8, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130608091910/http://www.fashionnstyle.com/articles/7625/20130603/ncis-spoilers-ziva-tony-will-tiva-take-next-step-season-11-season-10-finale-hints-character-death-fans-reveal-love-cbs-couple.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref> Maureen Ryan from ''[[Chicago Tribune]]'' commented that their "love-hate banter gives the show extra zip" during de Pablo's first year with the series.<ref name="Chicago Tribune1">{{cite web |first=Maureen |last=Ryan |url=http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com/entertainment_tv/2006/03/ncis_delivers_w.html |title='NCIS' delivers without hype |work=[[Chicago Tribune]] |date=March 10, 2006 |access-date=June 3, 2013 |archive-date=October 17, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131017065728/http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com/entertainment_tv/2006/03/ncis_delivers_w.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> Due to being drawn out over several years, the development has been called a "slow burn",<ref name="Jan 2012 EW">{{cite magazine|last=Gonzalez|first=Sandra|title='NCIS': What did you think of last night's buzzy Tony-Ziva moment?|url=http://popwatch.ew.com/2012/01/04/ncis-tony-ziva-moment/|magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|access-date=May 19, 2013|date=January 4, 2012}}</ref> with Tony and Ziva being included in ''TV Tango'''s "Top 10 Romantically Challenged TV Couples".<ref>{{cite web|last=Vicic|first=Mike|title=Top 10 Romantically Challenged TV Couples|url=http://www.tvtango.com/news/detail/id/193|work=TV Tango|access-date=May 21, 2013|date=April 19, 2010}}</ref> ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'' described them as a "[[power couple]]" in 2013<ref name="2013 EW">{{cite magazine|last=Rice |first=Lynette |title='NCIS': See Tiva get up-close and personal – EXCLUSIVE PHOTO |url=http://insidetv.ew.com/2013/04/09/ncis-see-tiva-get-up-close-and-personal-exclusive-photo/ |magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]] |access-date=May 11, 2013 |date=April 9, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130411024816/http://insidetv.ew.com/2013/04/09/ncis-see-tiva-get-up-close-and-personal-exclusive-photo/ |archive-date=April 11, 2013 }}</ref> and contributor Sandra Gonzalez noted that "it's tough to deny the chemistry the two actors (Michael Weatherly and Cote de Pablo) share" after "[[Housekeeping (NCIS)|Housekeeping]]" aired.<ref name="Jan 2012 EW"/>