Net Worth Ranker
What is Cote de Pablo’s Net Worth?
Cote de Pablo, the Chilean-American actress and singer renowned for her portrayal of Ziva David on the CBS hit series “NCIS,” has accumulated a substantial net worth over her career. As of 2025, Cote de Pablo’s net worth is estimated to be around $9 million. This figure reflects her earnings from various acting roles, singing performances, and other ventures in the entertainment industry.
Early Life and Career Beginnings
María José de Pablo Fernández, who we know as Cote de Pablo, was born on November 12, 1979, in Santiago, Chile. At the age of 10, her family relocated to Miami, Florida, where her mother secured a position at a Spanish-language television network. This move marked a significant change in de Pablo’s life, exposing her to new cultural influences and opportunities.
De Pablo attended Arvida Middle School and later New World School of the Arts in Miami, where she focused on musical theatre. Her early passion for the performing arts led her to pursue further education at Carnegie Mellon University, a prestigious institution known for its drama program. During her time at Carnegie Mellon, she honed her skills in music and theatre, appearing in stage productions such as “The House of Bernarda Alba,” “The Fantasticks,” and “A Little Night Music.” There are no public records available that specify which restaurants she worked at, or any specific details about those restaurants.
Television Career: NCIS and Beyond
Cote de Pablo’s television career began to take shape in the early 2000s. She landed her first screen-acting role in 2000 with a guest appearance on the short-lived Fox drama “The $treet.” Following this, she appeared in an episode of the CBS drama “The Education of Max Bickford” in 2001. These early roles served as stepping stones in her journey to becoming a prominent actress.
In 2004, de Pablo secured her first main role on television, playing Marguerite Cisneros on the Fox legal drama “The Jury.” Although the show was canceled after only ten episodes due to low ratings, this experience provided de Pablo with valuable on-screen exposure and helped her further develop her acting abilities.
Cote de Pablo’s breakthrough role came in 2005 when she was cast as Ziva David, an Israeli Mossad officer turned NCIS agent, on the CBS police procedural “NCIS.” Initially a guest star, she was quickly promoted to a main cast member for seasons three through 11. Her portrayal of Ziva David resonated with audiences, making her a fan favorite and significantly boosting her career. During her peak seasons on “NCIS,” Cote de Pablo’s salary reached $120,000 per episode, culminating in an estimated $3 million per season.
Despite her character’s apparent death in season 13, Ziva David’s story took an unexpected turn when it was revealed in season 16 that she was alive and in hiding. De Pablo made a surprise return in the season finale, later reprising her role in a recurring capacity for season 17. Her return was met with excitement from fans and further solidified her connection to the show.
Beyond “NCIS,” de Pablo has also appeared in other television projects. In 2014, she starred as a scuba diver in the SyFy original television film “Sharktopus vs. Pteracuda,” a sequel to “Sharktopus.” The following year, she played Shirah in the two-part CBS miniseries “The Dovekeepers,” based on Alice Hoffman’s novel of the same name. Her costars included Rachel Brosnahan, Diego Boneta, Sam Neill, and Kathryn Prescott. In 2019, she executive produced the CBS detective drama “MIA” with her former “NCIS” cast mate Michael Weatherly. Details of the financial arrangements of her production deal haven’t been publicly released.
Cote de Pablo has received recognition for her work on “NCIS,” including the Imagen Award for Best Supporting Actress in Television in 2006. She also earned further nominations for that award in 2008 and 2009, as well as ALMA Award nominations in those years.
Film Career
Cote de Pablo has also appeared in several films. Her first film role was in the 2010 Canadian action Western “The Last Rites of Ransom Pride,” starring Lizzy Caplan, Dwight Yoakam, Jon Foster, and Jason Priestley. In the film, she played “The Bruja,” a witch who runs a brothel in a Mexican border town. Other actors in the ensemble cast included Peter Dinklage, Scott Speedman, Kris Kristofferson, Morris Birdyellowhead, and W. Earl Brown.
In 2015, de Pablo had a role in the disaster survival drama “The 33,” based on the 2010 mining accident in Copiapó, Chile. She played Jessica Vega, the wife of one of the miners trapped inside the San José Mine. The film’s ensemble cast also included Antonio Banderas, Rodrigo Santoro, Juliette Binoche, Lou Diamond Phillips, Gabriel Byrne, Adriana Barraza, Kate del Castillo, and Oscar Nunez. Details about her compensation for these film roles are not publicly available.
Singing Career
Cote de Pablo is also a talented singer. She performed a part of the Tom Waits song “Temptation” in a 2008 episode of “NCIS.” Her full performance was later released on “NCIS: The Official TV Soundtrack.” She also sang a cover of the Violeta Parra song “Gracias a la vida” on the soundtrack for “The 33.” De Pablo was featured on Roberto Pitre’s album “Vivo En Vida.” Specific financial details about her singing career are not publicly available.
Personal Life
Cote de Pablo was in a long-term relationship with actor Diego Serrano, but they separated in 2015. Further details regarding her personal investments, real estate, or other assets are not publicly accessible. Therefore, any specific information about these elements contributing to Cote de Pablo’s net worth remains unknown.
