NCIS star Cote de Pablo had a few ideas she had for Ziva David after being cast as the agent. One of them was making sure her character’s hair remained unkempt during certain specific situations.
How Cote de Pablo helped influence Ziva David’s look
Cote de Pablo | CBS / Getty Images
Fashion was the last thing on Ziva David’s mind. The character was often seen on the show wearing plain clothing only fit for her job. David’s choice in attire was an intentional choice that said a lot about the agent. But it was also something de Pablo wished she could change every once in a while.
“Does it play a role on my vanity? Hmm, yes. Would I love to look at times more presentable on TV? Absolutely,” she once told America Reads Spanish.
But a lot of David’s look was a result from de Pablo’s own creative input. Speaking with Roger Ebert, de Pablo confided that it was important for her character to have a more realistic appearance that women can relate to. It was a thought she helped develop with series creator Don Bellisario.
“I was able to have a couple of years where I was able to develop the character with him,” she said. “And I always wanted to make the character accessible, to women. Meaning, I didn’t want her to be like this Hollywood thing where she’s always perfect. I fought very hard for her to have at times messy hair, not done perfectly well. Because that was the real thing. Now, did it help me in the industry? Maybe not. Maybe people were like, why is her hair looking like that? It was important for me to have women relate to the character.”
Cote de Pablo’s upbringing also helped inform Ziva David
New York played a huge role in helping de Pablo shape David. The actor spent her formative years in Brooklyn. And although she didn’t face the same kinds of dangers David did, the situations she did experience gave her David’s strength.
“I think living in New York did it for me,” de Pablo once told CBS. “I still do my own stunts. It’s not something you’re particularly proud of as one gets older you’re like, ‘Am I being smart? What’s going on here?’ But, I think the toughness came from living in New York. Living in Brooklyn back when Brooklyn wasn’t cool back in the day and having to be tough about a lot of situations. I think that informed the character a little bit.”
At the same time, de Pablo couldn’t help but admire her character’s strength. Especially since she felt she would’ve broken down in the same situations that David was in.
“My character’s strength is like mine, to a completely different degree. Losing family members because of a war… I have moments when I just have to hold my heart. But I also have to remember that if I played the character from …read more
Source:: Showbiz Cheat Sheet
