For over 20 years, NCIS followers have watched as Tony DiNozzo and Ziva David fell out and in of affection, welcomed a toddler, stated goodbye to one another, after which reunited – they usually nonetheless have but to seek out their fortunately ever after. However off-screen actors Michael Weatherly and Cote de Pablo are better of associates, and nowhere was that chemistry extra clear than at New York Comedian Con on October 9, 2025 once they spoke to followers concerning the return of Tony and Ziva within the hit Paramount+ collection NCIS: Tony & Ziva.
A sequel spin-off to CBS’ long-running collection, it follows Tony and former accomplice Ziva David (Cote de Pablo) as they reside their lives elevating their teen daughter in Paris, France. In fact, issues are by no means that straightforward for former brokers on TV, and the 2 rapidly discover themselves being chased throughout Europe as they stand accused of bribing Interpol out of a whole bunch of tens of millions of {dollars}.
It sees the pair reunite for the primary time in six years; Cote left NCIS in 2013 in season 11, and Michael adopted in 2015 throughout season 13; viewers realized at the moment that Ziva, who had moved to Israel, was presumed lifeless after an assault on her farmhouse – and that she had saved her daughter with Tony a secret. Tony then left the NCIS group to boost the younger woman, however in 2019 each returned to NCIS for an episode arc that exposed Ziva was alive, they usually reunited off-screen in Paris.
On the panel, hosted by Damien Holbrook, it was clear these two have remained associates all through the years; from Michael’s gentlemanly conduct in direction of Cote, their playfighting, the candy phrases they’ve for one another, and even their jokes, it is proof that chemistry is not only on digital camera.
© Getty Pictures for Paramount+When the pair started to stroll out on stage, HELLO! noticed Michael pausing earlier than permitting Cote to stroll out first. He additionally did the identical factor on the finish, permitting her to go away first.
© Getty Pictures for Paramount+Through the panel, HELLO! noticed them holding palms as they spoke about their favourite recollections collectively on and off-set.
At one level, Cote was telling a narrative of filming a key scene for Tony & Ziva, when she stated: “I believe I used to be working, you have been working behind me.”
“I used to be defending you,’ quipped Michael for why he was working slower.
© Getty Pictures for Paramount+It is clear these two have such love for his or her characters, and are excited for extra tales to inform.
“The massive dialogue was how arduous it’s for Ziva to be with out Tony,” stated Michael, which left Cote exclaiming in indignation. Nonetheless, he continued: “As a result of she comes from a lot trauma, there’s a lot ache in her background, like a haunting sort of ache.
“Quite a lot of it’s not on the floor… and so that may include its personal world of damage and ache, and I believe that the flip facet was DiNozzo appeared like he simply sort of was skipping by a discipline of posies, but it surely seems he is received his personal world of not taking a look at stuff.”
© Getty Pictures for Paramount+Cote additionally had candy phrases for the brand new forged members who joined them on the collection, admitting that she and Michael has talked about desirous to develop one thing particular once more, 12 months after NCIS.
“Little by little you begin having moments that make you chortle, after which earlier than you recognize it you change into a bit of little bit of a household… it is this actually lovely factor that simply very naturally and organically occurs,” she stated. “Nevertheless it’s what Michael and I all the time discuss having, so I believe there was this willingness to create one thing particular.”
She continued: “We knew that that they had one thing that we wished in our present and we knew that perhaps these energies may develop collectively and one thing perhaps magical may occur.”
© Getty Pictures for Paramount+Cote additionally had quips about hanging out with Michael, joking: “He is a really attention-grabbing individual. He can have moments the place he can go radio silent – you’d by no means comprehend it, but it surely’s true.”
© Getty Pictures for Paramount+The 2 additionally shared that, over a dinner, they realized that returning to the world of NCIS had been “therapeutic” for them each. “Michael and I… we lastly had a chat about what that first season was for us and I stated, ‘Properly, what was it like so that you can do that?’ and we each kind of concurrently stated it was very therapeutic as a result of we by no means received an opportunity to essentially play out a lot of the issues that we thought we may on such a long term.”
“And due to the followers and due to this energetic need to do that, all of that could possibly be explored and in some ways it was actually nice to do that with you all.”
