NCIS Boss Laments Cote de Pablo's 'Shocking' Departure, Teases Ziva's 'Heart-Wrenching' Exit
exec producer Gary Glasberg has extended an olive branch to inconsolable acolytes of departing leading lady Cote de Pablo, promising “amazing resolution” for her character Ziva that will qualify as “a moment in television history.”
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In an open letter to fans, Glasberg conceded that De Pablo’s decision to exit after a decade “was a shock to everybody,” but added, “Change happens. Writers move on. Actors move on. Life, for some, interferes with work and then we rise to the occasion and adapt. Very often extraordinary creativity comes out of adjustment. And so we find ourselves not dwelling on the past, but eager to guide you into the future of NCIS.”
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And that future includes Ziva’s swan song, a two-episode send-off that kicks off with the show’s Season 11 premiere on Sept. 24. “The amazing resolution you’re going to see is pretty damn heart-wrenching and we’re incredibly proud of it,” he wrote. “Prepare yourselves for a moment in television history. Images that will end up in the archives. I couldn’t be happier with how my NCIS family stepped up and did some of the most emotional work we’ve ever done.”
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