You’ve seen the photos. You’ve definitely seen the red carpet chemistry. For nearly two decades, fans of NCIS have been convinced that Cote de Pablo and Michael Weatherly are basically a married couple in real life. Their onscreen sparks as Ziva David and Tony DiNozzo were so intense that it felt impossible for them to just be "coworkers." But here is the reality: Cote de Pablo does not have a husband.
She never has.
Honestly, it’s kind of wild how much the internet wants her to be settled down. If you search for "Cote de Pablo husband" in 2026, you’ll find a mountain of rumors, fan fiction, and "Tiva" shippers who refuse to believe she’s single or simply private. But the facts are much quieter than the tabloid headlines. While she has had significant relationships, marriage has never been part of the public record for the Chilean-American actress.
The Diego Serrano Era: Her Longest Public Relationship
For a long time, if you were talking about Cote’s partner, you were talking about Diego Serrano. He’s an Ecuadorian-born actor you might recognize from Another World or The Young and the Restless. They were together for a massive chunk of her NCIS fame—roughly from 2000 to 2015.
That is fifteen years.
In Hollywood time, that’s practically a century. They lived together. They traveled. Cote even once called him the "worst influence" in her life in a 2010 interview with People, but she meant it in the best way possible. She was a bit of a homebody, a "hermit" by her own admission, and Diego was the one who pushed her to go out, live a little, and enjoy the fruits of her labor.
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But they never pulled the trigger on a wedding. In June 2015, just as she was transitioning away from her full-time stint on NCIS, it was reported that they had split. No drama. No messy divorce papers. Just two people moving in different directions after a decade and a half.
Why Everyone Thinks She’s Married to Michael Weatherly
It’s the chemistry. Plain and simple.
When NCIS: Tony & Ziva premiered on Paramount+ in late 2025, the rumors hit a fever pitch again. Watching them raise their onscreen daughter, Tali, in Paris makes it very easy to blur the lines between fiction and reality.
But Michael Weatherly has been married to his wife, Dr. Bojana Janković, since 2009. They have two children together. While Michael and Cote are incredibly close—she’s even mentioned that they have a "sibling-like" bond that involves a lot of arguing and even more love—it has never turned romantic.
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"Michael and I have this thing where we just get each other," Cote explained during a 2025 press tour for their spinoff. "We can look at each other and know exactly what the other is thinking. It’s a rare gift in this business, but it’s a friendship, period."
Sometimes, fans see a ring on her finger in an interview and lose their minds. Most of the time? It’s just jewelry. Or it's part of Ziva’s costume.
The Privacy Factor
Cote de Pablo is a bit of a ghost when it comes to social media. She doesn't post "day in the life" TikToks. You won't find her sharing photos of her breakfast or soft-launching a new boyfriend on Instagram. This "old school" approach to fame is exactly why people search for a secret husband.
In a 2025 interview with NewBeauty, she touched on how motherhood (specifically her character’s journey and her own evolving views) has shaped her. Interestingly, she mentioned that she has "recently become a mother" in real life as well, a detail that caught many by surprise.
Wait. What?
Yeah. She kept that quiet. Typical Cote. While she hasn't named a husband or a partner associated with this new chapter of her life, she’s clearly found a way to have a family on her own terms, away from the prying eyes of the paparazzi. Whether there is a partner in the picture who prefers to stay in the shadows, or she is navigating this journey solo, she hasn't felt the need to issue a press release about it.
Common Misconceptions About Her Marital Status
Let's clear the air on a few things that keep popping up in the "suggested searches" on Google:
- Is she married to James Badge Dale? No. This is a common mix-up. Her former NCIS co-star Emily Wickersham (who played Ellie Bishop) is the one who partnered with James Badge Dale.
- Did she have a secret wedding in Chile? There have been local rumors in Santiago for years, but nothing has ever been verified.
- Is she dating a crew member? People love this theory, but there’s zero evidence.
What This Means for Fans
If you're looking for a name to put in the "Husband" slot of her biography, you’re going to be disappointed. Cote de Pablo has built a life that values mystery over "likes." In an era where every celebrity relationship is documented via "get ready with me" videos, her silence is actually kind of refreshing.
She’s a woman who has spent over twenty years in the spotlight without letting it burn her house down. She’s focused on the work—like the intense European filming schedules for Tony & Ziva—and her private life remains exactly that: private.
Practical Takeaways for the Curious:
- Don't trust the "Net Worth" or "Celeb Marriage" sites. They often scrape old data or invent "secret" weddings to get clicks.
- Focus on the interviews. When Cote wants people to know something, she speaks about it in high-end legacy publications or during major press tours.
- Respect the "hermit" vibe. She’s told us who she is for years. She’s a person who loves her family, her Chilean roots, and her privacy.
Cote de Pablo’s lack of a husband isn't a "mystery to be solved." It’s just a choice. In 2026, being a global TV star who can still go to the grocery store without a headline about your spouse is the ultimate power move.
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If you want to keep up with the real facts, stick to her official project announcements. Anything else is just Ziva-level speculation.
Keep an eye on the second season of NCIS: Tony & Ziva for more of that legendary chemistry, but remember—when the director yells "cut," Cote goes home to a life that belongs entirely to her. No husband required.