The most critical moment in Tony and Ziva’s NCIS history didn’t happen on the show. Tony and Ziva actors Michael Weatherly and Cote de Pablo are back in the spotlight of late. The NCIS stars have started an Off Duty: An NCIS Rewatch podcast, which follows Weatherly and de Pablo as they revisit and reflect on the essential Tony and Ziva NCIS episodes. It’s all in celebration of the franchise’s NCIS: Tony & Ziva spinoff, which they are at the forefront of.

The newest NCIS spinoff will air on Paramount+, setting a new precedent for the franchise as the first NCIS spinoff to premiere somewhere other than CBS. It will pick up with the agents from where they left off on the flagship series, where Tony and Ziva haven’t been seen together since de Pablo left NCIS in season 11. There is a long list of things viewers hope to see when Tony and Ziva finally reunite. That said, new details in Off Duty: An NCIS Rewatch take fans back to Tiva’s beginning.

The Most Important Moment For Tony & Ziva Was Cote de Pablo’s Audition

When Michael Weatherly Went Off Script And Cote de Pablo Reacted Perfectly

In the Off Duty: An NCIS Rewatch podcast, Michael Weatherly and Cote de Pablo bring fans back to the inaugural moment between Tony and Ziva: Cote de Pablo’s test screening to play the role of Ziva David on NCIS. De Pablo recalls being shocked to get a callback. She even had a conversation with her manager, and he said that it wasn’t likely to happen. Then, a few days later, she flew to Los Angeles to read alongside Michael Weatherly. He did something unpredictable in the audition that would set their characters into motion.

De Pablo describes an infamous moment where Michael Weatherly touched her face, saying that she reminded him of Salma Hayek. De Pablo perceived the gesture as an effort to sabotage her audition, and she describes how it sent her into “a frenzy of anger.” Weatherly and de Pablo both recall how, at that moment, the energy in the room switched. The executives in the room had been won over. De Pablo credits the success of her audition to Weatherly’s unpredictability, making it the most crucial moment in the TV couple’s history.

How The Moment In The Audition Set The Tone For Tony & Ziva On NCIS

The Audition Established How Their Characters Would Interact Over Nine NCIS Seasons

Cote de Pablo’s audition set the tone for her and Michael Weatherly’s characters on NCIS because it established their dynamic. Michael Weatherly explained in Off Duty that he was experimenting with his acting at the time, trying to amuse himself and keep his character fresh. Weatherly revealed that he had exercised all kinds of gimmicks and odd behaviors on the show when he was asked to read alongside de Pablo. De Pablo revealed that she had never watched NCIS before. By chance, she had no background on who Weatherly’s character was or that he was prone to acting bizarrely.

Without a background on Tony, Weatherly’s acting brought out a genuine reaction from de Pablo, which everyone in the room could feel judging from their conversation. It set the tone for the Ziva character moving forward, establishing the dynamic de Pablo would maintain with Michael Weatherly until she left NCIS. Showrunner Donald P. Bellisario’s note for the audition was for de Pablo to laugh at Weatherly, disarming his humor. Ziva’s ability to keep Tony in check was established that day, and it was a primary element of their dynamic on NCIS.

What To Look Forward To On Off Duty: An NCIS Rewatch Podcast

Many Beloved NCIS Actors Will Be Reunited With Michael Weatherly And Cote de Pablo

There’s so much to look forward to on the Off Duty podcast. Michael Weatherly and Cote de Pablo have revealed that key NCIS stars will be featured in the series, including longtime NCIS star Joe Spano, who portrayed FBI Agent Tobias Fornell in the original series. They also revealed that other actors from the NCIS universe will join them to talk about their experiences on the franchise, including NCIS: Los Angeles cast members Eric Christian Olsen and Daniela Ruah. The actors play Marty Deeks and Kensi Blye, respectively, from the Office of Special Projects.

The podcast has aired four episodes at the time of writing, meaning there are over 20 more episodes to look forward to. So far, Weatherly and de Pablo have interviewed major NCIS star Sasha Alexander, who portrayed NCIS Special Agent Caitlin Todd. Kate was on the Major Case Response Team opposite Michael Weatherly’s character for the first two seasons of NCIS. She reunited with her co-stars to revisit her infamous death in one of the best NCIS episodes: “Kill Ari Part II.” The podcast also features Ari Haswari actor Rudolf Martin and Timothy McGee actor Sean Murray.

What’s Next For Cote de Pablo and Michael Weatherly In The Tony & Ziva Spinoff

They Will Fix Problems With Their NCIS Romance And Move Forward Into The Future

New endeavors for Tony and Ziva are part of the ever-expanding NCIS universe. Weatherly and de Pablo’s podcasting is all in anticipation for the characters’ most extraordinary journey yet, the spinoff series that will finally continue Tony and Ziva’s NCIS romance. The agents had a non-traditional relationship on the show. At first, the romance burned slowly, with Tony and Ziva often dating other characters despite their chemistry and affection for one another. Then, their relationship took off overnight. In season 13, it’s revealed that Tony and Ziva have a daughter together, and Tony leaves to raise her.

It was a momentous milestone for their relationship, although it wasn’t known at the time that Ziva faked her NCIS death. It was later revealed in NCIS season 16 that Ziva was alive, and she returned to the series in seasons 16 and 17 to briefly revive her character arc. Ultimately, she departs the show again to join Tony and their daughter, Tali, in Paris. That said, all the significant moments between Tony and Ziva happened off-screen, and the spinoff can focus on what those moments were like for the agents and move their narrative forward.

NCIS: Tony & Ziva will return core MCRT characters to the series, diving deep into their lives as parents and former agents on the run across Europe. The franchise also plans to explore the backstory of central MCRT leader Special Agent in Charge Leroy Jethro Gibbs, who Mark Harmon previously portrayed. However, NCIS cast a new actor to play young Gibbs. While other location-based spinoffs have been canceled, the franchise continues to turn inward and analyze its most pivotal characters. Tony and Ziva are certainly at the heart of NCIS.

Source: Off Duty: An NCIS Rewatch/Spotify