“NCIS” favorite Cote de Pablo recently told TV Insider that she turned down the offer to use an intimacy coordinator with co-star Michael Weatherly on their upcoming franchise sequel series “NCIS: Tony & Ziva,” which debuts in September on Paramount+. The two actors were series regulars together on CBS’ flagship “NCIS” series for 12 seasons.
“Did not need one,” de Pablo said when asked about intimacy coordinators. “They asked me first, I think because I’m a female and blah, blah, blah, and I said, ‘I don’t need one. Thank you for offering.’”
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“Michael and I have a lot of trust with each other and are great friends,” she added. “So, when it comes to shooting these things we don’t want to be micromanaged. We like to explore it, and we trust each other enough that we allow that to happen.”
Weatherly echoed her thoughts by telling TV Insider: “I said, ‘Whatever Cote wants.’ Love scenes are complicated because that level of nonverbal communication — you kiss someone the way you want to be kissed or you touch someone the way you want to be touched — that is a deep level of communication. Physical interaction starts with trust. Luckily, Cote and I do not have an issue in that area. We had to do that right out of the gate in [‘NCIS‘s’ ‘Under Covers’] episode.”
“Tony & Ziva” marks de Pablo and Weatherly’s return to the “NCIS” franchise. It’s also notable for being Weatherly’s first major series regular role since CBS’ “Bull,” which ran for six seasons between 2016 and 2022. Weatherly was accused of sexual harassment by co-star Eliza Dushku during the show’s run. Dushku received a $9.5 million settlement from CBS after the actress alleged she was the subject of several inappropriate comments made by Weatherly on the set of “Bull.”
NCIS: Tony & Ziva, premiering with the first three episodes on Thursday, September 3,
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