Michael Weatherly and Cote de Pablo tell us everything about NCIS: Tony & Ziva

The next spin-off series will be filmed in Europe this summer. The actors of Ziva & DiNozzo reveal to Première what awaits us for the reunion of the star couple of the NCIS franchise.

This is a franchise that still has a bright future ahead of it. While season 22 of NCIS is announced, new spin-off series will be filmed this year. There will be NCIS: Originsthe prequel dedicated to the early years of Leroy Jethro Gibbs. But before and above all, there will be NCIS: Tony & Ziva !

The star couple of the saga will finally be reunited on screen for a dedicated series, which will tell the story of their new life in Europe, with their child. Michael Weatherly And Pablo's rating will begin filming next week, in… Budapest?! Why not Paris, where Ziva was going in 2020 after her very last appearance in NCIS (season 17)? Because the Olympics!

“We will be filming in Budapest, which will serve as a backdrop to reproduce different locations in Europe.“, reveals to us Michael Weatherlymet at the Monte Carlo television festival last month. The 55-year-old American star confirms that the initial idea was to film in Paris.This is what we wanted to do at the beginning, but with the Olympic Games it is not possible at the moment.“Budapest will therefore serve to reproduce the French capital, from where Tony and Ziva will leave, who will then flee across Europe with their daughter, Talia, under their arm.”We will film in other locations in Europe, but it is still secret“, teases the actor, delighted to work again with Pablo's ratingalmost a decade after their last collaboration.”It was the right time for us to meet again. All the planets finally aligned,” ” agrees the actress of Chilean origin. “Michael filmed Bull for several years and was unavailable. Then the pandemic happened… We're thinking about this idea of ​​a series Tony & Ziva for a long time! And finally, the project is taking shape. We are delighted.”

“It won't be an episodic series like NCIS“

Taking care to avoid spoilers, the two stars still give a few clues and already assure us that their new series will be very different from NCISbecause it will no longer be about “of a procedural“. Pablo's rating explain : “It will not be an episodic series like NCISwith a murder at the beginning, and everything is more or less resolved by the end. It will be a long-running drama, with a narrative and a plot that will unfold over the episodes. Like a 10-hour movie, if you will. And then we leave the American Agency. We find ourselves abroad, with an international perspective.”

Above all, for DiNozzo and his partner, espionage will become a family affair. The couple will have to deal with a child and that will change their way of seeing the action: “We just cast the young actress who will play our daughter and she is someone really special,” entrusts us Michael Weatherly.

“Tali DiNozzo will be a central character, because every decision Tony and Ziva make will be about her. Back in the NCIS days, they didn't have kids yet. They could be selfish and put their own needs first. Not anymore. Tali comes first.”

He pursues : “You have to do what's best for her. And then you have to be able to come to an agreement with the co-parent on education” laughs the actor, joined by his playmate: “Yes: we will be in a new exploration of the relationship between Tony and Ziva. That's what interested us too. How will they manage together?”

Same question for Michael Weatherly And Pablo's ratingwho have not worked side by side for many years.”We are passionate creatures, him and I. So sometimes we argue. Of course we argue. ” laughs the actress. “But there is a deep friendship between us that goes back 20 years! We can rely on it to move forward every time. Because we are friends first.”

Tony & Ziva, in 10 episodes, will be available in France on Paramount+.