Could Chilean-American actress Cote de Pablo return to "NCIS" in the future?

The actress left the series to tremendous disappointment from the fan base, but she told TVLine that at the time it was the right decision for her and the family. She had been on the show from 2005-2014.

"I'm very happy with my choices. I spent time with family, which was incredibly important for me," she noted. "I've had time to deal with me, which I couldn't really do for a long time, so I'm blessed for that."

She also noted that she was surprised by the tremendous amount of support she received from fans upon making her decision to part ways with the series. That said, she did note that the closure of her storyline as Ziva was a bit rushed.

After leaving the show, the actress got some time off before getting a big offer to play a role in Warner Bros.' "The 33," a film about the Chilean miners who were trapped underground for 69 days.

But during her chat the actress did note that there could always be a chance to come back and reprise the character in the series.

"I think the fact that they never killed the character off is very telling," de Pablo stated. "Under the right circumstances, I think it could definitely be explored."

De Pablo was born in Chile but moved to the U.S. at the age of 10. She started working in the entertainment industry at the age of 15 and appeared on Univision.

She won an ALMA Award in 2011 for her work in "NCIS" and has received numerous ALMA and Imagen Award nominations for the role of Ziva throughout her career. Aside from her work in the series or "The 33," she has also appeared in "The $treet," "The Education of Max Bickford," "TOCA Race Driver," "The Jury," 'The Last Rites of Ransom Pride" and "The Dovekeepers."