NCIS: Los Angeles Star Opens Up About Her Rare Eye Condition and How It’s Shaped Her Identity
If you’ve ever thought NCIS: Los Angeles star Daniela Ruah’s eyes looked a little different, you weren’t imagining it. The actress, who plays fan-favorite Agent Kensi Blye, has a rare and striking feature — one eye visibly darker than the other. And now, she’s opening up about why that is, how it affects her career, and why she refuses to hide it.
Ruah, 39, was born with a condition called nevus of Ota, a type of birthmark that darkens the white of the eye due to increased pigmentation. “The square of the eye, the white part, is completely dark on my right eye, not just the iris,” she told Esquire in a candid interview. “It’s very common in Asian people but quite rare in Caucasians.”
A Visual Signature — Not a Flaw
Nevus of Ota is caused by an overproduction of melanin around the eye, but it doesn’t affect Daniela’s vision or health. It’s simply one of the things that makes her stand out — even if viewers of NCIS: LA might not always notice it. Depending on how scenes are lit, cinematographers occasionally adjust the lighting to reduce the shadow it can cast on camera.
“Sometimes they need to light my eye in a slightly different way,” Ruah explained. “Otherwise, it looks like there’s a big shadow over it.”
But she makes one thing very clear — while lighting tweaks may be necessary for filming, she’s not interested in covering up who she is. “It drives me crazy [when it’s edited out],” she said. “This is my eye, my little trademark.”
From Barbie Mishap to Medical Truth
Ruah has previously joked about her eye, teasing that it was the result of getting a Barbie hand stuck in it as a child. But behind the humor is a straightforward truth: she’s never let her rare condition define or limit her.
In fact, the actress says it’s never impacted her acting opportunities. “It starts the conversation, if anything. But I don’t think it’s ever gotten me a job or lost me a job.”
Representation and Realness Matter
While NCIS: Los Angeles doesn’t often spotlight Ruah’s eye on screen, fans who’ve followed her for years admire her authenticity — both on and off camera. Her openness about nevus of Ota adds to the realness that makes her performances as Kensi Blye so compelling: strong, grounded, and always embracing her full self.
And in an industry often obsessed with perfection, Daniela Ruah’s attitude is refreshing: “This is me. It’s who I am. And I’m proud of it.”
