From its 2003 debut to six spin-offs and counting, the NCIS franchise has grown into one of television’s most enduring global sensations. Though the shows focus on high-stakes national security and elite investigative teams, fans know that romance — on-screen and off — adds an irresistible layer of intrigue. Whether it was Abby and McGee’s brief Season 1 flirtation or Kensi and Deeks’ beloved slow-burn marriage, relationships have always played a role in keeping viewers hooked.
Off-screen, many of the franchise’s leading women have found their own enduring partnerships — some with familiar names, some with surprising connections. Here’s a closer look at the real-life loves of the NCIS universe’s leading ladies.
Daniela Ruah Married Her Co-star’s Brother — and Eric Olsen Played Matchmaker
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On NCIS: Los Angeles, Kensi Blye and Marty Deeks have one of the franchise’s most iconic romances. But in real life, Daniela Ruah’s love story has its own twist: she married David Paul Olsen, the brother of her on-screen partner Eric Christian Olsen — and Eric happily took credit as matchmaker.
“Eric kept inviting me to friends’ houses that he knew Dave would be at,” Ruah told 18Doors. “Then he stepped back and let whatever develop between us, and the rest is history.”
Ruah and David began dating in 2010 and married in 2014 in Portugal. David, a former Navy SEAL, worked as Eric’s stunt double on the show and later founded Garrison Door, a company that builds bullet-resistant, security-fortified doors.
Though he maintains a low public profile, Ruah often shares glimpses of their life with their children, River and Sierra. On Father’s Day, she posted a sweet tribute: “You love our cubs fiercely and I’m so lucky I get to raise them with you.”
Emily Wickersham Chose a Private Wedding and a Growing Family
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Emily Wickersham’s character, Special Agent Eleanor Bishop, had a restrained, will-they-won’t-they chemistry with Nick Torres on NCIS. Off-camera, however, Wickersham’s romantic life has been far more clear-cut.
She welcomed her first son, Cassius, in December 2021 with actor James Badge Dale (World War Z, Iron Man 3). The couple later tied the knot on September 27, 2024 — quietly and without fanfare. Wickersham announced the news on Instagram, sharing photos of the newlyweds dressed casually in white T-shirts and jeans, her baby bump visible. Their second son, Zephyr, was born the next month.
Wickersham has been largely focused on family life since leaving NCIS, while Dale continues to work steadily, most recently starring as Sid Frost in Violent Ends. At the film’s premiere, Dale joked about his character’s intense look — including a questionable haircut — that even Wickersham teased him about.
Vanessa and Nick Lachey: A Hollywood Couple Built to Last
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Celebrity marriages rarely stretch across decades, but Vanessa and Nick Lachey are proving to be the exception. Now co-hosts of Netflix’s Love Is Blind and parents of three, the couple recently celebrated 19 years together and 14 years married.
Their story began in the early 2000s when Vanessa was a VJ on MTV’s Total Request Live and Nick frequently appeared with 98 Degrees. Sparks didn’t fly until she starred in his 2006 music video, “What’s Left of Me,” but the chemistry was undeniable.
Nick told People that he’s grateful they met before dating apps: “I wouldn’t have stood a chance.” He believes their shared Scorpio tenacity has kept their marriage strong: “We’re just not going out like that.”
CCH Pounder’s Late Husband Was a Celebrated Museum Founder
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CCH Pounder, who portrayed Dr. Loretta Wade on NCIS: New Orleans, spent seven seasons bringing emotional depth and gravitas to the series. Off-screen, she shared a long, rich life with her husband Boubacar Kone, who passed away in 2016.
Kone, an anthropologist and art expert, co-founded the Musée Boribana in Senegal — the country’s first privately owned contemporary art museum — and later established the Pounder-Kone Art Space in Los Angeles with his wife.
In a 2024 AARP video, Pounder described him as “the real Indiana Jones,” always traveling, exploring, and returning home with new stories — and sometimes unusual illnesses. When he fell sick during one trip, Pounder became his caregiver, a role she described as both loving and challenging.
She continues to honor him publicly. In August 2024, she shared vibrant photos from his life, captioning them: “Boubacar! The book was never written. Thought of you today and wondered who will write it!”
