Daniela Ruah


Daniela Sofia Korn Ruah is a Portuguese-American actress best known for playing NCIS Special Agent Kensi Blye in the CBS police procedural series .

Early life

Ruah was born in Boston, USA, to Jewish parents from Portugal, where her mother is an otologist and her father is an ENT surgeon. When Ruah was 5, the family moved back to Portugal, where she attended St Julian's School and, at 16, began acting in telenovelas. She won a Portuguese-television dance competition.
Ruah moved to the UK at 18 and earned a Bachelor of Arts in performing arts from London Metropolitan University. She returned to Portugal where she continued acting, and in 2007 moved to New York City to study at the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute.
Her heritage is Sephardic Jewish and Ashkenazi Jewish. Her father is of Portuguese-Moroccan Jewish ancestry, and her mother's family were Russian-Ukrainian Jews who immigrated to Portugal.

Career

Ruah started acting in Portuguese soap operas when she was a teen. Her first acting role came at 16, when she played Sara on the soap opera Jardins Proibidos.
At 18, Ruah moved to London to attend college. After graduation, she returned to Portugal to pursue her acting career. She was the winner of the celebrity dancing competition Dança Comigo and got main roles in television series, short films, and theatre. In 2007, she moved to New York to study at the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute.
Ruah stars as Special Agent Kensi Blye in , which first aired on September 22, 2009. In 2011, she portrayed the character in a crossover guest appearance on the series Hawaii Five-0.
In 2013, Ruah appeared in David Auburn's dramatic play Proof at Los Angeles' Hayworth Theatre.
On January 8, 2018, it was confirmed that Ruah would co-host the Eurovision Song Contest 2018 in Lisbon, Portugal alongside Catarina Furtado, Sílvia Alberto and Filomena Cautela.

Personal life

Ruah has a distinguishable birthmark in her right eye, called the nevus of Ota.
Ruah and then-fiancé David Olsen, the elder brother and stunt double of Ruah's co-star Eric Christian Olsen, welcomed a son in December 2013. On June 17, 2014, Ruah and Olsen married in Portugal in an interfaith marriage. Olsen is Lutheran. Ruah and Olsen welcomed a second child, a daughter, in September 2016.

Filmography

YearTitleRoleNotes
2006CanaviaisMargaridaPortuguese short film
2008Blind ConfessionWoman
2009Safe HavenAngela Bowery
2009Midnight PassionSophie
2011Tu & EuSophieAsians on Film Festival Award for Best Ensemble Cast – Short Film
2016ExcuseBrenda

YearTitleRoleNotes
2000–2001Jardins ProibidosSaraMain Cast
Portuguese soap opera broadcast by TVI
2001Filha do MarConstança ValadasMain Cast
Portuguese soap opera broadcast by TVI
2001Querida MãeZezinhaPortuguese television film broadcast by SIC
2001Elsa, Uma Mulher AssimMónicaPortuguese miniseries broadcast by RTP
Season 1, Episode 11
2004Inspector MaxVerónica BotelhoPortuguese TV series broadcast by TVI
1 episode, "Marcas do Passado"
2005–2006Dei-te Quase TudoRita CruzMain Cast
Portuguese soap opera broadcast by TVI
2006Dança ComigoHerselfPortuguese version of Dancing with the Stars broadcast by RTP
Winner of the first season
2006–2007Tu e EuDaniela PintoMain Cast
Portuguese soap opera broadcast by TVI
2008Casos da VidaRitaPortuguese TV series broadcast by TVI
1 episode, "Passo em Falso"
2009Guiding LightGigiSeason 1, Episode 15628
2009NCISKensi Blye2 pilot episodes: "Legend"
She was part of a guest cast including Chris O'Donnell, LL Cool J, Barrett Foa, Peter Cambor and Louise Lombard
2009–presentKensi BlyeSeries regular, 262 episodes
Golden Globe Award for Newcomer of the Year
TV Action Icon Award 2011 of Celebrity & Stuntwomen's Awards
Nominated-Teen Choice Award for Choice TV Action Actress.
2011Hawaii Five-0Kensi BlyeCrossover with NCIS: Los Angeles
Episode: "Ka Hakaka Maika'i"
2018Eurovision Song Contest 2018''HerselfHostess