Daniela Sofia Korn Ruah Olsen (born December 2, 1983) is an American-Portuguese actress and film director best known for playing NCIS Special Agent Kensi Blye in the CBS police procedural series NCIS: Los Angeles.
Early life Ruah was born in Boston, U.S., 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 the age of 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.
Ruah stated that she grew up in an environment that was both Sephardic and Ashkenazi; her father is of Portuguese-Jewish ancestry, and her mother's Jewish roots are in Russia, Ukraine and Portugal. She holds Portuguese and American citizenship.
Career Ruah started acting in Portuguese soap operas when she was a teen. She made her acting debut at 16, when she played Sara on the soap opera Jardins Proibidos ("Forbidden Gardens").
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 dance competition Dança Comigo (the Portuguese version of Dancing with the Stars) 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 starred as Special Agent Kensi Blye in NCIS: Los Angeles, which first aired on September 22, 2009. In 2011, she portrayed the character in a crossover guest appearance on the series Hawaii Five-0. While on NCIS in 2014 Ruah won an award for best on Best Prime-Time Television.
In 2013, Ruah appeared in David Auburn's 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.
In January 2026, Deadline Hollywood https://deadline.com/2026/01/daniela-ruah-ncis-los-angeles-natalia-del-riego-movie-1236700927/ announced that Ruah would be producing and acting in a screen adaptation of Karen McQuestion's novel, The Moonlight Child. The project is slated for film with the title And Then She Was Gone, and will also feature her co-star from NCIS: Los Angeles, Natalia del Riego. The screenplay was written by Justin Kohlas https://es.hollywoodreporter.com/daniela-ruah-y-natalia-del-riego-protagonizaran-and-then-she-was-gone/ who will executive produce under his KimberMark banner, alongside Ruah and Riccardo Maddalosso (Armageddon Time).
Personal life Ruah married David Olsen, the older brother and stunt double of Ruah's NCIS: Los Angeles co-star Eric Christian Olsen, in an interfaith ceremony on June 19, 2014. Olsen is Lutheran. They have a son, River Isaac Ruah Olsen (born December 30, 2013), and a daughter, Sierra Esther Ruah Olsen (born September 4, 2016).
Filmography Acting + Films Year Title Role Notes2012 Red Tails Sofia Brave Merida European Portuguese VersionAnimated Film
+ Short Films Year Title Role Notes 2006 Canaviais Margarida Portuguese short film 2008 Blind Confession Woman 2009 Safe Haven Angela Bowery Midnight Passion Sophie 2011 Tu & Eu Sophie Asians on Film Festival Award for Best Ensemble Cast – Short Film 2016 Excuse Brenda
+ Television Year Title Role Notes 2000–2001 Jardins Proibidos SaraMain CastPortuguese soap opera broadcast by TVI2001 Filha do Mar Constança Valadas Querida Mãe Zezinha Portuguese television film broadcast by SIC Elsa, Uma Mulher Assim Mónica Portuguese miniseries broadcast by RTP Season 1, Episode 11 2004 Inspector Max Verónica Botelho Portuguese TV series broadcast by TVI 1 episode, "Marcas do Passado" 2005–2006 Dei-te Quase Tudo Rita Cruz Main CastPortuguese soap opera broadcast by TVI 2006 Dança Comigo Herself Portuguese version of Dancing with the Stars broadcast by RTP Winner of the first season 2006–2007 Tu e Eu Daniela Pinto Main Cast Portuguese soap opera broadcast by TVI 2008 Casos da Vida Rita Portuguese TV series broadcast by TVI 1 episode, "Passo em Falso"2009 Guiding Light Gigi Season 1, Episode 15628 NCISKensi Blye 2 pilot episodes: "Legend"She was part of a guest cast including Chris O'Donnell, LL Cool J, Barrett Foa, Peter Cambor and Louise Lombard 2009–2023 NCIS: Los Angeles Series regular, 277 episodesGolden Globe Award (Portugal) for Newcomer of the Year TV Action Icon Award 2011 of Celebrity & Stuntwomen's Awards Nominated-Teen Choice Award for Choice TV Action Actress. 2011 Hawaii Five-0 Crossover with NCIS: Los AngelesEpisode: "Ka Hakaka Maika'i" 2018 Eurovision Song Contest 2018 Herself Hostess 2020A EspiaMaria João MascarenhasMain Cast Portuguese miniseries broadcast by RTP2023The TraitorsHerselfHost2023Turn of the TideFátima Supporting castPortuguese thriller series from Netflix
Directing Year Title Notes 2021–2023 NCIS: Los Angeles 6 episodes 2022 Contado por Mulheres Portuguese Miniseries2024 NCIS Episode: "Left Unsaid" NCIS: Hawaiʻi Episode: "The Next Thousand" 2025 The Equalizer Episode: "Deception"
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