Michael Weatherly is back where he belongs on the set of NCIS's new spin-off series, NCIS: Tony & Ziva, in which he reprises his role as Tony DiNozzo opposite Cote de Pablo's Ziva David. The upcoming spin-off marks the actor's first starring TV role since the end of his CBS courtroom drama, Bull, in 2022 – and the star shared an insight into the lifestyle changes he's made for his TV return.
Speaking at the annual trade show, MIPCOM, in Cannes on Tuesday alongside his co-star Cote, Michael joked that he had to lose weight to reprise his role in the franchise, according to Variety. "We do a lot of running," he said, adding that it's a "highly-physical production process".
Michael also made a change to his eating habits, revealing back in September that he was on a diet of fruit and vegetables. Sharing a glimpse inside his fridge at home, which was filled with fresh veg, the 56-year-old penned: "The fridge of a TV actor at work… #ncisverse."
In the comments section, one fan suggested that a glass of wine wouldn't hurt, to which Michael joked: "I consider wine part of the fruits and veggies diet."
This isn't the first time Michael has changed his lifestyle for his career. Back in 2020, the dad-of-three revealed that he lost 35 pounds ahead of season 12 of NCIS after splitting five pairs of pants while filming series 11.
"I have two very small children, ages 2½ and 1 year old. That means I had been living with a pregnant lady for a long time," he told People at the time. "While my wife [Bojana Jankovic] never gave in too much to her Nutella craving, we weren’t doing too much. And I found it very hard to say to my wife and children [Olivia and Liam] that I need to spend a couple of hours on me. And the job was demanding."
The actor went on to explain that after turning to a personal trainer and taking a break from carbohydrates and alcohol, he felt a change in his appearance and energy levels.
"I was really gratified when I went into wardrobe at the start of the season and could fit in a season 1 jacket. That was 12 years ago!" said the star. "Most importantly, I had more energy and more stamina," he added, that it's "very hard" to maintain an exercise regime during busy periods at work. "But you do the best you can," he said.