Necar Zadegan is a German-born Iranian-American actress known for playing ADA Vivian Eckert in The Rookie and Nikki Reynard in CBS's CIA. Born on 20 June 1982 in Heidelberg, West Germany, she grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area. Her career spans Broadway, film, and television, with major roles in 24, NCIS: New Orleans, and Mayor of Kingstown. She is one of Hollywood's most consistently working Iranian-American actresses.
Necar Zadegan is known for notable roles in television dramas and on Broadway. Photo: Kristina Bumphre, Alberto E. Rodriguez, Eike Schroter (modified by author) Source: Getty Images Key takeaways Necar Zadegan was born on 20 June 1982 in Heidelberg, West Germany, and is of Iranian descent. She broke through as Dalia Hassan, first lady, then president, in Season 8 of 24 (2010).
The actress appeared in five seasons of Bravo's Girlfriends' Guide to Divorce (2014–2018) as Delia Banai. She starred in 27 episodes of Paramount+'s Mayor of Kingstown (2021–2025). Necar now leads CBS's CIA as Nikki Reynard and plays ADA Vivian Eckert in The Rookie. Read also From secret marriages to Teen Wolf co-stars: who did Crystal Reed date? BA Literature (Hons), UC Santa Barbara; semester, Sorbonne (Paris) Necar Zadegan's early life and background Necar Zadegan was born in Heidelberg to Iranian parents and moved to the San Francisco Bay Area during childhood.
She is fluent in Persian, French, English, and German. She also learnt Spanish, Arabic, and Hebrew for professional roles. She graduated with honours from the University of California, Santa Barbara with a BA in Literature. She also spent a semester studying at the Sorbonne in Paris before launching her acting career. Quick facts about Necar Zadegan. Photo: Kristina Bumphrey Source: Original Career Breakthrough in 24 Read also Adriana Lima's daughters and son — two fathers, three kids, and a blended family she's made work Zadegan began with guest appearances from 2005 onwards, appearing in The Bernie Mac Show, NCIS, Lost, How I Met Your Mother, and The Shield, among others.
Her career-defining moment came in 2010 as Dalia Hassan in Season 8 of 24. She played the first lady, and ultimately president, of a fictional Middle Eastern nation across 20 episodes. Critics named her a standout performer of the season. That same year she starred in the film Elena Undone and appeared alongside Michael Sheen and Samuel L. Jackson in the thriller Unthinkable. In 2011, Zadegan made her Broadway debut alongside Robin Williams in Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo, written by Rajiv Joseph and nominated for the Pulitzer Prize for Drama.
The production transferred from Los Angeles to Broadway to wide critical acclaim. Necar Zadegan during the filming of CBS series NCIS: New Orleans. Photo: Sam Lothridge Source: Getty Images A succession of main cast roles followed: Emily Owens, M.D. (The CW, 2012–2013) — Dr Gina Bandhari Rake (Fox, 2014) — Scarlet Leon, opposite Greg Kinnear Girlfriends' Guide to Divorce (Bravo, 2014–2018) — Delia Banai, across all five seasons NCIS: New Orleans (CBS, 2018–2021) — Special Agent Hannah Khoury, the senior field agent Tamera Kissen went from Instagram skits to Tyler Perry — one platform at a time From 2021 to 2025, Zadegan played Evelyn Foley, the assistant district attorney, in 27 episodes of Mayor of Kingstown on Paramount+.
The Taylor Sheridan and Hugh Dillon drama starred Jeremy Renner. The Electric State, The Rookie, and CIA In March 2025, the American actress appeared in Netflix's The Electric State as Farah Bedi. The Russo Brothers' sci-fi action film also starred Millie Bobby Brown and Chris Pratt. She joined ABC's The Rookie in 2025 as ADA Vivian Eckert, appearing in Seasons 7 and 8 of the long-running procedural.
In November 2025, Deadline reported her casting as Deputy Chief of Station Nikki Reynard in CBS's CIA, an FBI franchise spin-off. She replaced Michael Michele following a recasting decision. “She’s the best boss,” Zadegan says of her character on TV Insider. She described Nikki as “smart, communicative, and powerful, caring.” But just because it sounds like she’s right for the job doesn’t mean she necessarily wants it.
John Cena's wife Shay, his almost-wife Nikki Bella and every woman he dated between them Here is a breakdown of Necar Zadegan's movies and TV shows: She has also voiced characters in Horizon Zero Dawn: The Frozen Wilds, Diablo IV, and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. Zadegan keeps her personal life private. She was previously engaged to Gadi Erel, though the engagement ended in the early 2010s.
No marriage has been confirmed since then. Unverified rumours link her romantically to Iranian actor Armin Amiri, with whom she co-founded the production company SuperNova8 Films. Neither has publicly confirmed a relationship. Her current status is single, and she has no confirmed children. Meet Bells from BBNaija, Season 11's self-confessed neat freak and foodie Necar Zadegan on the set of "CIA" in Long Island City, Queens on September 23, 2026 in New York City.
Photo: Jose Perez/Bauer-Griffin Source: Getty Images CIA Season 2 premiere CIA returned on 5 October 2026 for its second season on CBS. Zadegan stars as Nikki Reynard, Deputy Chief of Station for the New York CIA field office. Season 1, which premiered on 23 February 2026, earned an early renewal following strong network ratings. The CBS series also stars Tom Ellis and Natalee Linez.
Zadegan continues her recurring role as ADA Vivian Eckert in The Rookie Season 8. The ABC procedural airs in autumn 2026. Her net worth has not publicly been verified or officially reported by reliable financial sources. She primarily earns from: Major television series (NCIS: New Orleans, Mayor of Kingstown, CIA) Film roles (The Electric State, Unthinkable) Who did Necar Zadegan play in NCIS?
She played Special Agent Hannah Khoury in NCIS: New Orleans. She joined the cast in October 2018 as the senior agent in the field office. The show ended in 2021. What happened to Necar Zadegan? After NCIS: New Orleans ended, she starred in Mayor of Kingstown (2021–2025), joined The Rookie in 2025, and launched the lead role of Nikki Reynard in CBS's CIA in February 2026. What ethnicity is Necar Zadegan?
She is of Iranian descent. She was born in Heidelberg, Germany, to Iranian parents, and holds American nationality. She speaks Persian, French, English, and German fluently. Was Necar Zadegan in Yellowstone? No. Zadegan has not appeared in Yellowstone. She starred in Mayor of Kingstown, a series created by Yellowstone actor Taylor Sheridan. Is Necar Zadegan married? She is not married.
She was previously engaged to Gadi Erel in the early 2010s, but the relationship ended. She is currently believed to be single. What is Necar Zadegan's role in The Rookie? She plays ADA Vivian Eckert, appearing from Season 7 (2025) onwards on ABC. Does Necar Zadegan have children? There are no confirmed children. Zadegan has not publicly discussed having children. Tyra Banks' boyfriends through the years, including the one who gave her a baby after 40 Ever since her childhood, Necar Zadegan has continually showcased her passion for acting.
As a teenager, she engaged in theatre works, after which she pursued her degree in literature. Her professional skills in acting and beauty have made her one of the young and successful actresses and models. Legit.ng also highlighted facts about Regina Daniels’ early start in Nollywood, her education, family, career and life in the public eye. She was just seven when she landed her first film role, earning about ₦10,000, and years later, her marriage to billionaire politician Ned Nwoko, who is 40 years her senior, drew intense public scrutiny.
Adrianna Simwa (Lifestyle writer) Adrianna Simwa is a content writer at Legit.ng where she has worked since mid-2022. She has written for many periodicals on a variety of subjects, including news, celebrities, and lifestyle, for more than three years. She has worked for The Hoth, The Standard Group and Triple P Media. Adrianna graduated from Nairobi University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in 2020.
In 2023, Simwa finished the AFP course on Digital Investigation Techniques. You can reach her through her email: adriannasimwa@gmail.com
