Primetime perfection

Fun fact: NCIS: Los Angeles is one of the world's most popular shows (the NCIS spinoff, now in Season 9, is seen in over 200 countries). Daniela Ruah has been part of the series since the very beginning.

Beantown beauty

Though Daniela Ruah was born in Boston, she spent most of her formative years in her parents' native Portugal.

Stage presence

Early on, Daniela Ruah made it clear she might be a performer—from putting on shows with her teddy bears for her parents to excelling in dance classes.

"My parents were always very supportive," says Ruah. "They let me be who I was. They would say, 'Whatever you do, just be the best you can be.'"

Act one

After auditioning to become "Portugal's next sweetheart" in a new telenovela, the 15-year-old Ruah got her first acting break, when she was cast as the sweetheart's best friend.

Never stop learning.

As Ruah continued to land bigger and better roles on Portuguese telenovelas, she also continued her study of theater and dance at London Metropolitan University.

A star is born.

At 22, Ruah won the first season of Portugal's version of Dancing with the Stars.

New York hustle

After moving from Portugal to New York City in 2007, Ruah studied at the Lee Strasberg acting school—and auditioned, auditioned, auditioned.

Big break

A brief stint with Guiding Light, CBS's iconic daytime drama, led Ruah to a part in the pilot episode of NCIS: Los Angeles.

American dream

"I came to America with a hope for an amazing future, and it came true." — Daniela Ruah

Messy business

While special agent Kensi Blye has been kidnapped, terrorized, paralyzed, and put into a coma, the real-life Ruah relates mostly to her character's fabled messiness: "I'm good at closing drawers," she jokes.

Celebrity crush

Fun fact: Ruah had a teenage crush on NCIS: Los Angeles costar Chris O'Donnell (special agent G. Callen), and even admits to once having an O'Donnell poster on her bedroom wall. She jokes about it with him now.

Long-distance love

Ruah Skypes with her Portugal-based mom almost every day, and visits her twice a year—the same number of times Ruah's mom visits her in LA: "It's like I'm never gone."

Family ties

Ruah's stuntman husband David Paul Olsen often body-doubles on NCIS: Los Angeles for his younger brother Eric Christian Olsen—who plays Kensi's fiancé Marty Deeks.

Partners in parenting

"Dave and I share the philosophy that it's our job to show our kids the world, and then it's theirs to let us know what they love about it, and we'll focus on those things." — Daniela Ruah

Food for thought

At home in Los Angeles' San Fernando Valley, Ruah and her husband make pizza from scratch, and son River helps harvest a variety of veggies from the backyard garden.

Words to win by

"I'm always competitive. But if I didn't win fair and square, I didn't win." — Daniela Ruah

Daniela Ruah is a wonder woman.

Stream full episodes of NCIS: Los Angeles on CBS All Access.