Laurence Fishburne, CSI-1
- Published by David Knox
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CBS has confirmed that Laurence Fishburne is joining the CSI cast as William Petersen’s replacement.
“Fishburne will play a former pathologist who is now working as an itinerant college lecturer, teaching a course in criminalistics,” said a CBS statement.
“His focus is on understanding criminal behavior, how and why people commit acts of violence – tendencies he disturbingly sees within himself. In the course of a murder investigation, he comes into contact with the CSI team and ultimately joins the Las Vegas Crime Lab as a Level-1 CSI.”
Fishburne begins filming in September with his first appearance on screen set for December. Prior to his casting, the actor admits he hadn’t followed the show.
“To be perfectly frank, when we met here in New York I felt a little stupid and embarrassed that I hadn’t watched the show prior to meeting them, but the episodes they sent me were really engaging, and really wonderful and dark and moody, like the work I’ve been involved in. I was like ‘oooooh, wow…this’ll work.'”
The on-set code name for his character is “the professor…he’s a fresh set of eyes.”
“We’re in the process of creating the character,” said showrunner Carol Mendelsohn, “but the initial first blush, we thought that it was so interesting to have our new CSI come in as a CSI 1…someone knowledgeable in their own right [but] someone who hasn’t been to a lot of crime scenes. He’ll feel very comfortable at home in the bowels of the corner office.”
Fishburne added, “I’m gonna enter into this with the most positive attitude I can. I’m going to work with people who have made great television for nine years…All I can say is, I’m excited and ready to play…”