“CSI ”cast: Where are William Petersen, Marg Helgenberger, and their fellow investigators now?
“CSI ”cast: Where are William Petersen, Marg Helgenberger, and their fellow investigators now?
Danny Horn, Kevin JacobsenWed, April 22, 2026 at 10:00 PM UTC
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George Eads as Nick Stokes, Eric Szmanda as Greg Sanders, Jorja Fox as Sara Sidle, William Petersen as Gil Grissom, Marg Helgenberger as Catherine Willows, Gary Dourdan as Warrick Brown, Paul Guilfoyle as Jim Brass, and Robert David Hall as Dr. Al Robbins in a promotional photo for 'CSI: Crime Scene Investigation'Credit: Andrew Southam/CBS Photo Archive via Getty
For an extended period in the 2000s, there were few bigger shows on network television than CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. The CBS procedural, which ran from 2000 to 2015 and followed a team of Las Vegas investigators as they used forensic evidence to solve homicide cases, was a ratings smash (particularly in its first seven seasons), averaging more than 20 million viewers every week.
The series helped raise the profiles of its cast, even those who already had success in Hollywood, like William Petersen and Marg Helgenberger. It also helped establish the careers of such cast members as Gary Dourdan and Jorja Fox, and later attracted big-name stars like Laurence Fishburne and Ted Danson.
Ahead, we're looking at the careers of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation's many main cast members. Where are they now — and what have they been up to in recent years?
01 of 15
William Petersen (Gil Grissom)
William Petersen as Gil Grissom on 'CSI: Crime Scene Investigation'; William Petersen as Gill Grissom on 'CSI: Vegas'Credit: Robert Voets/TV Guide/CBS/Everett; Sonja Flemming/CBS via Getty
William Petersen played Dr. Gil Grissom, a forensic entomologist and science nerd. Petersen told EW in 2015 that CBS didn't have much faith in the show at first, and everyone was surprised when it became a hit. "We always talked about how much of a kismet it was. It was the right idea, at the right time, with the right people, at the right place and we weren’t bothered by anybody."
After nine seasons with the show, Petersen stepped down from leading CSI, though he stayed on as an executive producer. He later appeared in the comedy Seeking a Friend for the End of the World in 2012 and on the TV drama Manhattan in 2015.
The actor returned to CSI several times as a guest star, including in the 2015 series finale. In 2021, he reprised his role in the first season of CSI: Vegas, on which he also served as an executive producer.
Peterson has been married twice and has three children, including a set of twins via surrogate.
02 of 15
Marg Helgenberger (Catherine Willows)
Marg Helgenberger as Catherine Willows on 'CSI: Crime Scene Investigation'; Marg Helgenberger at the 30th annual Race to Erase MS Gala held at Fairmont Century Plaza on June 2, 2023, in Los AngelesCredit: CBS via Getty; Christopher Polk/Variety via Getty
Marg Helgenberger's ambitious Catherine Willows worked her way up from blood-spatter analyst to night shift supervisor and ultimately became the director of the crime lab.
Helgenberger's run on CSI — for which she received two Emmy nominations — ended in 2013. She pivoted to a leading role on the CBS series Intelligence, and also featured in the final season of the network's Under the Dome. She returned to CSI for the series finale in 2015. From 2019 to 2021, she played Judge Benner on the CBS legal drama All Rise.
In 2022, Catherine Willows returned to the crime lab on CSI: Vegas. It was an easy transition for Helgenberger, who told EW, "In terms of establishing a camaraderie or an instant chemistry, it was pretty natural, I have to say, and I think it's because I played this character for so long. It felt great to be back in her boots and her tight jeans."
Helgenberger was married to actor Alan Rosenberg, whom she met on the set of Ryan’s Hope, from 1989 to 2010. They have one son together. She wed stuntman Charlie Haugk in 2022.
03 of 15
George Eads (Nick Stokes)
George Eads as Nick Stokes on 'CSI: Crime Scene Investigation'; George Eads at SAG-AFTRA's 8th annual L.A. Golf Classic in Los Angeles, on June 12, 2017Credit: TV Guide/CBS/Everett; Rob Latour/Shutterstock
The ever-reliable Nick Stokes was the only main character in the original cast who stayed with the show for all 15 seasons, finally leaving Las Vegas at the end of the series for a new job in San Diego.
Playing the same person for 15 years, George Eads understood Nick better than anyone. "Every day I fight for the integrity of the character and where I want it to go," he told EW in 2002. "Sometimes I think the writers are better at writing story than dialogue, or maybe I just understand the character better than they do. But they do allow us to collaborate."
After the final season, Eads chose not to return for CSI's two-hour series finale special. In 2016, he began a three-year run as Jack Dalton on the rebooted CBS action-adventure series MacGyver. His most recent role was playing a coach in two season 5 episodes of This Is Us.
04 of 15
Jorja Fox (Sara Sidle)
Jorja Fox as Sara Sidle on 'CSI: Crime Scene Investigation'; Jorja Fox as Sara Sidle on 'CSI: Vegas'Credit: CBS/Everett; Sonja Flemming/CBS via Getty
Jorja Fox played analyst Sara Sidle, who had an on-again, off-again relationship with Gil Grissom. After a painful breakup in season 13, the two happily reunited in the series finale.
Fox was a regular on CSI for the first eight seasons, then made occasional guest appearances before recommitting to the show in season 11. When the series ended, Fox admitted to EW in 2015 that Sara may have been the most disliked character. "Maybe for my own survival, I tried to see it as a compliment," she said. "Whether fans loved you or hated you, at least they were emotionally invested or feeling passionate about Sara."
In addition to being in Memento (2000), Fox appeared in two sci-fi films, 3022 (2019) and The Map of Tiny Perfect Things (2021), before reprising her CSI role for the first season of CSI: Vegas.
Fox is a vegetarian, supporting PETA and other animal protection groups over the years.
05 of 15
Gary Dourdan (Warrick Brown)
Gary Dourdan as Warrick Brown on 'CSI: Crime Scene Investigation'; Gary Dourdan attends the 'With Love for Peace' gala on May 22, 2022, in Cannes, FranceCredit: TV Guide/CBS/Everett; Arnold Jerocki/Getty
Gary Dourdan won two NAACP Image Awards for his performance as the talented and troubled Warrick Brown, an analyst with a gambling problem who died tragically at the beginning of season 9.
Following his work on CSI, Dourdan appeared on several series, including BET shows Being Mary Jane, The Family Business, and First Wives Club. He also had a two-episode guest role in season 2 of the Sex and the City reboot series, And Just Like That.
Dourdan has two children.
06 of 15
Eric Szmanda (Greg Sanders)
Eric Szmanda as Greg Sanders on 'CSI: Crime Scene Investigation'; Eric Szmanda attends the opening night red carpet for 'Inherit the Wind' at the Pasadena Playhouse on Nov. 5, 2023, in Pasadena, Calif.Credit: Joe Pugliese/TV Guide/CBS/Everett; Frazer Harrison/Getty
Eric Szmanda began his run on CSI by playing lab tech Greg Sanders in a recurring role. The actor became a main cast member during season 3, wherein Sanders became an official investigator.
Szmanda stayed with the series until its end, telling EW in 2015, "I had no idea that the show was going to last 15 years. I don’t think I’ll ever have a job this long again, so I’m glad. I’m grateful for that."
Following CSI, Szmanda starred in the 2018 TV movie Near Extinction: Shangri-La. In 2023, he returned as Sanders in season 2 of CSI: Vegas.
07 of 15
Robert David Hall (Dr. Al Robbins)
Robert David Hall as Dr. Al Robbins on 'CSI: Crime Scene Investigation'; Robert David Hall attends the Media Access Awards 2018 on Nov. 1, 2018, in Los AngelesCredit: Lorenzo Agius/CBS Photo Archive via Getty; Araya Diaz/Getty
As coroner Dr. Al Robbins, Robert David Hall spent most of his time on CSI performing autopsies. "I fought for 15 years to get out of the morgue," he told EW in 2015. "But that’s okay. My job was to pull the bullet out of the ass and say, ‘They went that-a-way.’"
Before his lengthy run on CSI, Hall appeared in the films Starship Troopers (1997) and The Negotiator (1998), as well as many television series, including L.A. Law, Beverly Hills, 90210, and The Practice.
Hall has been married to his wife, Judy Sterns, since 1999. He has a son from a previous marriage.
08 of 15
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Paul Guilfoyle (Jim Brass)
Paul Guilfoyle as Jim Brass on 'CSI: Crime Scene Investigation'; Paul Guilfoyle attends 'The Good House' premiere during the 2022 Tribeca Festival at BMCC Tribeca PAC on June 16, 2022, in New YorkCredit: CBS via Getty; Dominik Bindl/Getty
LVPD Capt. Jim Brass was there when the handcuffs came out, arresting and interrogating suspects. He appeared on the show for 14 seasons and again in the finale.
After CSI ended, Paul Guilfoyle had a recurring role in the first two seasons of The Good Fight and appeared in two episodes of Star Trek: Discovery.
He's also landed roles in buzzy Oscar films like Spotlight (2015) and Adam McKay’s Don't Look Up (2021). The actor stepped up to play Jim Brass once more on CSI: Vegas before appearing in guest roles on Julia and Evil.
Guilfoyle has been married to choreographer Lisa Giobbi since 1989. The couple shares one child.
09 of 15
Wallace Langham (David Hodges)
Wallace Langham arrives at the 'CSI' 100th episode party held at Hangar 8 in the Santa Monica Airport; Wallace Langham as Allen Brady on 'The Rookie: Feds'Credit: Paul Mounce/Corbis via Getty; Scott Everett White/ABC via Getty
Wallace Langham played lab tech and expert witness David Hodges for 12 years. Hodges was often sarcastic and irritating, but he had an uncanny sense of smell that could sometimes break a case.
In between playing Hodges, the actor enjoyed gigs in one-off episodes of shows like The West Wing and Curb Your Enthusiasm. You can also catch him in the films Little Miss Sunshine (2006), The Social Network (2010), and Hitchcock (2012).
Since the end of CSI, he's stayed busy with appearances on Grey's Anatomy, The Boys, Shameless, and For All Mankind. In 2021, Langham returned as David Hodges in the first season of CSI: Vegas. He recently had a recurring role on the HBO drama Perry Mason, and portrayed Senator Estes Kefauver in 2025's The Alto Knights.
10 of 15
Laurence Fishburne (Dr. Ray Langston)
Laurence Fishburne as Dr. Ray Langston on 'CSI: Crime Scene Investigation'; Laurence Fishburne attends the Los Angeles premiere of 'John Wick: Chapter 4' at TCL Chinese Theatre on March 20, 2023, in HollywoodCredit: Sonja Flemming/CBS via Getty; Monica Schipper/Getty
Prior to joining CSI in 1998, Laurence Fishburne enjoyed a thriving movie career marked by roles in Apocalypse Now (1979), Boyz N the Hood (1991), What's Love Got to Do With It (1993), and The Matrix (1999). The Oscar nominee and Emmy winner was brought on as Dr. Ray Langston, taking the place of departing lead actor William Petersen in season 9.
Following his three-season run on CSI, Fishburne appeared as Perry White in the DC superhero films Man of Steel (2013) and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016), as well as Bill Foster in Marvel's Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018).
He had a recurring role as Pops in the ABC sitcom Black-ish, where he also served as an executive producer, and plays 'the Bowery King' in the John Wick film series. In 2020, Fishburne won another Emmy for his role on the short-form series #FreeRayshawn.
Fishburne has been married and divorced twice. His second wife was actress Gina Torres. He has three children.
11 of 15
David Berman (David Phillips)
David Berman as David Phillips on 'CSI: Crime Scene Investigation'; David Berman attends Ping Pong 4 Purpose 2023 presented by Skechers and UCLA Health at Dodger Stadium on July 27, 2023, in Los AngelesCredit: Ethan Miller/Getty; Phillip Faraone/Getty
"Super Dave" Phillips was the assistant coroner for Al Robbins, who was often sent out to pick up bodies for autopsy.
Actor David Berman joined CSI early in his career. Cast in a recurring role for the show's first nine seasons, he graduated to a lead role in season 10. In addition to his CSI duties, Berman also appeared on Heroes, Drop Dead Diva, and Desperate Housewives. He has had recurring roles on such NBC dramas as The Blacklist and Chicago Med.
Berman and CSI costar Jon Wellner founded Entertainment Research Consultants to help inform crime and forensics television shows.
12 of 15
Ted Danson (D.B. Russell)
Ted Danson as D.B. Russell on 'CSI: Crime Scene Investigation'; Ted Danson arrives at the 36th annual American Cinematheque award ceremony honoring Ryan Reynolds at the Beverly Hilton on Nov. 17, 2022, in Beverly Hills, Calif.Credit: Robert Voets/CBS via Getty; Steve Granitz/FilmMagic
Emmy-winning TV legend Ted Danson replaced Laurence Fishburne as CSI's lead attraction in season 12. His character, D.B. Russell, was a warm and friendly leader of the team, in keeping with Danson's typical screen persona.
After CSI wrapped season 15, Danson jumped to the spinoff CSI: Cyber for a year. He went on to star on The Good Place from 2016 to 2020, then led the cast of another NBC sitcom, Mr. Mayor, from 2021 to 2022. He now stars on Netflix's A Man on the Inside as an older amateur sleuth.
Danson has been married three times, with his current wife being actress Mary Steenburgen. The couple was honored with the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award for their activism at the 2025 Primetime Emmy awards.
13 of 15
Elisabeth Harnois (Morgan Brody)
Elisabeth Harnois as Morgan Brody on 'CSI: Crime Scene Investigation'; Elisabeth Harnois as Alice in 'Falling for the Manny'Credit: Monty Brinton/CBS via Getty; Reel One Entertainment
Morgan Brody joined the force in season 12, moving to Vegas in the aftermath of the Nate Haskell serial killer case.
Elisabeth Harnois, who began her career as a child actress, has appeared on various TV shows, including All My Children, Criminal Minds, CSI: Miami, One Tree Hill, and 90210. She also notably starred in the romantic drama Keith (2008) opposite Jesse McCartney.
Following her four-year run on CSI, Harnois has mostly been working on TV movies, including several Christmas-themed films.
14 of 15
Elisabeth Shue (Julie Finlay)
Elisabeth Shue as Julie Finlay on 'CSI: Crime Scene Investigation'; Elisabeth Shue attends the Tribeca Festival after-party for 'The Good Half' premiere at the Palace on June 8, 2023, in New York CityCredit: Sonja Flemming/CBS via Getty; Manny Carabel/Getty
Oscar nominee Elisabeth Shue joined CSI as Julie "Finn" Finlay in season 12. “I was always a little worried about the procedural, that you’d do the same scene over and over again,” Shue told EW in 2012. “[On CSI] the storylines are so different… there is more character work than I thought, and more to stimulate me creatively.”
Following CSI, Shue appeared in the Death Wish reboot (2018) and the war film Greyhound (2020). She also played a key part in the first season of the Amazon Prime superhero series The Boys, and reprised her Karate Kid (1984) role on Cobra Kai. Shue will next appear in the survival thriller Whalefall.
Shue shares three children with her husband, documentary filmmaker Davis Guggenheim, whom she married in 1994.
15 of 15
Jon Wellner (Henry Andrews)
Jon Wellner as Henry Andrews on 'CSI: Crime Scene Investigation'; Jon Wellner attends the Paley Center for Media's PaleyFest 2015 Fall TV Preview 'CSI' Farewell Salute at the Paley Center for Media on Sept. 16, 2015, in Beverly Hills, Calif.Credit: Robert Voets/CBS via Getty; Frederick M. Brown/Getty
Jon Wellner has worn many hats during his tenure at CSI. Initially, he worked as a researcher behind the scenes before taking on an onscreen role as a zookeeper in season 5. Nine episodes later, he landed the role of lab tech Henry Andrews, who has a prolific knowledge of toxins, and stuck around until the series finale. Wellner continued to verify research behind the scenes until the show ended in 2015.
The actor also appeared on series like NCIS, That's So Raven, Shameless, and Bones.
In 2009, Wellner and fellow CSI cast member David Berman cofounded Entertainment Research Consultants, a research firm that works with forensic shows.
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