Off screen, George Eads recently suffered the loss of both his dad and his dog. And as CBS' CSI enters its 13th season, Eads' Nick Stokes will face some personal changes of his own. "Nick's been the one without a family, which is a sad thing, so we're playing around with the idea of him getting a surrogate family in an unconventional way," says Eads. First up: He adopts a...
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It's not every job where having your boss call you "the perfect ex-stripper/cokehead" could be considered a compliment, but for 12 seasons now, that's exactly what CSI exec producer Carol Mendelsohn has thought of her departing star, Marg Helgenberger. "Some actresses might shy away from playing a part like Catherine Willows, but Marg turned all of Catherine's negatives into positives. I miss her already." Helgenberger exits the series this week after a dozen...
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I think I hear CSI fans everywhere screaming. We teased casting changes for the CBS drama in a recent Mega Minute, and alas, those changes include William Petersen, whose recently signed contract only guarantees his appearance until the upcoming season's 10th episode, a rep for CBS confirms, following a report from EW's Ausiello. Petersen isn't gone for good, though. He will be staying on as an executive producer, and has agreed to make special appearances throughout the remaining run of the series. This marks the third original cast member to leave the show, following Jorja Fox and Gary Dourdan's departures last season. Producers, however, promise a memorable exit for Grissom (including Fox's return next season for a multi-episode, Grissom-Sidle arc) and some exciting changes in the show's future. "We're out to add new characters to the show, and the show will change as a result," said exec producer Carol Mendehlson. "But that's a good thing."So, how do you feel about Petersen's c...
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The latest Batman movie, The Dark Knight, doesn't open until July 18, but an animated DVD out 10 days earlier should satisfy any Caped Crusader cravings. Batman Gotham Knight helps set the stage for Christopher Nolan's feature film, with a series of six interlocking animé tales. The voice cast of this visually stunning interpretation of the DC Comics legend includes Kevin Conroy, who played the title character in Batman: The Animated Series and later in Justice League, ER's Parminder Nagra, Ugly Betty's Ana Ortiz and ex-CSI star Gary Dourdan. Ortiz plays Detective Anna Ramirez,a part she was also up for in The Dark Knight. She lost out to Monique Curnen but got a unique second chance for the animated version. "I audition for so many things, it all just sort of rolls off your back," she says. "But I was glad that I got to play her one way or the other. And I get to put my own spin on it." She worked closely with Dourdan, who plays Ramirez's partner, Detective Crispus Allen. "T...
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Former CSI-er Gary Dourdan on Wednesday pleaded guilty to two felony drug possession charges, and will not have to serve any jail time, reports TMZ. The first charge regarding possession of heroin was dropped and according to his (clearly talented) lawyers, once he completes a 30-hour treatment program — not rehab — all charges against him will be dropped. Wow, from three felony charges and jail time to only participating in a 30-hour program, and all the charges will be dropped? Maybe Kiefer should have hooked up with Dourdan's lawyers before doing his time in the big house. Do you think Gary got off easy? — Erin FoxRelated• Dourdan's Exit from CSI• Dourdan "Embarrassed" about Arrest
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