"CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" has solved the mystery of who will replace departing CBS series star William Petersen: It's Laurence Fishburne.
Fishburne, an Emmy and Tony winner, will be introduced in the ninth episode of the upcoming 10th season, the network told The Associated Press on Monday. He'll play a forensics scientist with a secret.
Fishburne is a "CSI" newcomer in more ways than one. Asked if he's a fan, he told a teleconference Monday that he was embarrassed to admit he'd never watched before he was approached by producers.
He was their top choice, said executive producers Carol Mendelsohn and Naren Shankar, with a deeply intelligent approach to his work that matches the drama's spirit.
This is the first ongoing series role for the in-demand film and stage actor since, improbably enough, he played Cowboy Curtis on "Pee-wee's Playhouse" in the late 1980s. He's not stepping away from movies with "CSI," Fishburne said, but embarking on a "welcome change."
