Marg Helgenberger stars as Catherine Willows on CSI on the CBS Television Network. Photo: ROBERT VOETS/CBS ©2011 CBS BROADCASTING INC. All Rights Reserved.
Marg Helgenberger says she’ll be leaving her starring role as Catherine Willows on CSI (Wednesdays, 10:00 p.m. ET/PT, CBS) once this season has finished. It’s not surprising, the procedural drama has had a few changes in the past few years and not all have reinvigorated the franchise.
This year, however, Ted Danson (Cheers) has been a welcome addition, breathing new life into the series. That’s a fact that hasn’t been lost on Helgenberger.
“I had no idea who they were going to hire to replace Laurence (Fishburne), which was kind of a shock,” Helgenberger admits. “None of us expected it. But, Ted was such a refreshing idea. I thought, ‘Wow! It’s so completely different.’ I’m a fan of his acting. I’m a fan of him as a person, what he is doing with Oceana and I’ve known him kind of in social situations. So, I was like, ‘Bring it on!’ We’ve been enjoying it.”
Is it enough of a boost to get Helgenberger to reconsider her decision to leave the show? Not really, but she is leaving the door ever so slightly ajar.
“The odds that this is my last season? It’s pretty strong,” she stresses. “They’ve always left the door open for me.”