Smith Doesn't Mind Being 'Quirky'

The Las Vegas crime lab has a different sort of CSI in its midst.

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation recently welcomed Lauren Lee Smith to the cast as Riley Adams, the newest forensic scientist on the team. There isn't much known about the character so far, but the actress said Riley tends to butt heads with leader Gil Grissom (William Petersen). "All we really know is she's kind of a smart-ass, and she likes to push people's buttons — especially Grissom's," Smith told TV Guide. "We're going to see that a bit more in upcoming episodes."

"It has a little to do with how she treats any sort of authority figure," the actress continued. "She likes to look at things from the other side." Because she hasn't been around Grissom as long as the others, "she's not really afraid to challenge him. That throws him off," Smith explained.

Riley has had several scenes with Greg Sanders (Eric Szmanda), and Smith enjoys their interaction. "They started my character off playing with everyone, but the chemistry between Eric and I is very brother-sister and kind of teasing," she said. "I hope they continue with it." The actress added that she would prefer if the relationship between her character and Greg did not delve into romantic territory. "It's always more interesting when they keep things platonic," she explained. "There are more ways to go with that than if a romance starts to bloom."

One word used to describe Riley is "quirky", and Smith doesn't mind. Someone has to be a bit "off" to have this job, she said. "And in order to bring a new character to this show, she has to make a bit of an impression," the actress continued. "Otherwise, she's just another girl on the night shift. So 'quirky' is all right with me."

The original interview is from TV Guide.

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