Fishburne And Malkovich Considered

Las Vegas has a vacancy to fill.

With the news that William Petersen (Gil Grissom) is leaving CSI: Crime Scene Investigation during the upcoming ninth season, the show is searching for a replacement. CBS has considered high profile actors such as Laurence Fishburne and John Malkovich to portray a new character. "He's not going to fill Billy's position," a spokeswoman told the New York Post, "but it's going to be a two-part episode."

As previously reported, the character will start as a professor who specializes in pathology. Eventually, after helping the team solve the case in the two-part episode, the character will become a CSI. "It's all under discussion," said a production source. However, that doesn't mean Petersen will be gone forever. "Billy does plan to come back," the spokeswoman explained, and he will stay on as an executive producer for the show.

"It's not the end of the show. There's a lot of good stuff coming up," the spokeswoman said. In addition to the new male character, CSI will welcome a new female CSI, played by Lauren Lee Smith. Smith's character, Riley Adams, is replacing Sara Sidle (Jorja Fox) in the crime lab. Fox left the show last season, but she will be returning for the first three episodes of season nine. The actress may also return to be part of Grissom's exit later in the season.

The original article is from the New York Post.

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