Kanakaredes Goes From 'Providence' To 'New York'

See Also: 'MIA/NYC - NonStop' Episode Guide

CSI: New York now has its leading lady.

Former Providence star Melina Kankaredes has joined the cast of the spin-off, Variety reported. The TV Guide Award winner will play the lead female role of Stella Bonasera opposite Gary Sinise's Rick Calucci.

According to character details first revealed by CSI Files, Stella is a half-Greek, half-Italian crime scene investigator who "loves using [science] to bust the balls of suspects". She will make her first appearance in a May sweeps episode of CSI: Miami, which will see Horatio Caine travel to the Big Apple to work with the New York CSIs on a murder investigation.

Kanakaredes, a second-generation Greek, has a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Point Park College in Pittsburgh. She earned two Daytime Emmy nominations for her portrayal of Eleni Andros Cooper on Guiding Light but it was her role as Dr Sydney Hansen on NBC's Providence that established Kanakaredes as a lead actress. Kanakaredes has appeared in two other Big Apple-based series, New York News and crime stalwart NYPD Blue.

Four New York regulars have now been announced by CBS. Joining Kanakaredes and Sinise are Vanessa Ferlito as CSI Abigail Martin, and Carmine Giovinazzo, whose character has not yet been revealed. Production on the pilot, written by Anthony Zuiker, Ann Donahue and Carol Mendelsohn, will begin next month. Danny Cannon, who helmed the first episodes of CSI and CSI: Miami, is slated to direct.

The original news can be found at Variety (subscription required).

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