Tony and Emmy award winning actor, director Laurence Fishburne is returning to television after a very long absence. It’s been nearly 20 years since he made it to the small screen as a regular character ((played Cowboy Curtis on the 1980s kids show “Pee-wee’s Playhouse”), and he will return with an already established hit show — “C.S.I.: Crime Scene Investigation” for CBS. Fishburne will take over for longtime star of the ensemble series, William Petersen.
Fishburne received his Emmy award for the HBO film “Miss Evers’ Boys” and for his guest role in the “Tribeca” series. He was nominated for an Academy Award as the leading actor in the big screen film “What’s Love Got to Do with It” and received the Saturn Award top honor for his role of Morpheus in the 1999 SF film “The Matrix.”
The actor is only 47 but has had a successful career on stage and Hollywood since 1972. His big break came when famed director Francis Ford Coppola signed him on for an important role in the landmark anti-war film “Apocalypse Now.”
Besides “The Matrix” trilogy, Fishburne has starred in other such SF and genre-related films as “Event Horizon,” was the voice for the Silver Surfer in “Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer,” Tom Cruise’s boss in “Mission: Impossible III,” “Osmosis Jones,” and “Cherry 2000.”
Known for playing characters of a foreboding nature, he will tackle his new position on “C.S.I.” in much similar ways. His character specializes in probing the underlying causes of violent, aggressive behavior, “tendencies he disturbingly sees within himself,” according to CBS press materials. The show is still rated as CBS’s all time highest watched show even after 8 years. “C.S.I.” begins its 9th season later this year with Petersen exiting after appearing in two episodes.
In addition to his screenwork, have been fortunate to also have seen Mr Fishburne on stage and CSI is lucky to be getting him. William Petersen will be missed…but DAMN. They’re getting Lawrence-freakin’-Fishburne!!!!
I’m going to start watching CSI again!
As much as I loved Dourdan and his portrayal of Warrick and Petersen’s Grissom, I think the show definitely traded up with the addition of Fishburne.
Yep. Lawrence Fishburne. That’ll work! CSI definately needed a refresh. Yep. This will definately work for me!