The “CSI” franchise, more or less, does not exist without Gil Grissom leading the way on its source material. He appeared in every episode from the pilot through season eight, a nearly irreplaceable cast member. As the supervisor of the team, Gil went from witty and enthusiastic, to irritated and unapproachable due to the loss of his hearing.
Despite being the center of the show, he was eventually replaced by Lawrence Fishburne after retiring from the show in season nine but will never be forgotten by devoted fans. Before “CSI,” Petersen was in movies such as “Thief,” “Manhunter,” and “Young Guns II.”
Romy Rosemont – Then
Romy Rosemont already showed in some of the biggest TV shows before playing Jacqui Franco on "CSI." These included "Murphy Brown," "ER," and "Ally McBeal." She showed up in seasons three, four, and five of "CSI." Jacqui was the fingerprint lab technician who became indispensable to the team.
Jacqui's character was a serious one in both work and life, but she revealed a lighter side in the season three episode, "A Night at the Movies." In this episode, she made a bet with Greg about who could process the results of a weapon quickest and, upon being declared the loser, agreed to wear a rather humiliating hat.
Romy Rosemont – Now
Though Romy Rosemont only appeared in 14 episodes of "CSI," she made appearances in plenty of projects before joining the cast, such as "Fringe" and "Brothers and Sisters." After "CSI," she found a sweet spot in her career as Carole Hudson on "Glee." Over the last few years alone, she has appeared on a number of prominent TV shows.
These include the likes of "A Million Little Things," "Brooklyn Nine-Nine," "How to Get Away with Murder," "Angie Tribeca," "9-1-1," "The Morning Show," "Grown-ish," and "You," to name a few! Rosemont's husband, Stephen Root, has also had plenty of success in recent times, appearing in hit HBO shows such as "Barry" and "Succession.
William Petersen – Now
After starring in 196 episodes of "CSI," Petersen left the show in 2009 as an Emmy-nominated actor. He has taken his time getting back into everyday acting but has appeared in some projects. In 2012, he appeared in "Seeking a Friend for the End of the World," which also starred Steve Carell.
He joined the cast of "Manhattan" in season two for ten episodes, but unfortunately, the show was canceled at the end of the year. However, "CSI" fans were delighted when Peterson reprised the role of Gil Grissom in "CSI: Vegas." Though the experience took a toll on his health.
Gary Dourdan – Then
Gary Dourdan's character Warrick Brown became one of the most popular characters in "CSI" history. He appeared in every episode from season to season eight, where he was tragically killed off by being shot to death by undersheriff Jeffrey McKeen.
His death carried over briefly into season nine as Grissom discovered Brown bleeding to death, marking his last appearance on the show. Fans and critics were shocked and saddened by Brown's death as he had become a well-liked character. Prior to "CSI," Dourdan appeared in shows such as "Lois & Clark: New Adventures of Superman" and "Swift Justice," to name a few.