PLAYING WITH FIRE
CSI: The Official Magazine
July 2008
by Bryan Cairns
In an exclusive interview with ‘The Official CSI Magazine,’ actress Marg Helgenberger talks about the trials and tribulations that helped shape the fiery Catherine Willows, and reveals what’s really going on between her character and Warrick Brown…
Procedural dramas are nothing new but ever since ‘CSI: Crime Scene Investigation’ debuted in 2000, processing evidence, deciphering clues, and outwitting the bad guys has never been cooler. Naturally, the top-rated series’ slick style and gripping crimes are integral ingredients to that increased interest, but there is no denying it is the engaging actors and their flawed characters that make the journey so compelling. In fact, it is almost impossible to imagine anyone else but the Emmy-nominated actress Marg Helgenberger portraying feisty investigator, Catherine Willows.
“’CSI’ itself was intriguing because it was the first time a show had featured the criminalists,” says Helgenberger. “In the past, it has always been the cop or detective. This time, it was the people who did the collection and analysis. Also, the style was intriguing. All of those, what are now known as ‘CSI’ shots, were written into the pilot script. That is what made science exciting, fun, and why it captured viewers of all ages. I don’t think anyone anticipated this show was going to have such a broad mass appeal. It has influenced young people to become criminalists and made them fascinated with science because it was made to look fun.”
A Vegas girl through and through, there is more to Catherine than simply beauty and brains. A former exotic dancer, it was her baggage, tenacity, and spunk that truly clinched the deal for Helgenberger. “The character interested me because on the page, she was described as CSI level 3, single mother, and ex-stripper,” she recalls. “I thought there were enormous amounts of things to play with because even when you are solving crimes, it informs the character.”
“When the pilot was picked up, before we started our new season, the producers had lunch with me and thought they might do away with the ex-stripper aspect of the character. They created this whole other scenario for her and I couldn’t even tell you what it was because it was so uninteresting. I was able to fight to keep, and win, that part of her back story.”
Having Catherine modeled after Las Vegas criminalist Yolanda McCrery gave Helgenberger a unique insight into the rigors of the profession and it’s daily grind. “I would have to say spending time with Yolanda on ride-alongs to crime scenes and being part of the whole process really helped,” agrees Helgenberger. “One of the crime scenes was a dead body in the Hard Rock Hotel. There were no suspicious circumstances involved and I ended up going to the autopsy of that person the following day. I spent a lot of time with Yolanda and I think along with Robert David Hall, we were the only two cast mates who witnessed an actual autopsy.”
Sadly, forensics is often considered a boys’ club and although Catherine is as tough and resourceful as any of her male counterparts, it is always tricky depicting those qualities without losing her softer side. “You have to be very strong and I even saw some of that behavior with Yolanda,” explained Helgenberger. “You almost have to go overboard but she didn’t really; she was just herself. Yolanda was so together, smart and focused. She takes enormous pride in her work. There was the other reason I fought to keep Catherine as an ex-stripper. I thought that was another way of keeping her femininity. One can be sexy without compromising your work status.”
FAMILY TROUBLES
Catherine might have a knack for solving crimes but her family life is a mess. At best, her relationships with rebellious teenager Lindsey and casino mogul father Sam Braun have been stormy and shaky. “I’m sorry Sam is not alive anymore because we had such a complicated relationship,” offers Helgenberger. “Then there is the fact he was a casino boss. We’ve alluded to that at the beginning of this season, in which I’ve basically inherited the land my father’s new casino was to be built on. By the end of the season, Catherine is going to have to make a choice about whether she wants to continue being a criminalist or perhaps move on to being a casino owner. I am interested to see what they are going to do [with that storyline].”
Her unlucky streak was also apparent in ‘Weeping Willows’ where Catherine had a flirtatious encounter with a man, Adam Novak, who later became a suspect in a double homicide. Played by Helgenberger’s real life husband Alan Rosenberg, the character returned once more in ‘Leaving Las Vegas.’ “I have talked to a lot of people who have worked opposite their spouse,” smiles Helgenberger. “Obviously, there is an enormous amount of history that you don’t have to work at because it’s automatically there. There is a bit of taking each other for granted which wouldn’t exist with someone you just met. And there isn’t the excitement if you just met, especially if it is a charged relationship, whether it is sexually or anger. In the case with Alan in the first episode, that was the situation. It was an attraction which led to what I thought was a fatal attraction which I doggedly try to overcome.”
Perhaps Catherine is looking for love in all the wrong places. After all, with all the subtle glances, fans assumed she and Warrick Brown would have hooked up by now. “First off, I have known Gary [Dourdan] for a long time,” says Helgenberger. “We did a pilot together about five years prior to ‘CSI’ so we already had that automatic history and mutual admiration. And we do have chemistry so I kept encouraging that. The writers would tease the audience or us with it then would back off. I am not exactly sure why they did that instead of following through. Now that everyone is aware of that relationship between Sara and Grissom, I don’t think they would probably go down that road again with another character. It remains an open field.”
Catherine’s darkest hour came in season seven’s ‘Built To Kill’ two-parter where she was drugged and then victimized by men seeking to get back at her father. “That idea was mine,” reveals Helgenberger. “It came from a conversation I had with Yolanda. She and some girlfriends had been to a bar in which they had heard the bartenders were being paid off to slip date rape drugs into the girls’ drinks. The girls had been drugged and who knows what else had happened to them. I though it was an interesting way to approach a woman who is usually always watching her back and not getting herself into a situation, that it would happen to her, how she would cope with it, and when she would tell her co-workers. I thought they did a really nice job of arcing the story.”
During Grissom’s teaching sabbatical that year, veteran CSI Michael Keppler joined the gang, frequently teaming up with Catherine, and obviously making a strong impression on the cast. “That was great, not only to have a shake-up with the new blood, but they wrote him very heavily and why wouldn’t you utilize a newcomer and someone of Liev Schreiber’s talent?” says Helgenberger. “It was thrilling and he is a writer so he contributed a great deal to his character and the arc of the story. It was almost like you were shooting the first season in that it was always, ‘What do you think of this? Let’s try this.’ Liev had such enthusiasm, and he is a great guy. He doesn’t have a lot of hang-ups like some actors. I was really sorry to see him go.”
In ‘Redrum,’ Catherine agrees to Michael’s unconventional plan to smoke out a killer, a strategy that required Catherine to deceive her co-workers. “Those actions were justified but Catherine didn’t have a choice,” reasons Helgenberger. “It came down from above that this is what they were going to do to shake out a suspect who had gone underground. And the whole time she hated lying to her team mates, but it paid off in the end.”
EIGHT EXPECTATIONS
So far, season eight has seen Sara Sidle leaving, David Hodges becoming a more prominent presence in the lab, and the introduction of eager young investigator, Ronnie Lake. Change can be good although sometimes all that reshuffling can come across as being too fast and forced. “I will be frank with you; I don’t think this has been one of our better seasons,” offers Helgenberger. “In the 11 episodes we have done so far, I think they were just throwing things out there. Obviously, Jorja Fox had chosen to leave. The way they ended the Miniature Killer and having her leave was well executed. It was a good idea to bring in another new face and Jessica Lucas was adorable, but I just don’t know if her character worked well in the mix of things. With the wrap up and departure of a very popular character, we were just starting to get our footing when the strike happened. I am very curious as to what is going to happen [with the rest of the season].”
Despite Helgenberger’s concerns about season eight, there have been some real gems this year, such as ‘The Chick Chop Flick Shop.’ “There was a scene in that episode I really liked which was the spoof on the B movie horror film,” enthuses Helgenberger. “It was really fun, kitschy, and that writer, Evan Dunksy, always writes those offbeat whimsical episodes. Our stories are so dark that I really look forward to the ones that are more comic and have a lighter tone to them. There was a scene with a dwarf who was coming on to me that was a lot of fun to play.”
Other highlights over the years include showcasing a vulnerable Catherine as well as just acting opposite her co-stars. “The two premier episodes [from season seven] where I am slipped a roofie and that whole story that ended with my father being shot in my arms was really intense,” offers Helgenberger. “I also certainly enjoyed working with Liev. And any time Billy and I have scenes to do, it is magic because we like and respect each other so much. The first two seasons we were together so much and then they realized they needed to give us a break so we don’t solve many crimes together anymore. I miss that.”
*Special thanks to Kelly Willows for transcribing this article. A scan of it can be found here
