The Final Case for Willows
teleprograma.tv
November 28, 2012
After 12 seasons, Marg Helgenberger wants to focus on his family and the theater.
By Juan Silvestre
It was not an easy decision and took months to make, but Marg Helgenberger felt it was time to turn the page, and so, after 11 ½ years, she decided to leave ‘CSI: Las Vegas’. Tonight AXN airs the emotional farewell of criminalist Catherine Willows.
Do you miss her [Catherine]?
Very much. I feel that I was more her than me, that I know her better than I know myself.
Why did you leave?
It was the right time. People all over the world recognize me and I found myself wondering what would become of me when I stopped playing the role of Catherine.
What was the first thing you did after you left [the show]?
I went on a two week holiday to the beach. Then I did many things that I had not been able to do while working on the show — normal, mundane things like cleaning the house, being with my family and friends, and with my pets. And returning to the theater.
Are you still in contact with your former castmates?
With the ones I was closest to. But I’m not dead, you know?
How was working with William Petersen?
Incredible. We have shared many things, both on and off the set. I would love to work with him again.
Is there any project in sight for the two of you?
No, but it would be great to play Catherine and Gil again.
Is there a scene [with Petersen] that you remember most fondly?
The last scene I recorded with him. We had very little dialogue. I had to stop after the line “I knew before you that you were going to follow your path” because I got so emotional.
What stands out for you the most about the rest of the cast?
With Jorga Fox [Sara], I laughed a lot. Eric Szmanda [Greg] will always be like a little brother to me, and with George Eads [Nick], I’ll say his sensitivity.
Was there any storyline for your character that you would have liked but that was never written?
I would have liked to have delved deeper into her relationship with her daughter. There was a lot of room there for exploration while her daughter was a conflicted adolescent.
What about a love story?
That as well. During the 5th and 6th seasons would have been a phenomenal time for me to have a romance, but the writers did not want to go down to that path.
Did you keep any souvenirs from the show?
Yes! I asked the wardrobe girls to let me take Catherine’s vest and name tag.
Has anything from Catherine’s personality stuck with you?
Although Catherine is far more impulsive than I am, we both share a strong sense of intuition and have both evolved a lot, almost in parallel, over the years.