What The Cast Of CSI: Miami Is Doing Today
"CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" was a big hit for CBS in the early 2000s, and given the success of other crime show spinoffs proliferating across the airwaves at the time — approximately seven million "Law & Order" shows, that is — it was inevitable that CBS would try to replicate its success by applying the format to locations other than the Las Vegas setting of the original. Accordingly, in the May 2002 episode "Cross Jurisdictions," Marg Helgenberger's character follows an abduction case to Miami and meets Horatio Caine (David Caruso), head of the Miami-Dade Crime Lab.
"CSI: Miami" premiered the following fall to resounding success. In an interview with Spanish-language outlet La Voz de Asturias (via CSI Files), Caruso credited the fact that "this terrifying new world of forensic science is located in Miami" for the show's popularity, which he believed led to a "hypnotic effect and a lot of glamour." The series ultimately ran for 10 seasons before ending in 2012.
"CSI: Las Vegas" returned to the airwaves in 2021, so while fans revisit their favorite characters from the original show, they may be wondering what the stars of "CSI: Miami" have been up to since that series went off the air. Crank up The Who's "Won't Get Fooled Again" and read on, because we've got your rundown of what the cast is doing today.
David Caruso retired from acting after CSI: Miami
When "CSI: Miami" began, David Caruso was the marquee name who led the show. The actor was a longtime television law enforcement vet, having been on shows like "Hill Street Blues" and "NYPD Blue," so he was the perfect choice to play Horatio Caine, lead investigator at the Miami-Dade Crime Lab. "It would be great if we could do the show for a while," Caruso told CNN when the show premiered in 2002. "I'd be very comfortable doing this." Sure enough, the show stuck around for a decade, and Caine's cold-open one-liners became a winning formula: stand over a dead body, put on your shades, say something quippy, and ... YEAAHHHHHHH!!!! The memes never stopped.
But Caruso himself stopped — acting, that is. When "CSI: Miami" went off the air in 2012, this star stepped back from public life, no longer appearing onscreen or making public appearances, save for the odd paparazzi interaction at LAX. And we do mean odd ... as no one's quite sure why he stopped acting, but we do know his thoughts on the Suge Knight trial. (His thoughts, for the record: "I hope they get that straightened out.")
Caruso did open an art gallery after "CSI: Miami" ended. "He has been making images in front of and behind the camera for over thirty years," read the description, but the website for the space is no longer active, and the enigmatic Twitter account promoting his photography hasn't been updated since 2015.
Emily Procter is focusing on activism
Emily Procter played ballistics specialist Calleigh Duquesne for 232 episodes of "CSI: Miami." She enjoyed staying with the character for a long period of time, telling fansite CSI Files, "What's fun for me playing Calleigh is having to try to piece together her personality [over time] and watching her grow." Her personal life was a constant driver of conflict throughout the series, and Procter added that she was especially grateful that the show's showrunner (Ann Donahue) allowed the romantic drama to be told through a woman's eyes. "It's interesting because we've seen it from Calleigh's perspective," she explained.
Like co-star David Caruso, Procter has largely retired from acting since "CSI: Miami" ended. She had a brief arc on "White Collar," but otherwise, her only other credit since 2012 was a benefit special for "The West Wing" filmed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Instead, Procter has focused on activism. In 2019, she founded a nonprofit called The Ground, which offers programming for people in schools and prisons. "Some people ask me about acting; it's not that I don't love it or that I wouldn't want to do it again," she told the "Hollywood and Beyond" podcast in 2021. "I just feel like I should work where I have passion." She explained that her passion, at that point anyway, was focused on improving the "base community structure" for generations to come. "That's where I want to dedicate my time," Procter added.
Khandi Alexander was proud to be on Scandal
On "CSI: Miami," Khandi Alexander's character, Alexx Woods, was known for talking to the dead bodies she was performing autopsies on. She played the medical examiner from the very first episode up through her exit from the team in Season 6, though the character continued to make appearances through Season 8. "My favorite thing about the character is that she speaks to the dead," Woods told the CSI Files fansite. "She cares enough to remember that this is someone's mother or father or sister or brother, and that she is always aware of the human condition and how fragile life is."
After "CSI: Miami," Woods' best-known role was as Olivia Pope's scheming mother on "Scandal." Woods was grateful for the representation afforded by Shonda Rhimes' productions, telling Studio 360 that she still found it amazing to drive down Sunset Blvd. in Los Angeles and see billboards featuring just Viola Davis and Kerry Washington, without relying on white actors to sell shows like "How to Get Away with Murder" and "Scandal." She explained, "This is the first time this has happened in my lifetime. It's not a little thing for a little Black girl to see that. This is huge. I wish there was some way to let people know how huge it is."
In addition to her role on "Scandal," Woods had an arc on "SEAL Team" as Ambassador Nicole Marsden and has appeared on FX vampire series "What We Do in the Shadows."
Eva LaRue's soap opera return was Emmy-worthy
Eva LaRue joined the cast of "CSI: Miami" in Season 4, with her character, Natalia Boa Vista, ultimately revealed to be an FBI informant. She worked with the crime lab team full-time and was promoted to a series regular the following year, sticking with the show until it ended. LaRue was previously on "All My Children" as Dr. Maria Santos, which she views as her biggest role. She told SoapCentral, "Even after being on 'CSI' for eight years, most people would still come up to me on the street and say, 'Oh, my God, Maria Santos!' I mean, they knew me from 'CSI' as well, but almost always from 'All My Children' first and foremost."
LaRue married her "All My Children" co-star, John Callahan, who died tragically following a stroke in March 2020. She memorialized him on Instagram by sharing a clip of the two acting together, where her character tells his, "I just want to look at you."
Following her run on "CSI: Miami," LaRue returned to daytime television and joined the cast of "The Young and the Restless." She won an Emmy for her role in June 2020 and was overjoyed. In an interview shortly following her win, she said, "After 18 years of being at a daytime [soap], I frickin' finally win an Emmy!" LaRue also revealed she could hear her late husband congratulate her, sharing, "I literally swear to God I could hear him say, 'You deserve it, babe.'"
Boti Bliss's Lifetime gigs are a break from CSI: Miami's dialogue
Boti Bliss played Maxine Valera, the Miami-Dade Crime Lab's DNA analyst, from Seasons 2 through 8, and felt "CSI: Miami" was the standout installment of the franchise because it offered more escapism than some of the other locations. "I just think that there is a level of like, glamour to it," she later told ActionFlickChick. "You see sexy people, things happening to the rich people. It kind of takes you to a different world."
Since acting on "CSI: Miami," Bliss has starred in a number of made-for-TV thrillers, including Lifetime hits "Killer in Suburbia," "A Teacher's Obsession," and "Deadly Switch." On a 2020 episode of MyLifeSucker's "Potty Talk" YouTube series, Bliss revealed that the switch in genre was very intentional because, by the end of her run on "CSI: Miami," she was tired of having to deliver Valera's complicated dialogue. "All my dialogue was just so like reading out of a dictionary, and I just thought, gosh, I want to do like, a soap opera or something after this with some kind of emotion," she said. "I started getting all these Lifetime movies that are like high-stakes emotion, so I got my wish."
In addition to her acting work, Bliss is busy raising her son, Ashby, with husband Blair Hayes, who directed her in "A Teacher's Obsession." Bliss frequently shares pictures and videos of their son on Instagram.
Eddie Cibrian worked with his wife on Country Comfort
Eddie Cibrian's womanizing character Jesse Cardoza joined the Miami-Dade Crime Lab team in Season 8. Cibrian was especially happy with his "CSI: Miami" role because the show was already a hit by the time he joined, reducing the actor's usual anxieties. "Usually, you're in a new series worrying about whether it's going to be popular or not," he told Parade. "When I came in the ship was running smoothly."
Jesse Cardoza only lasted one season before being killed off by a serial killer's poisonous gas in the Season 9 premiere. Behind the scenes, Cibrian's much-publicized affair with country singer LeAnn Rimes may have had something to do with his exit from the show. According to a source cited by In Touch Weekly (via San Francisco Examiner), "I don't think the producers were enamored with all the headlines Eddie was generating."
A decade after the scandal, Rimes and Cibrian are married and have a child. "You grow as a couple. Every day you find something else that you love about each other. It's wonderful," he reflected on their partnership to ET. Cibrian has also continued to work regularly on television in shows like "Baby Daddy," "Rosewood," and "Take Two." Rimes even made a guest appearance on his Netflix sitcom, "Country Comfort." Working with her was "a little surreal," Cibrian told Collider, adding, "But it's quite fun." Unfortunately, the show was canceled after one season in 2021.
Omar Benson Miller chooses his roles carefully
On "CSI: Miami," Omar Benson Miller played Walter Simmons, a crime scene investigator who joined the Miami-Dade Crime Lab in Season 8. Miller was proud to play a character who didn't fit stereotypes of the way Black men are typically portrayed on television. "I would do this show for 50 years because of what it represents to society," he recalled thinking on "The DL Hughley Show." "Because I was playing a Black, scientist, law enforcement character who was not corrupt."
Since his run on "CSI: Miami" ended, Miller has been a constant presence on TV. Most prominently, he filmed another show set in Miami, playing Charles Greane on HBO's "Ballers." Though it ended in 2019, Miller would have happily stayed there for a long time, as well, telling the Associated Press (via The Spokesman-Review) that he loved filming on location. "It was Miami at the best time to be in Miami: In the winter, which is just the mildest climate," he said. "They can sign me up for another 10 years of that."
In addition to his continued success in live-action TV, Miller is also proud of voicing Raphael on "Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles." "I used to sing the 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle' theme song on the way to school when I was a kid," he gushed to Assignment X. "So now, being one of them ... if old me could tell young me this was going to happen, I'd think, 'Man, life is working out.'"
CSI: Miami alum Rex Linn is dating Reba McEntire
Rex Linn played Detective Sergeant Frank Tripp for 187 episodes of "CSI: Miami," having joined halfway through the first season. Though he had been acting since the '80s, playing small roles in big hits like "Clear and Present Danger" and "Rush Hour," his role in the "CSI" franchise was the one that brought him wide recognition. It took him a while to get used to his newfound fame. "It still blows me away sometimes that somebody even wants to interview me or wants an autograph or a picture with me," he revealed to The Star Scoop. "I'm thinking, 'Okay, well that's cool, but I wonder why.' Sometimes I have to remind myself."
Since the show ended, Linn has continued to work regularly. Among others, he was in "Django Unchained," recurred on "Lethal Weapon," and memorably played bank CEO Kevin Wachtell on "Better Call Saul." Linn is also dating his "Young Sheldon" co-star Reba McEntire, though the two have known each other much longer than they've been on the CBS sitcom. In a 2020 appearance on "Watch What Happens Live," McEntire recalled first meeting Linn on the set of the 1991 film, "The Gambler," and remained friends. She explained, "We started texting and talking on the telephone, getting to know each other better during the quarantine."
On McEntire's podcast, "Living & Learning," Linn revealed that the two have had coffee together — even while apart — every single day since March 2020. "I have never missed one," he shared. "I don't wanna ever miss one."
Jonathan Togo is focusing on his family life
Jonathan Togo joined the cast in the third season of "CSI: Miami" as Ryan Wolfe, a crime scene investigator who specializes in DNA analysis. Togo was extremely enthusiastic about all of the stunt work he was able to do on the show, excitedly recalling an episode where his character had to jump off a bridge to fansite CSI Files. "It's a total blast, man; it's like an amusement ride built for one person," he said. "There's never an episode where I'm not running after someone or being thrown off of a building."
Since the series ended in 2012, Togo's career has slowed down. He popped in for a single episode of "Lucifer" in 2017 and played "Handsome Preppie" on an episode of TVLand's "Teachers." As of this writing, his most recent credit came in 2018, when he played David in Ion Television's "Christmas Cupid's Arrow." Togo was raised Jewish — his twitter bio brags about what a great job he did with his haftorah — so when he tweeted about his role in the Christmas film, he joked, "Watch it or I'll make eight Hannukah movies, and they'll all have sad endings."
Togo has perhaps slowed down his acting career in order to raise a family; he announced the arrival of a daughter with wife Tiffany Baker on Instagram in March 2021, having previously welcomed a child with ex-wife Diora Baird. "Can't wait to continue on this silly adventure with you," he wrote to his wife.
Adam Rodriguez is 'sad' when his roles end
Adam Rodriguez's "CSI: Miami" character Eric Delko was a fan-favorite, so when the actor's role on the show was significantly reduced due to behind-the-scenes contract negotiations that fell through, the limited screen time inspired fan petitions to bring him back, per Deadline. "[The fans] felt there was something missing from the show. They were very vocal about that and I have to give credit to CBS that they paid attention to it," Rodriguez told Entertainment Weekly in 2010.
After "CSI: Miami," Rodriguez joined the cast of "Criminal Minds" for that show's final four seasons. He played Luke Alvez, another fan-favorite character, and when the show was over, Rodriguez was glad it all ended well. "I'm really happy to have been a part of that whole thing, and sad to see it go," he told Assignment X, "but I felt great about the way they decided to send it all off." His other highest-profile role since leaving "CSI: Miami" behind was as Tito in "Magic Mike" and "Magic Mike XXL." As the actor shared with BELLA New York (via E!), "It was a sad day when we wrapped the movie. I want to work with all of these people on every single thing, that's how much of a good time we had."
Though Rodriguez hasn't yet gotten his wish for a "Magic Mike XXX," he led the cast of "Penny Dreadful: City of Angels" and can be seen on NBC's "Ordinary Joe," opposite fellow "CSI" franchise vet Natalie Martinez.
Rory Cochrane left CSI: Miami to get into films
Rory Cochrane's Tim "Speed" Speedle was one of the original members of Horatio Caine's team at the Miami-Dade Crime Lab. Though he stuck around for the first few seasons, Cochrane was unhappy with the show and left "CSI: Miami" when his character was killed off in Season 3. "I definitely enjoyed the money," he explained to Premium Hollywood. "It was just one of those things that ... I didn't really get into the business to be a nine-to-five kind of guy. It's unfortunate for the fans that appreciated my character; for that, I feel bad, but for anything else, I don't. But I did give up a lot of money."
Thankfully, for his bank account's sake, Cochrane has continued to work consistently since leaving the show. He had roles in high-profile films like "Public Enemies" and "Argo," and in 2021, he re-teamed with his "Hostiles" and "Black Mass" director, Scott Cooper, for the horror film "Antlers." At the time of this writing, up next (via Deadline) Cochrane will play basketball coach Jerry Tarkanian in a Showtime series about the Lakers.
Sofia Milos uses her star power for good
Sofia Milos' character, Yelina Salas, was introduced in the first season of "CSI: Miami." As fansite CSI Files noted, she played Horatio Caine's sister-in-law and then his girlfriend. However, when her husband — thought to be dead — returned, TV Guide broke the news that Horatio and Yelina's relationship had "run its course," and Milos exited the show in 2005.
Ever since, Milos told The Hollywood Times that she likes using her celebrity for activism. "One of the great things about being an actress on a series like 'CSI: Miami,' which is now seen in over 189 countries, is the recognition that it brings me," she acknowledged. "I am able to use that recognition to bring attention and focus on worthy causes that might otherwise not get the same attention." At the time of the 2017 interview, Milos was organizing a benefit for victims of an earthquake in Mexico.
Milos has also starred in several shows since "CSI: Miami," including Amazon Prime mob show "Sangre Negra" and the History Channel's UFO drama, "Project Blue Book," which she loved especially because of the period wardrobe. "Make up and wardrobe is such an important part in creating and supporting a character in a film or tv series," Milos shared on Instagram in 2021, alongside a photo of herself in a vibrant pink overcoat. "I wasn't just slipping into clothes but slipping into a whole persona, into a period."
Holt McCallany loved the reception Mindhunter got
"Fight Club" star Holt McCallany joined "CSI: Miami" in the first season, playing troubled Detective John Hagen. His character had a relationship with Emily Procter's Calleigh Duquesne, and Hagen shocked fans when he died by suicide in the Season 3 finale after a case gone wrong.
For his part, McCallany has enjoyed a long and fruitful career since his "CSI" character died, acting regularly in both film and television. In addition to roles in movies including "The Losers" and "Blackhat," McCallany had an arc on "Heroes" and led the cast of FX boxing show "Lights Out," which represented a nice change of pace for the actor. In an interview with UInterview, he reflected, "I always felt like I was a leading man trapped in a bad guy's body. So [this role] felt great because ... I played a lot of heavies and soldiers and a lot of cops, but it's a lot better to get the girl."
McCallany's highest-profile role came in 2017, when he reunited with David Fincher for a major role in "Mindhunter," the director's Netflix series about the FBI's burgeoning serial killer unit. McCallany appreciated the critical raves that show got, telling Independent.ie, "I've had the experience of being on television shows that did not get five stars across the board, and I can tell you it's a lot more fun when you get the five stars."
Christian Clemenson returned to theater after CSI: Miami
Emmy-winning actor Christian Clemenson — who won the award for his role on "Boston Legal" in 2006 — joined the cast of "CSI: Miami" toward the end of its run, but he still managed to rack up an impressive 52 episodes as medical examiner Tom Loman.
Since "CSI: Miami" ended, this actor has been working regularly, including returning to the stage for the first time in 30 years in a 2016 production of Harvey Fierstein's "Casa Valentina." "It's a bit like getting back on a bicycle," Clemenson told TheaterMania about what it was like to do live theater again after so long. "It's a little wobbly at first, but the muscles kick in and remind you what it's like."
Clemenson has continued to book roles consistently on screen, as well, having played lawyer Bill Hodgman in the acclaimed "American Crime Story: The People vs. OJ Simpson." He also made a memorable appearance as a doomed doctor in James Wan's 2021 horror film, "Malignant."