William Louis Petersen (born February 21, 1953) is an American retired actor. He is best known for his role as Gil Grissom in the CBS drama thriller series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2000–2015), for which he won a Screen Actors Guild Award and was nominated for a Golden Globe Award; he was further nominated for three Primetime Emmy Awards as a producer of the show."William Petersen Emmy Nominations" emmys.com, accessed July 5, 2021 He reprised his role as Gil Grissom in the sequel CSI: Vegas, which premiered on October 6, 2021.
He also starred in the films To Live and Die in L.A. (1985), Manhunter (1986), Young Guns II (1990), Fear (1996), The Contender (2000), Detachment (2011), and Seeking a Friend for the End of the World (2012)."William Petersen Filmography" tcm.com, accessed April 10, 2016
Early life William Louis Petersen was born on February 21, 1953 in Evanston, Illinois, the youngest of six children of June (née Hoene; 1909–2006) and Arthur Edward Petersen (1907–2004), who worked in the furniture business."William Petersen Biography, filmreference.com; accessed July 9, 2018. Of Danish and German descent, he was raised in the Roman Catholic faith of his mother.Obituary: June Hoene Petersen, legacy.com; accessed March 21, 2020. He has two brothers, Arthur Jr. and Robert, and three sisters, Anne, Mary Kay, and Elizabeth.
He graduated from Bishop Kelly High School in Boise, Idaho, in 1972. He was accepted to Idaho State University on a football scholarship. While at Idaho State, Petersen took an acting course, which changed the direction of his life.
In 1974 he and his wife Joanne left collegeGabettas, Chris. "William Petersen: From ISU to CSI" isu.edu, Spring 2010 Issue, accessed April 10, 2016. and followed a drama professor to the Basque country. There he studied as a Shakespearean actor. Petersen also became interested in Basque culture: He studied the Basque language and gave his daughter the Basque name "Maite Nerea" ("My Beloved"); she was born in Arrasate/Mondragón in 1975.
Petersen returned to Idaho with the intention of being an actor. But not wanting to work a nonacting job there, he returned to the Chicago area, living with relatives. He became active in the theater and earned his Actors' Equity card. He performed with the Steppenwolf Theatre Company, of which he has been an ensemble member since 2008.Jones, Kenneth. "William Petersen Is Now a Steppenwolf Ensemble Member" playbill.com, December 2, 2008 He was a co-founder of the Remains Theater Ensemble, which also included other prominent Chicago actors Gary Cole and Ted Levine.
Career Petersen made his film debut with a bit part in Thief (1981), directed by Michael Mann. The actor received his first break when he played a Secret Service agent gone rogue to avenge his mentor in William Friedkin's 1985 action film To Live and Die in L.A."'To Live and Die in L.A.' Listing" tcm.com, accessed April 10, 2016 In 1986, he played FBI agent Will Graham in the first Hannibal Lecter film, Manhunter."'Manhunter' Listing" tcm.com, accessed April 10, 2016
Because his role was so emotionally exhausting, he did everything he could to rid himself of Graham after finishing principal photography. He shaved off his beard, cut his hair, and bleached it blond. He also claims to have done this because, while rehearsing for a play in Chicago, he found he was speaking like Graham. He dyed his hair so he could look in the mirror and see a different person.Inside Manhunter: Interviews with stars William Petersen, Joan Allen, Brian Cox and Tom Noonan
He declined a part in Oliver Stone's Platoon, as it would have kept him in the Philippines, away from his family. Instead, he worked on the 1987 HBO made-for-TV movie Long Gone as a minor league baseball player and manager named Cecil "Stud" Cantrell.Richmond, Ray. "William Petersen: Leaving Las Vegas", The Hollywood Reporter, February 2, 2009 Petersen was offered the role of Henry Hill in the film Goodfellas, but turned it down. An exposé about the film in the May 2015 issue of Playboy claims that Petersen turned down the audition altogether.Playboy Magazine, May 2015
In a 1990 ABC three-part miniseries, The Kennedys of Massachusetts, Petersen played U.S. President John F. Kennedy's father, Ambassador Joseph P. Kennedy. The film won an Emmy and a Golden Globe from eight and two nominations, respectively. Also in 1990, Petersen portrayed the infamous Patrick Floyd "Pat" Garrett in Young Guns II.
In 1993, Petersen appeared in a CBS TV miniseries Return to Lonesome Dove, as former Ranger Gideon Walker.Kogan, Rick. "'Return To Lonesome Dove' Trails Far Behind The Original", Chicago Tribune, November 12, 1993 He played Steven Walker, a father who stops at nothing to break up the relationship between his daughter and her vicious boyfriend in Fear (1996)."'Fear' Listing" tcm.com, accessed April 10, 2016 Petersen played Governor Jack Hathaway, an unscrupulous candidate for vice president following the death of the incumbent, in The Contender in 2000."'The Contender' Listing" tcm.com, accessed April 10, 2016
He appeared uncredited in the noir thriller Mulholland Falls as a character who finds himself on the violent receiving end of a Los Angeles police squad's tactics. In 1999, he starred in Kiss the Sky as "Jeff.""'Kiss the Sky' Listing" tcm.com, accessed April 10, 2016Kiss the Sky rottentomatoes.com, accessed April 10, 2016 He appeared as part of an all-star cast in the 1997 remake of 12 Angry Men (as Juror #12, a.k.a. "the Snob")."'12 Angry Men' Listing" tcm.com, accessed April 10, 2016
From 2000 to 2009, he played Dr. Gil Grissom in the CBS crime drama CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. Petersen took a break from CSI in 2006 to appear in a five-week run of the Trinity Repertory Company production of Dublin Carol by Conor McPherson, in Providence, Rhode Island. Petersen renewed his contract with CBS to appear on CSI for the 2008–09 season, reportedly for $600,000 per episode.William Petersen Renews CSI Contract" TV Guide. March 31, 2008. Retrieved on April 1, 2008. On July 15, 2008, the Associated Press reported that Petersen was leaving the show as a regular following Season 9's tenth episode, in order to pursue more stage-acting opportunities, but that he might return for guest spots. He remained an executive producer of the show. He reprised his role of Gil Grissom in the eleventh-season episode "The Two Mrs. Grissoms" (aired February 3, 2011). He came back in 2015 as a guest in the series finale, "Immortality."
In February 2020, it was announced that Petersen was returning for a CSI sequel series along with Jorja Fox, before the series was picked up as CSI: Vegas. In October 2025, Petersen stated he was retired from acting and was not seeking any new roles.CSI Star William Petersen Is Happily Retired, Says His Agent 'Hasn't Done Anything in 15 Years': 'Poor Guy'
Personal life In 1975, Petersen and his wife Joanne Brady had a daughter, Maite. They later divorced.
In June 2003, Petersen married his longtime girlfriend Gina Cirone. On July 5, 2011, Petersen and Cirone had twins, a daughter and son, via surrogate.
In 2004, he described to Playboy a near-death experience he had in the 1980s which gave him "assurance" that there is an afterlife.Playboy magazine, March 2004, page 139 In August 2021, he was taken to the hospital via ambulance after feeling unwell on the set of CSI: Vegas. He was experiencing symptoms of exhaustion after 12 weeks of shooting, and was released from the facility soon after.
Honors On February 3, 2009, Petersen received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame."William Petersen Gets Star No. 2,379" nbclosangeles.com, accessed April 11, 2016
Filmography As actor Film Year Title Role Notes 1981 Thief Katz & Jammer Bartender 1985 To Live and Die in L.A Secret Service Agent Richard Chance 1986 Manhunter FBI Agent Will Graham 1987 Amazing Grace and Chuck Russell 1989 Cousins Tom 1990 Young Guns II Pat Garrett1992 Hard Promises Joey Also producer"William Petersen Is As Close To Stardom As He Plans To Get" Orlando Sentinel, June 9, 1992Turan, Kenneth. "Movie Review. Hard Choices to Be Made in 'Hard Promises'" Los Angeles Times, January 31, 1992 Passed Away Frank Scanlan 1995 In the Kingdom of the Blind, the Man with One Eye Is King Tony 'Tony C' 1996 Fear Steve Walker Mulholland Falls Jack Flynn, Mobster Uncredited1998 Gunshy Jake BridgesMcCarthy, Todd. Review: 'Gunshy'" Variety, May 11, 1998 Kiss the Sky Jeff2000 The Skulls Senator Ames Levritt The Contender Jack Hathaway 2011 Detachment SargeCox, Gordon. "'Detachment', Rocker Doc Join Tribeca" Variety, April 4, 2011 2012 Seeking a Friend for the End of the World Glenn 2021 The Old Country Ted Short
Television Year Title Role Notes 1986 The Twilight Zone Edward Sayers Episode: "Need to Know" 1987 Long Gone Cecil Cantrell Television film 1990 The Kennedys of Massachusetts Joseph P. Kennedy Miniseries 1992 Keep the Change Joe StarlingTelevision film1993 Curacao Stephen Guerin Return to Lonesome Dove Gideon Walker 3 episodes 1995 Fallen Angels George Episode: "Good Housekeeping" 1996 The Beast Whip DaltonTelevision film 1997 12 Angry Men Juror #121998 The Staircase Joad The Rat Pack President John F. Kennedy 2000–2015 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Gil Grissom Main role (seasons 1–9) Guest role (seasons 11, 13 & 15) 2001 Haven Jackson Connolly Television film 2007 Without a Trace Gil Grissom Episode: "Where and Why?" 2013 Blue Mitch Episode: "Hard Time" 2015 Manhattan Colonel Emmett Darrow10 episodes 2021 CSI: Vegas Gil Grissom
Video games YearTitleRole2003CSI: Crime Scene InvestigationGil Grissom2004CSI: Crime Scene Investigation - Dark Motives2006CSI: 3 Dimensions of Murder2007CSI: Crime Scene Investigation - Hard Evidence
As producer Hard Promises (1991) Keep the Change (1992)"'Keep the Change' Listing" allmovie.com, accessed April 11, 2016 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2000–2015) CSI: Vegas (2021–2024)
Theatre As actor YearTitleRoleNotes 1976 Darkness at Noon Jewish Community Theater 1977 Canticle of the Sun Wisdom Bridge Theatre 1978 Twelfth Night Sebastian Illinois Shakespeare Festival As You Like It Dillinger John Dillinger Victory Gardens Theater Heat 1978 Towards the Morning 1980 Indulgences in a Louisville Harem Remains Theatre Waiting for Godot 1980–82 Balm in Gilead Joe Conroy Steppenwolf Theatre Company"Member Profiles. William Petersen" steppenwolf.org, accessed April 10, 2016Remains Theatre 1981 Sixty Six Scenes of Halloween Remains Theatre 1983 A Class "C" Trial in Yokohama Gardenia Goodman Theatre"Goodman Theatre Archive, Production History Files, Part 1, 1982-83 Season and 1983-1984 Season" chipublib.org, accessed April 10, 2016 1983–85 In the Belly of the Beast Jack Henry Abbott Wisdom Bridge TheatreWebb, Andrew. "'In The Belly Of The Beast' Searing Tale Of Prison Survival" Sun-Sentinel, June 7, 1985Ivanhoe TheatreJohn F. Kennedy Center for the Performing ArtsGlasgow, Scotland and London, England, including the American Festival 1984 The Time of Your Life Joe Remains TheatreGoodman Theatre Fool for Love Eddie Steppenwolf Theatre Company Glengarry Glen Ross James Lingk Goodman Theatre Glengarry Glen Ross Theatredatabase.com, accessed April 10, 2016 The Tooth of Crime Hoss Remains Theatre Moby Dick Ahab A Streetcar Named Desire Stanley Kowalski Stratford Festival of Canada"Method Acting"