Actor Laurence Fishburne, most noted for his portrayal of Morpheus in the Matrix trilogy of movies, is joining the cast of CSI.

Laurence will be playing a college professor who goes from assisting with the investigation of a murder to joining the team. At this time the character, only being referred to as ‘The Professor’, has a background as a medical doctor and research pathologist. For a number of reasons, which will be revealed throughout the season, we’ll find out, he was forced out of that career and has become a college lecturer. He is teaching a course in criminalistics when he gets involved in the investigation with CSI. He has the ground-floor qualifications to be a CSI and a background in science and pathology, which gets him in the door as the newest member of the team.

Delaware County Magazine had the opportunity to interview the esteemed actor about his newest role.

DCM: Are you a CSI fan?
LF: I am now!

DCM: You haven’t watched the show before?
LF: To be perfectly frank, I told the producers that I felt a little stupid and embarrassed that I hadn’t watched the show prior to meeting with them. But I’m happy to say the episodes they sent me to look at were really, really engaging and wonderful and kind of dark and moody like much of the work I’ve been involved in. I thought that’s cool – this is WOW – this will work! So I’m very excited.

DCM: Have you ever worked in series TV on a regular basis before?

LF: Not since the mid-80’s when I worked on a wonderful show called Pee Wee’s Playhouse when I played the psychedelic cowboy, Curtis.

DCM: You have a very busy movie career, too. Why did you want to step away?
LF: I wouldn’t say going into the series means I’m stepping away from movies. It’s another medium in which to work as an actor, because I haven’t done series TV since Pee Wee’s Playhouse; it’s a welcome change. It’s going to be challenging and fun, and it’s going to be very exciting.

DCM: Does the show have a name for your character yet?
LF: No, but we’re open to suggestions. Our current code name is “The Professor”.

DCM: What can you tell us about your character?
LF: I’m really excited I’m going to be joining this team and we have a lot of stuff to work out. The character is a professor and lecturer and there’s something in his background that makes him the perfect candidate to be a CSI. He’ll enter as a CSI 1, which means he’s a fresh set of eyes, which is always interesting. He is a guy who has the experience to work at a higher level, but has to start at the beginning. It’s very interesting to play. We’ve only had one appointment to sit down face to face, but I think over the next couple of weeks we’ll get to cracking down and really discussing what the answers to these questions are. All this stuff is discovery for everyone involved. Bringing new characters into such an established series requires a lot of though and consideration. You have to consider not only the folks that work on the show, but the audience as well.

DCM: The press release for the show mentions collaboration. How will that back and forth work?
LF: When we sat down it was really clear that this was the spirit we all like to work in. It’s approached in a theatrical style and its really going to be about throwing things into the pot and picking out the best of everything, distilling it down until we have something that really represents the tone of the show in the best possible way.

DCM: You’re a writer and director as well. Are you going into this show wearing all the hats at the same time?
LF: Not at all, I’m going in as an actor and being given the opportunity to play a character I’ve never played before. It’s a very unusual set of circumstances for this character to find himself in.

DCM: Did you have an interest in the field of investigation or criminal profiling growing up?
LF: No.

DCM: Are you nervous about going into such uncharted territory?
LF: No, I’m very excited.

DCM: Do you think once you get into the character a bit and are on the show for a little while it’ll improve your investigative skills?
LF: I don’t know, I guess I’ll find out.

DCM: Pee Wee’s Playhouse not withstanding, there are demands associated with a weekly show and this show has its own unique demands such as mastering the technical vocabulary and dealing with a certain amount of gore. Are you looking forward to or dreading this?
LF: I just finished doing a one-man show on Broadway – 145 performances in 5 or 6 months and that was good training for what I’m about to enter into. The speed you have to work when doing network series TV is not unlike being in a repertoire company. I’m very well prepared to enter into this and again because the character is so different from anything I’ve ever done I’m looking forward to that challenge.

DCM: When you saw the show did you ever think ‘How am I going to wrap myself around this?’
LF: Well, language is language and a friend of mine who plays a forensic on one of the other shows recommended a couple of books which I now have cause to use to familiarize myself with the language and terminology of pathology.

DCM: How do you feel about joining an already tight-knit cast?
LF: I’ve had the good fortune of working with a number of people in the cast early on in my career, so I’m looking forward to working with them again. Listen, the most important thing for me to remember is not to mistake my presence as an event. The event is the show – CSI – and everyone has a responsibility to bring their unique talents and gifts and that’s what I’m going to do. I’m entering into this with the most positive attitude I can. I’m coming to work with people who are wonderful and who worked together for nine years. That’s a gift, so all I can say is I’m excited and blessed.