William Petersen facts for kids

Quick facts for kids William Petersen
Petersen on the set of CSI in March 2004.
Born	William Louis Petersen (1953-02-21) February 21, 1953 (age 72) Evanston, Illinois, U.S.
Other names	William L. Petersen
Education	Bishop Kelly High School
Alma mater	Idaho State University
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1976–present
Known for	CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
Spouse(s)	Joanne Brady ​ ​ (m. 1974; div. 1981)​ Gina Cirone ​ (m. 2003)​
Children	3

William Louis Petersen (born February 21, 1953) is an American actor. He is famous for playing Gil Grissom in the TV show CSI: Crime Scene Investigation from 2000 to 2015. For this role, he won a Screen Actors Guild Award. He was also nominated for a Golden Globe Award. Petersen was a producer for CSI and received three Primetime Emmy Awards nominations for it. He returned as Gil Grissom in the sequel show CSI: Vegas, which started in 2021.

He has also acted in many movies. Some of these include To Live and Die in L.A. (1985), Manhunter (1986), Young Guns II (1990), and Fear (1996).

Early Life and Education

William Petersen was born in Evanston, Illinois. He was the youngest of six children. His father worked in the furniture business. William grew up in a Catholic family. His family has roots in Denmark and Germany.

He finished high school at Bishop Kelly High School in Boise, Idaho, in 1972. He got a scholarship to play football at Idaho State University. While there, he took an acting class. This class changed his life's path. In 1974, he left college with his first wife, Joanne. They went to the Basque country in Europe. There, he studied to become a Shakespearean actor. Petersen was very interested in the Basque culture. He learned their language. He even gave his daughter a Basque name, "Maite Nerea," which means "My Beloved." She was born in 1975.

After returning to Idaho, Petersen wanted to be an actor. He moved to the Chicago area to pursue his dream. He became active in theater. He joined the Steppenwolf Theatre Company in 2008. He also helped start the Remains Theater Ensemble. Other famous actors like Gary Cole and Ted Levine were part of this group too.

Acting Career

William Petersen's first small movie role was in Thief (1981). His first big role came in 1985. He played a Secret Service agent in the action film To Live and Die in L.A.. In 1986, he played FBI agent Will Graham in Manhunter. This was the first movie about Hannibal Lecter. The role was very tough emotionally. After filming, he changed his look completely to feel like a different person. He shaved his beard, cut his hair, and dyed it blond.

He was offered a role in the movie Platoon but turned it down. He didn't want to be away from his family in the Philippines. Instead, he worked on a TV movie called Long Gone in 1987. He also turned down the role of Henry Hill in the movie Goodfellas.

In 1990, Petersen played Joseph P. Kennedy, the father of U.S. President John F. Kennedy. This was for a TV miniseries called The Kennedys of Massachusetts. That same year, he played the famous lawman Patrick Floyd "Pat" Garrett in Young Guns II. In 1996, he starred in Fear. He played a father trying to protect his daughter from her dangerous boyfriend.

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation

From 2000 to 2009, William Petersen starred as Dr. Gil Grissom in the CBS crime drama CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. This role made him very well-known. In 2006, he took a break from CSI to act in a play called Dublin Carol. He later renewed his contract for CSI.

On July 15, 2008, it was announced that Petersen would leave CSI as a regular actor after the ninth season. He wanted to do more stage acting. However, he remained an executive producer for the show. He also returned for guest appearances in later seasons, including the series finale in 2015.

In 2020, it was announced that Petersen would return for a new CSI series. This show became CSI: Vegas, which premiered in 2021. He reprised his role as Gil Grissom.

Personal Life

William Petersen has three children. His daughter, Maite, was born in 1975. In 2003, he married Gina Cirone. In 2011, they welcomed twins, a daughter and a son.

Petersen is a big fan of the Chicago Cubs baseball team. In August 2021, he felt unwell while filming CSI: Vegas. He was taken to the hospital due to exhaustion. He was released soon after feeling better.

Honors and Awards

On February 3, 2009, William Petersen received a star on the famous Hollywood Walk of Fame. This is a special honor for people in the entertainment industry.

He has won a Screen Actors Guild Award for his work on CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. He was also nominated for a Golden Globe Award for the same show. As a producer for CSI, he was nominated for three Primetime Emmy Awards.

Filmography

William Petersen has acted in many films and television shows. Here are some of his notable roles:

Film Roles

Television Roles

Video Game Roles

Theatre Work

William Petersen has a long history in theatre, both as an actor and a director.

As an Actor in Theatre

As a Director in Theatre

• Farmyard, Remains Theatre, 1982
• Traps, Remains Theatre, 1983

Images for kids

• 

  Petersen on the set of CSI in March 2004.

See also

In Spanish: William Petersen para niños

• List of stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame