William Petersen facts for kids

William Louis Petersen (born February 21, 1953) is an American actor. He is widely recognized for his role as Gil Grissom in the popular CBS crime drama series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. He played this character from 2000 to 2015. For his work on CSI, he won a Screen Actors Guild Award. He was also nominated for a Golden Globe Award. Petersen returned to play Gil Grissom in the sequel series CSI: Vegas, which started in October 2021.

He has also appeared in several movies. These include To Live and Die in L.A. (1985), Manhunter (1986), and Young Guns II (1990). Other films he starred in are Fear (1996) and The Contender (2000).

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

Early Life and Education

William Petersen was born in Evanston, Illinois. He was the youngest of six children. His parents were June and Arthur Edward Petersen. His father worked in the furniture business. William was raised in the Roman Catholic faith. His family has Danish and German roots.

He finished high school at Bishop Kelly High School in Boise, Idaho, in 1972. He received a scholarship to play football at Idaho State University. While at the university, he took an acting class. This class changed his life's path. In 1974, he left school with his first wife, Joanne. They followed a drama professor to the Basque country in Europe. There, he studied to become a Shakespearean actor.

Petersen was very interested in Basque culture. He learned the Basque language. His daughter, Maite Nerea, was born in the Basque country in 1975. Her name means "My Beloved" in Basque. After his time there, Petersen returned to Idaho. He wanted to be an actor. He then moved to the Chicago area to pursue acting. He joined the theater scene and became a member of the Actors' Equity. He performed with the Steppenwolf Theatre Company. He has been a part of this group since 2008. He also helped start the Remains Theater Ensemble.

Acting Career

Petersen's first movie role was a small part in Thief (1981). His big break came in 1985. He played a Secret Service agent in the action film To Live and Die in L.A.. In 1986, he starred as FBI agent Will Graham in Manhunter. This was the first movie featuring the character Hannibal Lecter. The role was very demanding for him. After filming, he changed his look to feel like a different person.

He turned down a role in the movie Platoon. This was because it would have kept him 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 famous film Goodfellas. In 1990, Petersen played Ambassador Joseph P. Kennedy, the father of U.S. President John F. Kennedy, in a TV miniseries. That same year, he played the famous outlaw Pat Garrett in Young Guns II.

In 1993, Petersen appeared in the CBS TV miniseries Return to Lonesome Dove. He played Gideon Walker, a former Ranger. In the 1996 film Fear, he played a father trying to protect his daughter. In 2000, he played Governor Jack Hathaway in The Contender. He also had an uncredited role in the movie Mulholland Falls. In 1997, he was part of an all-star cast in the remake of 12 Angry Men.

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation

From 2000 to 2009, William Petersen played Dr. Gil Grissom in the CBS crime drama CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. This role made him very famous. In 2006, he took a break from CSI to perform in a play called Dublin Carol. He renewed his contract for CSI for the 2008–09 season. In July 2008, it was announced that he would leave the show as a regular. He wanted to do more stage acting. However, he remained an executive producer for the show. He returned for guest appearances in 2011 and for the series finale in 2015.

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

Personal Life

William Petersen has three children. His daughter, Maite, was born in 1975 from his first marriage to Joanne Brady. In June 2003, he married his longtime girlfriend, Gina Cirone. In July 2011, Petersen and Cirone welcomed twins, a daughter and a son, born via a surrogate.

In August 2021, Petersen was taken to the hospital. He felt unwell while filming CSI: Vegas. He was experiencing exhaustion from many weeks of shooting. He was released from the hospital soon after. Petersen is a big fan of the Chicago Cubs baseball team.

Honors and Awards

On February 3, 2009, William Petersen received a star on the famous Hollywood Walk of Fame. This honor recognizes his contributions to the entertainment industry.

He won a Screen Actors Guild Award in 2005 for his work with the cast of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. He was also nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a TV Series for CSI in 2004. As a producer of CSI, he was nominated for three Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Drama Series.

Filmography

As an Actor

Films

Television Shows

Video Games

As a Producer

• Hard Promises (1991)
• Keep the Change (1992)
• CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2000–2015)
• CSI: Vegas (2021–2024)

Theatre Work

As an Actor in Plays

As a Director in Plays

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

See also

In Spanish: William Petersen para niños

• List of stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame