Mel Rodriguez is joining the force…
The 47-year-old Latino actor has been cast as one of the leads in CSI: Vegas, which Deadline.com reports is nearing a formal straight-to-series order at CBS.
Rodriguez will star opposite Paula Newsome and Matt Lauria in CSI: Vegas, which serves as a sequel to the mothership CSI series, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.
William Petersen and Jorja Fox are reportedly finalizing their deals to star in CSI: Vegas, reprising their roles as Gil Grissom and Sara Sidle, respectively.
While billed as an event series, CSI: Vegas, from writer Jason Tracey, CBS Studios and Jerry Bruckheimer Television, could become an ongoing series running for multiple seasons.
With CSI: Vegas, the most watched drama series of the 21st century, CSI, opens a new chapter in Las Vegas, the city where it all began. Facing an existential threat that could bring down the Crime Lab, a brilliant team of forensic investigators must welcome back old friends and deploy new techniques to preserve and serve justice in Sin City.
Rodriguez is said to be playing Hugo, who took over as Head Medical Examiner three years ago. He has an endless fascination with the bodies that find their way onto his slab, and the morgue is his happy place. Rodrigues previously guest starred in an episode of CSI: NY (character name: Al McGrath).
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation bowed out in 2015 after 15 seasons, having launched a $1 billion franchise for CBS that spanned four series; CSI and spinoffs CSI: Miami, CSI: New York and CSI: Cyber.
Rodriguez was most recently a series regular on the Showtime series On Becoming a God In Central Florida opposite Kirsten Dunst. He was also seen opposite Anne Hathaway in Dee Rees’ The Last Thing He Wanted for Netflix. Additionally, Rodriguez recently voiced Officer Colt Bronco in the Disney–Pixar animated feature Onward.
