Lauren Lee Smith is joining CBS’ CSI: Crime Scene Investigation as a series regular, the network announced yesterday.
Looking to fill the void left by the departures of Jorja Fox and recently arrested Gary Dourdan, both of whom decided not to re-sign with CSI after failing to work out new contracts. With Smith in place, producers still must fill the role of Ray Santoro, billed as a “handsome, smart and athletic” CSI who takes on the graveyard shift at the crime lab.
The 27-year-old Smith will play Bryce Adams, a smart, flirtatious and witty nonconformist who is hired as a CSI on the night-shift team led by Grissom (William Petersen).
Canadian-born Smith, who co-starred on CBS’ pilot “Can Openers” this past development season, film credits include last month’s thriller Pathology, as well Art School Confidential and alongside Casey Affleck and Zach Braff in The Last Kiss. She teams up with Ashley Judd and Goran Visnjic in the drama Helen, due out in October, and will appear in next year’s horror anthology Trick or Treat.