Exclusive: Natasha Henstridge Heads To 'CSI: Miami'

TV Guide Magazine has learned exclusively that Natasha Henstridge of Species and Eli Stone fame is joining CSI: Miami for the Season 9 finale as Renee Locklear, an undercover agent who is about to cause a stir in more ways than one.

"We meet her in the course of searching for this missing fugitive and she [initially] appears as another possible witness, maybe a possible suspect," says co-executive producer Barry O' Brien. "We bring her in for an interrogation and she reveals that she's actually an undercover agent for the Secret Service."

Expect Henstridge's character to strike some sparks with indestructible team leader Horatio Caine (David Caruso). "We had the idea that there might be, and as we watched the scenes, there, in fact, was a lot of chemistry," says O'Brien. "It's a relationship we'd like to pursue. She's beautiful and she looks great with David. It's a pretty exciting relationship for us."

Henstridge will definitely be back in the Season 10 premiere, and hopefully, say the producers, throughout the next season as a recurring character. This despite Henstridge signing on to do the CW pilot The Secret Circle. "She booked a CW pilot, which is CBS family, so it's a doable scenario," says O'Brien.

Are you excited to see Horatio Cane finally get a love interest, and a gun-wielding one at that? 

CSI: Miami Finale: Is Horatio Ready to Move On?

From the outside, Horatio Caine's season-long manhunt for escaped convicts on CSI: Miami made for a nice plot engine to drive the season.

Finale Preview: Get scoop on 39 of your favorite shows' season-enders

But for co-executive producer Barry O'Brien, aspects of the journey have allowed Horatio (David Caruso) to do something far more important: He was finally able to deal with the murder of his wife, Marisol (Alana De La Garza). "This season was the season of closure with Horatio and Marisol, for sure," O'Brien says. "[He] put her killer away once and for all. He stopped him after a horrifying crime spree. ... I don't know that he's ever going to find true closure, but he's ready to sort of accept what comes next."

What comes next could be Natasha Henstridge. The Species star plays a mysterious role in Sunday's Season 9 finale (10/9c on CBS), which finds Horatio and Frank Tripp (Rex Linn) bringing the last remaining fugitive back to Miami on a transport plane. When the plane goes down and the convict escapes once more, Horatio and his team must find him before more lives are lost.

Although Henstridge's character, Renee Locklear, is originally suspected of aiding the convict, it's ultimately revealed that she's an undercover Secret Service agent. And as bullets fly, so do romantic sparks between Horatio and Renee, guaranteeing Renee's return in the Season 10 premiere - and, most likely, beyond.

Check out photos of the CSI: Miami cast

"We set up the possibility for [sparks] to happen, but I give the actors all the credit for the way the relationship turned," O'Brien says. "It was David and Natasha. They look great in a two shot. They really reacted well with each other and it was all very natural and organic, so we all looked at each other and said, 'OK, more of this!'"

But even if Horatio has moved on from avenging Marisol, the manhunt has served another purpose this season. "I think something bigger may be going on with the character," O'Brien says. "If you look around, it seems that lawlessness is everywhere in the headlines. You look at what's going on around the world, and you see some crimes in our country becoming more horrific. I think characters like Horatio Caine are saying, 'No, not here; not on my watch.' ... He is willing to go deeper, in more dangerous places than ever before to sort of be the last line of defense in this lawlessness."

But how far will he have to go? The closing moments of Season 9 will put Horatio's life in the balance. "If you look back at the scenes in our season opener, he risks everything to save the entire team," O'Brien says. "In the season finale he puts his very survival on the line to save one. I think that's where the shock will come from. It's totally unexpected of him."

CSI Miami Season Finale

This season’s finale surely got the fans off their feet. In the beginning scene, Horatio and Frank come face to face with  death when the plane they were using to transport the last fugitive makes an emergency landing after shots are fired in the air. Of course, in the wake of his escape, the fugitive kills a mother, his handler, and kidnaps a teenage girl in his plot to sell government currency plates. When his plan unravels, Toller escapes into the wind with a set of the plates. On the other side of town, a disgruntle ex-con that blames Natalia for losing his kids shoots Horatio, hits Natalia over the head, drags her to an old clunker then tosses her in the trunk. The next thing you see is the car flying off the pier and plunging into the water. <End Scene>

Who can come back from those scenarios? Apparently they both can but how? Will Natalia come back wiser and stronger? Lately, she seems like the target for alot of abductions. I think I would like to see her more like Dana Scully , shoot first ask questions later! Horatio is known to go after the perp no matter where and no matter at what costs. His first target will probably be the guy who shot him; who will probably be easy to find. Toller on the other hand has the plates and the resources to allude capture. Will this finally push Horatio to be the vigilante he is so close to becoming?

To watch this episode and other clip visit CBS. Check out  TV Guides Adam Bryant’s interview with Co-exec producer Barry O’Brien.

Omar Miller discuss eco efforts at Cedars-Sinai Sports Spectacular

 Celebs from the entertainment world convened for a good cause at 26th annual Sports Spectacular benefitting Cedars-Sinai Medical Center's Medical Genetics Institute, honoring L.A. Clipper and NBA rookie of the Year Blake Griffin, leading scorer of soccer's first place L.A. Galaxy Landon Donovan, Pittsburgh Steeler and NFL Defensive Player of the Year Troy Polamalu and ski racing Olympic gold medalist Lindsey Vonn.


Omar Miller of "CSI: Miami" has another way to save water. "I've been planting a lot of trees at my house, and I have a slow drip system so we don't have to waste all the water from sprinklers. I use mulch, which keeps the soil moist," he said. On hiatus from his series until late July, he'll soon head to Italy to join the USO's Hoops for the Troops tour, and then hopes to shoot a movie "about the grand fall from grace of the leader of a mega-church. It's going to be very controversial." Miller, who voices Horace the Pig in the forthcoming animated movie "The Lion of Judah," a faith-based film, is glad his character avoided the mayhem in the "CSI: Miami" cliffhanger season finale. "I didn't get shot, so I know I have a job!"