The CSI franchise has always been decidedly light on Latino casting, even if you take Eva LaRue and Adam Rodriguez, supporting actors in the dear departed CSI: Miami into account. So it’s good and a little surprising to see CSI: NY bringing in Natalie Martinez as “an NYPD detective who works closely with Flack (Eddie Cahill); it will become clear that there is considerably more to her than meets the eye, both personally and professionally.”
Natalie’s been on the slow ascendant for the last couple of years. She first came to notice in the remake of Death Race less than five years ago; then she was part of Michael Imperioli’s hugely under-appreciated and underwatched ABC series Detroit 1-8-7 a couple of years back. Just this year she had a supporting role in Michael Peña’s End of Watch. She was also a big part of a CBS pilot last year called The Widow Detective, developed by CSI showrunner Carol Mendelsohn. The pilot wasn’t picked up by CBS or anyone else, but it seems likely there’s some connection, perhaps through Mendelsohn, that got her the recurring role in CSI: NY.
Natalie’s also part of a big-time blockbuster project–Broken City, with Russell Crowe, Mark Wahlberg, and Catherine Zeta-Jones, set to hit theaters in January 2013. Meanwhile, you can catch her on CSI: NY Friday Oct. 12, at 9P on CBS. And CBS adds yet another Latino to its growing list of talent in front of the camera. Impressive. And watch her first appearance on the show here on CBS.
