It's Official! Sela Ward Joins CSI: NY!

After yesterday's news that Melina would be leaving the show, and a rumor that Sela Ward would be joining the show to fill the void, news has broken that Sela Ward is indeed joining the NY spin-off!

From Ausiello:

CBS is now confirming what was first bandied about yesterday: CSI: NY has tapped Emmy winner Sela Ward to replace departing original cast member Melina Kanakarades.
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How do you think Sela will fit in with the rest of the well-established cast members? Sela was originally offered the role of Megan Donner from CSI: Miami, but passed. Things should be interesting!

And we have an official PR from CBS!

THIS JUST IN... from CBS Entertainment... EMMY AND GOLDEN GLOBE AWARD WINNER SELA WARD JOINS THE CAST OF "CSI: NY"

Sela Ward will join the cast of CSI: NY as an experienced investigator from Washington, D.C., whose work is driven by her empathy for the victim. Ward will make her first appearance in the season premiere when the show moves to Fridays at 9:00 PM this fall.

"We are delighted to have Sela joining CSI: NY," said Executive Producer Pam Veasey. "With the exciting stories planned for Season 7, she'll be a dynamic addition to the cast and the team."

"I am thrilled to be working with Gary and this terrific group of people," said Ward. "I'm a huge fan."

Ward won an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series in 1994 and 2000 for her roles on "Sisters" and "Once and Again," also winning a Golden Globe for the latter role in 2001. Her other television credits include a recurring role on "House," and the telefilms "Suburban Madness" and "Almost Golden: The Jessica Savitch Story." Her film credits include "The Guardian," "The Day After Tomorrow" and "The Fugitive."

CSI: NY also stars Gary Sinise, Carmine Giovinazzo, Eddie Cahill, Anna Belknap, Hill Harper, A.J. Buckley and Robert Joy.

The show is produced by CBS Television Studios in association with Jerry Bruckheimer Productions. The executive producers are Jerry Bruckheimer, Anthony E. Zuiker, Jonathan Littman, Carol Mendelsohn, Ann Donahue and Pam Veasey.

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UGH!

Wow! I didn't expect her to accept the offer! What the? I don't think she will be payed less than Melina. And it seems her character was planned before anything else! Sounds like new creative direction to me. That was fast!

Well I'm thrilled by this news! Yes I'm sad Melina/Stella is out but giving my favorite TV show a new source of life somehow uplifts my hope for more seasons of CSI: NY. I'm glad she's a fan of the show or Gary.

Looks like the premiere won't be dealing much as a resolution to the cliffhanger finale. An hour is not enough to solve the cliffhanger, introduce a new lead, solve new case/s and even explain Stella's absence. Well we have great writers. :thumbsup: This is so interesting.

This is good news for the show I think. Sela Ward is a great actress, and I think her addition actually brings with it the chance for new viewers to check out CSI: NY, if for nothing other than curiosity's sake. I'm happy about it!

The show could do a hell of a lot worse than an Emmy winning actress.

I'm just going to wait and see at the end of September to decide whether I like her on the show or not.

Top41 said:

This is good news for the show I think. Sela Ward is a great actress, and I think her addition actually brings with it the chance for new viewers to check out CSI: NY, if for nothing other than curiosity's sake. I'm happy about it!

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I agree. I really like Sela Ward and as long as they don't try to make the character like Stella I think it could be a good thing.

I don't think I've seen that much of Sela Ward's work, but what I have seen I liked! Good addition to the show.

I'm glad they went with Sela as opposed to some twenty-something who looks like a younger Melina (ie Megalyn Echinwoken coming in after Khandi Alexander left CSI: Miami).

^^I thought the same thing, GNRFan - Sela is a talented woman, and I'm glad they chose to replace Melina with an older woman instead of some young girl. (It might sound strange, but this casting makes me less worried about the character than if they'd cast Sarah Carter 2.0 - I'd like to think they'll avoid falling on some of the usual cliches with an actress like Sela on board. I could be proven wrong, but I hope I'm right! :lol

NY was very lucky to get an actress like Sela to take over for Melina. I love Melina, and I love Stella, but if she's leaving the show, this is one hell of a replacement!

I'm looking forward to learning more about this character (to be honest, the character description sounds like a pretty generic template, which gives them a lot of room to develop the character throughout the season), and I'm looking forward to how she meshes with the rest of the team. Tossing a new character into the mix could really stir the show up a bit, which is a good thing - NY has stagnated lately, and maybe this will add some new life.

I'm still skeptical about Melina's exit combined with the show being moved to Fridays (on top of the already-dwindling ratings), but at this point I want to be at least a little bit optimistic that Sela's addition to the cast could be a sign of good things to come. Maybe it'll reinvigorate the series - and at the very least, if season seven ends up being the show's last, maybe having a new person in the mix will keep everybody on their toes and churning out their absolute best one last time.

Top41 said:

This is good news for the show I think. Sela Ward is a great actress, and I think her addition actually brings with it the chance for new viewers to check out CSI: NY, if for nothing other than curiosity's sake. I'm happy about it!

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I think thats what's keeping me is curiosity's sake now. I don't think i'd ever really stop watching but now more than ever I'm curious to how she will fill Stella's shoes.

I don't really know who she is but vaguely have recollection of her in House so I'm guessing thats a good thing if i remember who she was. I just hope they make her character different and give her something to add to the team rather than just take over Stella's shoes.

I am still a wee bit stunned that Melina is leaving the show. But, I also agree that Sela Ward is a great actress to have joining for S7. This takes the edge off a bit and actually re-inspires hope for what the upcoming season could be. It's exciting news, it's good news, and equally surprising in its own way. Didn't expect them to find someone like Sela to come aboard. I'm glad to hear it.

Top41 said:

This is good news for the show I think. Sela Ward is a great actress, and I think her addition actually brings with it the chance for new viewers to check out CSI: NY, if for nothing other than curiosity's sake. I'm happy about it!

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this! tbh i don't know much about her, she's not so well known here i guess, but i'm interested to see how she fits in and it sounds like she has good credentials so, y'know, fair play to her.

I say bring it on! I think it's wonderful that Sela Ward is joining the cast and her presence will be a breath of fresh air for the show. I was sort of fearful about the new season and this gives me hope that better things are coming.

Will see, I'm interested to see what she's going to bring the serie. I'm still a bit sad that Melina left but I agree that they could have done much much more worse choice. I remember Sela from House and I liked her so I'm really looking forward to see what's going to happen. I just hope they aren't going to write her 'own' things than replacing Stella's that's not good I think. She's new so bring her new things and add something fresh and new to the show also.

I can't wait till the season starts. A lot of new things coming up I think/wish

I will miss Stella and the special and unique relationship she had with Mac. I have only seen Sela Ward when she guest-starred on Frasier. I am impressed that TPTB have for once actually picked an older/mature actress to add to a show, rather some 20/30-year old. (Ward is one year younger than Gary).
I mostly concerned about how they will write Stella out. They better do it well.
I'm pleased Ward is a fan of the show, that suggests she should have a 'feel' for the characters and the team dynamics etc.

Good luck Sela Ward!!I'm looking forward to new episodes as I really want to see her character on the show.