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Last week was the big CSI trilogy crossover event. As part of the promotion for the series, CSI: Vegas hunk George Eads took time out to chat live with CSI fans online. I went and grabbed the chat text and re-ordered it so that the questions followed the answers. It’s just easier to read that way. I hope you enjoy it:
George Eads: Hello everyone, thanks for coming. This is George Eads here. I haven’t done this in well over a year so it will be great to talk with you all.
Rita-Clare LeBlanc: Hey George! I was wondering, what is your opinion on a CSI movie, and do you think one will ever happen? Hope your back is feeling better! Thanks, Nova Scotia Canada!
George Eads: I love the idea of a CSI movie. We would get to have more liberties with the script, dialogue, we could drop that heavy dose of realism that escapes us on Network TV. A very creative, a Guy Ritchie or a Quentin Tarantino, then it would take on a whole new life. Thanks for your well wishes, back is still sore, full recovery won’t be until about April.
Sarah: Thanks for taking time to talk to us George! What is the most fun part about working on CSI?
George Eads: First, thanks! Every day there is something great about working on this show. Today it is working with Laurence Fishburne for 12 hours. I just admire him and being around him and doing scenes with him is exhilarating.
anna: hi george. how you compare working on a multi-series crossover with simialr shows versus the 2 1/2 men writer swap?
George Eads: My participation in both the trilogy and TWO AND A HALF MEN was very brief — I didn’t go to the other shows in the trilogy and for TWO AND A HALF MEN I was only there a few hours but I got to talk to Charlie Sheen, which was great. I do like the idea of this trilogy – there’s just some great actors and i think it is very interesting for the fans to put these shows together.
Robin from Holland: Who is the clown of the CSI crew?
Enrica: I bet Eric 
Elfert: Good bet :p
kdala: I second that bet
George Eads: I think it’s me. I always try to keep things light because we’re under such high pressure to get it done so quickly that a lot of the team members behind the camera get really stressed out so I try to make sure everyone knows we are here to have fun.
Hillary: Hey George. Several fans of yours felt it would have made more sense to have Nick or Catherine or Greg make the cross over and not the new CSI, Ray. I realize it was for ratings they went wth Laurence but this cross over just isn’t grabbing me with him as the character to do it. Comments?
kdala: Good question Hillary
Tracy in Arizona!: I think Catherine would of been the best crossover.
Nicola from UK: I’d liked to have seen Nick in the Crossover, especially being much more experienced in the field than Ray.
Talia: I have to agree with you Hilary! I wanted Nick and Catherine.
Amber: I think Greg would have been interesting to see.
George Eads: Well that’s a good question. It’s not my decision — that’s a decision made by the people behind the curtain. I think Laurence is a movie star and has a lot of appeal and in that regard it makes sense. He’s a master actor so maybe next time there will be more inclusion. My heart stays in Vegas.
Guest: Hey George, first of all my nine year old daughter wants to tell you she thinks you rock! Secondly, what are your plans after CSI?
George Eads: The plan after CSI would be to grow a beard and go fishing and go see my family and reconnect with friends from my past who over the past 15 years in LA I haven’t had much of a chance to see. Catch up with my nephews. And take the jobs as they come if an opportunity should arise to contribute to a good film.
Sara Zerbib: If you could chose anyone to do a guest appearance, who would you want to see?
George Eads: I like Andy Garcia. As far as a female goes, I’ve always been a Kathy Bates fan.
aussieforgood: Hi George, Last week I couldnt help but feel there was some mutual attraction between Nick and April from victim services, is this the last we’ve seen of her and will Nick finally get a love intrest??
George Eads: There could definitely be something there. I don’t think that’s the last we’ll see of her. She was as cool of a person away from the camera as she was in front of it.
Amanda (Canada): I am wondering though if you see yourself at all in Nick and how as well as how is your character different from you?
George Eads: People ask me that all the time. I would say Charlton Heston wasn’t Moses. You can take that like you want — Nick is a character within me. He was influenced by all the personalities that have influenced me throughout my life, mainly southern people given that I am from Texas. So I try to have a southern cadence without a southern twang. He’s definitely more macho than I am. He’s a guy that if there was a car accident he’d be the first people over there to help — he thinks about others first, he’s really very brave and noble.
Lauri: Hi George Thank you for chatting with all your fans You have sang “Mandy ” in a previous episode will we see you singing in any future episodes?
George Eads: I sing a lot walking around the set — I’ll find a spot to sing again. I had suggested that in the past — how about some Loverboy?
anna: how much control do actors have over their characters? if you see a writer take an odd direction with nick, can you point them a different way?
George Eads: Absolutely. We have a common ground of respect. Billy Petersen was one of the catalysts of building a better relationship between writers and actors. Communication and respect and you can pretty much creatively go back and forth, catch and throw until you get it to where you want.
Jordan Caine: Who or what was your inspiration to become an actor?
George Eads: Being a fan of the movies as a child growing up sometimes I would go to the movies by myself and then afterwards I would spend my day outside on my bike or bulding a tree house, my mind was just always in this other world. As I matured, I was so inspired by movies that I wanted to be an actor and inspire others — make people think about their relationships with the world around them.
Nicola (uk): Nick’s comments about being the new bug guy angered some fans, why do you think Nick has chosen to take over that roll?
George Eads: Again, that’s a great question. I’d love to say I had something to do with that. That’s what the script said, that was the direction the writers wanted the character to go. I did tell them I didn’t want Grissom’s office, but they wanted the character to have it anyway. They said they would write in that Nick had a problem with it. I always respectfully keep Grissom’s pig behind my desk. I know there will never be another bug man but all I can do is try to make him proud. The torch must be carried.
maryseriouslymary: Hey George. Your definelty my favorite character on the show so i was wondering if your character will be having any big episode coming up?
George Eads: Yes. There is an episode coming up that takes us out of the lab and puts myself, two lab rats and Greg in a situation that demands that they come together as a team.
JJ from Spain: Have you ever played with any of the CSI games? Did you enjoy recording the voices for them?
George Eads: I did enjoy recording the voices for them. But after this long period of playing this character the last thing I’m interested in doing is playing him virtually. No offense.
Jennifer Ann from Germany: What do u think u would be doin by now if u wouldnt have chosen to b an actor….?
George Eads: I think it would have been fun to be a pro golfer. I’ve been playing since I was a pre-teen. My handicap is a 10.
Robin from Holland: If you had to pick one word to describe your life, what word would that be?
George Eads: Rewarding.
ALi: Yo George, what is your favourite thing about Nick?
George Eads: His attitude.
Dave from NB Canada: Hi George…I am a huge fan of CSI…I was just wondering what the hardest scene was for you to do, in the last 10 years?
George Eads: Good question. I would say when I was buried underground saying goodbye to my parents on the tape recorder because I really thought about saying goodbye to my own parents and I had Quentin Tarantino squatting next to the box whispering direction in my ear — your mom’s watching you die, that’s what he was saying to me.
Laura: Whose idea was it to grow the moustache in season 6?
George Eads: It was mine. I caught a lot heat for that one. I am the third and my namesake had one, my dad always had one and I thought people in law enforecmen – if you thnk about it, you see a lot of mustaches and beards so I was kind of feeling that at the time. I didn’t realize that people would take it so personally, so when i heard that they did, i purposely kept it on for a couple more episodes, just to send a message that I am the character. I still would like to try a little scruff but i apologize if it made anyone mad, it wasn’t my intention. No more Robn Burgundy’s from me.
Talia from Athens: Hi George! You all seem to be very close in the show, especially the characters that heve been there for a while. How close are you with your co-stars in real life?
George Eads: I get asked this question a lot. I think its because a telepathy starts to happen between characters that have known each other so long, they almost assume we all hang out personally. For me as a choice i don’t personally hang out with the people I work with — if we’re working together, we’ll have dinner in Vegas. I know Jorja and Eric are very close they hang out a lot. But for me as an actor I like to keep almost a degree of professional distance so i can maintain my character on screen with that actor. It’s all out of respect.
Joanne: Hi George I really think that you are great in CSI! Besides CSI, what other primetime show you would like to work with?
George Eads: I’m a fan of 30 Rock. I would love to try my hand at some comedy. It’s so funny. I am an Alec Baldwin fan and a Liz Lemon fan. I’d also love to work with Speilberg and Hanks on some their war projects — I think they have something called The Pacific coming out soon and I seemed to miss that boat. I could really sink my teeth into playing a military man.
Enrica: I love Quentin. How was it to work with him?
George Eads: Everything you could imagine it would be. It was the most rewarding experience I”ve had and I had the opportunity to hang out with him personally in his home a couple of times and i’ll never forget the cool stories he told and his insight on filmmaking is invaluable.
DA from Texas: hi george, i was wondering what can we expect from the upcoming episodes in this season. maybe spoil a bit?
George Eads: I did earlier with the lab rats episode with Greg. Think Dr. Frankenstein and Egor. That’s a spoiler.
kdala: Would you like to do some directing or scriptwriting in the future, for either CSI or non-CSI related projects?
George Eads: Yes really on all those. Now I see things when I read them in like a viewfinder like where you click the pictures? LIke int he camera’s eye. Directing is what I will do eventually. And producing would be fun as well. I’ve had this idea of Tin Cup the television series. I’d love to pitch that to Bruckheimer when CSI is over. It would have the comedy, the side kick, the love interest, the zingers – it would be fun.
Carla: How would you describe George Eads to someone who has never met him?
George Eads: Disarming. You know I think the definition of a cool person is someone who puts others at ease, so I try to be a cool person.
Jayke1981: Another question – should this get asked…. Do you ever get starstruck still if you get an A8 guest star?
George Eads: Of course! I was a fan first.
Rita-Clare: Thank you so much George for taking time out of your day to talk to us fans!
George Eads: Thank you so much to everyone for watching CSI! I take pride in working hard for the fans. Thanks for not being too hard on me!
