If there's one cartoon character that can compare with Calleigh Duquesne on CSI: Miami, Emily Procter believes that it's Velma, the resident genius of the mystery-solving quartet on Scooby Doo.  Additionally, the 38-year-old actress has also compared other characters from the CBS procedural drama series to the other characters in the animated show.

"You know, CSI is really just Scooby Doo," Procter said.  "Without a doubt, I'm Velma.  'Everyone get in the van!  We gotta go!  Quit fooling around!' and Horatio [David Caruso] is Fred, and Alexx [Khandi Alexander] is Daphne-she even wore the head scarf!"

While this is just her comical opinion on her character, she actually takes her role a lot more seriously.  In fact, she has delved into the real world of crime solving before taking on her role on CSI: Miami.

As Calleigh Duquesne, Procter portrays a ballistic specialist on the series.  Known as “Bullet Girl,” she is perceived as friendly with a sunny disposition but is fiercely serious in putting criminals behind bars.

Procter, who trained at the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department and spoke to real-life men and women with jobs similar to her role on the show, puts a lot of time and effort in her role.

"I spent a lot of time picking the brains of the police officers whom I was going to be working with.  I asked them about their lives and how their work affected their personal lives," Procter revealed.

"The more answers you can give people, the more you can put an end to their suffering," she said.  "There'll never be an answer to 'Why did this happen?' or 'Why did someone do this?'  But at least there can be an answer to 'How did it happen?' or 'Who did it?' and I think where Calleigh comes from is, 'I just want you to tell me the truth.  I just want the truth so I can put it to rest.'   It's just a search for the truth."

Procter perceives her character as someone who is "dedicated to doing her job well" but points out that "she probably doesn't know herself very well.  You never see her making a lot of personal choices.”

Meanwhile, Procter's efforts are not unnoticed.  CBS Entertainment President Nina Tassler has a lot of positive things to say about her portrayal.

"She's so striking, she's so gorgeous-how could she be as strong as she is?  She's deceptively strong.  She's the Steel Magnolia.  She's got that quality, and she brings that to Calleigh," Tassler said of Procter.

In addition to strength, Procter's character also possesses a great deal of intelligence, which is something Procter herself appreciates.

"One of the things I like most about the show is that it comes from the standpoint that solving the crime is cool, as opposed to committing it," she said.  "'Knowledge is power' is the thread that runs through all of the CSI shows."


-Kris De Leon, BuddyTV Staff Columnist
Source: CSI Files, CBS Watch
(Image courtesy of AskMen.com)