Who Is Former CSI Star William Petersen's Real-Life Wife?

William Petersen first caught the attention of film fans when he starred in William Friedkin's "To Live and Die in L.A." His next movie, 1986's "Manhunter," pitted the actor against Brian Cox's Hannibal Lecter. But it wasn't until 2000, when Petersen took on the role of Dr. Gil Grissom in "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," that he would become a household name. And if becoming the star of one of TV's most popular and longest-running shows wasn't enough of a dream come true, Petersen was able to experience it all with the love of his life, Gina Cirone.

While the two have kept mum on how they first met, they are both from the Chicago area, where Cirone was a biology teacher. For Petersen, Cirone, the daughter of a police officer, came into his life at just the right time, telling the Chicago Tribune, "Gina and her great family give me more than I could have imagined. I started dating her long before 'CSI,' and she's been one of the main reasons I've been able to stay grounded." Petersen and Cirone started dating a few years before he was cast in "CSI," and tied the knot in Italy in 2003, joining the ranks of celebrities who married regular people. The two have been happily married ever since, with Cirone often accompanying her husband on the red carpet. 

William Petersen made the decision to leave "CSI" during the show's ninth season to explore new opportunities and new experiences. One of the biggest experiences Petersen and Gina Cirone shared was the birth of their twins — a boy and a girl — in 2011. The couple, who had their children through a surrogate, did face some worries early on when the twins were born premature but, as Petersen told People, "The babies are doing great and are improving every day and we can't wait for them to come home."

Petersen returned to "CSI" for the conclusion of the original series and joined "CSI: Vegas" for the first season, but officially retired from acting in 2021. Petersen and Cirone moved back to Chicago to raise their now teenage children and be there for their grandchildren, who come from a daughter Petersen had with his first wife, Joanne Brady. The couple appears to be enjoying life away from the glitz and glamour of Hollywood. In 2025, Petersen showed up to a screening of "To Live and Die in L.A." at Beyond Fest and told People that retirement suits him just fine, saying, I don't really want to do anything ... I've still got kids, and I've got grandkids older than my younger kids ... I just don't have the ego to go get in front of cameras anymore."