CSI: Miami star David Caruso looked so different from his onscreen character when he stepped out to run errands in Sherman Oaks, California, on Monday. The 72-year-old looked laid-back as he walked around in a pair of light gray sweatpants and a gray printed shirt, with dark-colored crocs, a beige fedora and black sunglasses to complete the look.
David was unrecognizable in the casual get-up, which was a far cry from the sharply tailored suits he rocked on the hit TV show. He also wore his red hair long, compared to the cropped style that fans were used to seeing onscreen.
The father of three portrayed Lieutenant Horatio Caine on CSI: Miami from 2002 until 2012, when the show was abruptly canceled due to low ratings and an overblown budget.
After the series came to an end, David opted to quietly step away from Hollywood and retire from acting, rather than seek out a new role. He pivoted into the art world and became an art dealer and gallery owner, until the gallery space closed in 2025.
CSI: Miami was David’s chance to redeem himself after he left the hit ’90s show NYPD Blue partway through the second season – despite winning a Golden Globe for the role – in order to pursue a film career.
“I had to come back and prove I could do it again,” he told Entertainment Weekly of his return to TV. “The films didn’t work out, and this show gave me a second chance. I wasn’t going to waste it.”
© CBS via Getty ImagesHe later revealed to CNN that he struggled to find solid work after leaving NYPD Blue. “I had nine years of unemployment to clarify that,” he said. “A lot was happening in those days, very quickly. Television, as you know, can kind of jettison you into a whole new world. So too much was happening. Now is a different time, and I’m armed with different information.”
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David came under fire in 2016 when NYPD Blue showrunner Steven Bochco exposed his allegedly “volatile” on-set behavior in his book, Truth Is A Total Defense. “Every time I’d call Caruso into my office for a conversation about his problems, he’d shut down like a sullen teenager. Caruso’s behavior was, simply put, cancerous,” he wrote.
“He was emotionally unavailable to everyone, and he was volatile, moody or sullen, depending on the day. Most people don’t function well in a dysfunctional environment, but Caruso loved it because he was the source of all the discontent, and it empowered him.”
© Disney General Entertainment ConSteven continued: “He never said it to me directly, but the simple truth was, Caruso felt he was too good for television. He wanted to be a movie star. And his plan was to alienate the writers, producers and his fellow castmates in hopes that we would dump him from the show. Fat chance.”
© Aaron DavidsonDavid allegedly made lofty demands too, including a paycheck of $100,000 per episode, a 38-foot trailer, additional security and two hotel suites in NYC.
When asked by The Hollywood Reporter about these allegations, David simply responded: “Young actors sometimes do very dumb things. I was no exception,” before adding that he was grateful for the opportunities that bloomed out of NYPD Blue.
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