Remember ‘Cold Case’? Here’s Where the Cast Is Now
The Cold Case cast now ranks among the best collection of crime drama actors assembled on television. The CBS series aired from 2003 to 2010 and quickly gained a sizeable following.
The show’s success came from the combination of unique storytelling and a talented cast. The six principal Cold Case cast members all went on to solid careers, often on other cop shows.
Where is the ‘Cold Case’ cast now?
Kathryn Morris led the Cold Case cast as Detective Lilly Rush. The actor came to Cold Case having appeared in Steven Spielberg’s Minority Report as Tom Cruise’s estranged wife, and while the show was running, she also starred in the films Mindhunters, Paycheck, and Resurrecting the Champ. Most recently, she starred in The Dirt, the Netflix biopic about the band Motley Crue, and the 2023 film Hayseed.
John Finn played Lieutenant, John Stillman after appearances in Glory and Catch Me if You Can under his belt. After Cold Case, his credits include The Walking Dead, The Crown, and the Brad Pitt astronaut drama Ad Astra.
Jeremy Ratchford played Detective Nick Vera, having already appeared on NYPD Blue, CSI, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. He made a little mini-career out of playing detectives and/or police officers on episodes of Shameless and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia and in Clint Eastwood’s Jersey Boys.
Thom Barry played detective Will Jeffries, having appeared as Agent Bilkins in the first two Fast and Furious movies and Space Jam. After Cold Case, his appearances include Blue Bloods, Grey’s Anatomy, and the Eddie Murphy movie Mr.Church.
Danny Pino was known to Cold Case fans as Detective Scotty Valens. His resume includes appearances in many police or legal dramas, including CSI: NY, Burn Notice, and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. Pino recently appeared in the 2021 movie Dear Evan Hansen and TV series The Good Fight.
Tracie Thoms joined Cold Case in its third season, playing Detective Kat Miller. After Cold Case, her most prominent role was a lead part in Quentin Tarantino’s Death Proof, where she plays a stuntwoman who reluctantly agrees to take another stuntwoman on a very dangerous drive. She appeared in the 2022 Melissa McCarthy movie Jerry & Marge Go Large.
Why did ‘Cold Case’ end so abruptly?
Cold Case came out when crime shows were the hot ticket, particularly on CBS. Granted, there are few times when cop and crime shows don’t land, but they particularly ruled the roost in the early 2000s thanks to the success of CSI, its various spinoffs, and other copycats.
The show had a strong run in its early seasons, peaking at number 14 in its second season. Unfortunately, a writer’s strike during the fifth season helped send the ratings tumbling. Cold Case was finally canceled after its seventh season when the show ranked 29th in the ratings.
Where to watch ‘Cold Case’
The use of contemporary music in every episode of Cold Case gave the drama some originality as it became a calling card of the series. However, that led to complications when it came for home media and streaming.
Music licensing issues prevented Cold Case DVD releases and streaming options. Things changed when the Roku Channel began streaming the series full-time in September 2021.
Cold Case is also available to stream on Max.
