20 Facts about Marg Helgenberger Who Portrayed Catherine Willows on Fan-Famous 'CSI'

Marg Helgenberger has been in the entertainment industry for years. She has carved a name for herself in Hollywood with many stellar performances.

Actress Marg Helgenberger began acting in the early 1980s. Her career took off after she landed the role of Siobhan Ryan in "Ryan's Hope" from 1982 to 1986.

She went on to famously appear as Catherine Willows in the CBS drama "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation." She has also played roles in "Immortality" and even bagged an Emmy for her role in "China Beach."

Here are 20 facts about = that fans might not know about her.

1. Ancestry

Helgenberger comes from Irish and German descent and grew up Roman Catholic.

2. Parents

She is the daughter of Hugh Helgenberger, who was a meat inspector, and Kay Helgenberger, who was a nurse. Marg originally dreamed of following in her mother's footsteps.

3. Her Son

Marg is a proud mother to her son, Hugh Howard Rosenberg who was born on October 21, 1990. She named him after her father, who died in 1986 of complications from Multiple Sclerosis.

4. She has a Degree

Before becoming an actress, Marge received her Bachelor of Science degree from the School of Speech (now the School of Communications) at Northwestern University (Evanston, Illinois).

5. Hollywood Home

Her home in Hollywood, California was once owned by the silent movie star William S. Hart.

6. Unsuccessful Pilot

Six years before she was rocketed to success with the premiere of "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," Marge starred opposite Gary Dourdan in an unsuccessful television pilot for a show called "Keys."

7. Ex In-Laws

Marg is the former sister-in-law of Mark Rosenberg and Paula Weinstein.

8. Plane Scare

When traveling from Dallas, Texas to Omaha, Nebraska in 2005 Marg experienced a plane crash scare when the pilot aborted take-off after the plane blew two tires.

9. Siblings

The stunning actress is actually the middle of three children. She has an older sister who is Jazz musician Ann Helgenberger and a younger brother is Curt Helgenberger who is a meat inspector.

10. Hometown

She hails from North Bend, Nebraska. The town named a local street after her called Helgenberger Avenue.

11. 51st Birthday

Her 51st birthday also marked the day the final episodes of the CSI series' trilogy crossover aired.

12. Football Team

Marge is a football lover and is a huge fan of the NFL's New York Giants.

13. Famous Friend

She is a close friend of Canadian singer and songwriter, Joni Mitchell.

14. Hollywood Walk of Fame

Marge received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6667 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California on January 23, 2012.

15. Madonna Fan

She’s a fan of Madonna. She once said:

"Life will always be good as long as Madonna is around. I don't think of her as a guilty pleasure anymore - she's an outright pleasure."

16. Scouted

A talent scout recruited her to work on the 1975 soap opera "Ryan's Hope." She was on the show for four years.

17. "ER"

She once appeared opposite George Clooney in a multi-episode arc for the hit 1994 TV series "ER."

18. Meeting Her Ex-Husband

Marg met her ex-husband, Alan Rosenberg, in 1984. They started dating in 1986.

19. Marriage

They married in 1989 and were married for 11 years.

20. Her Mother Had Cancer

Helgenberger's mother suffered a 27-year battle against breast cancer and survived. As a result, Marg is very active in supporting research for breast cancer.