"I think you can find yourself on one of these shows for a long period of time and think that all you'll ever be able to do is that character. Certainly people think of you that way"

This quote by William Petersen speaks with the idea that when a star is in a role for an extended period of time, they can end up being typecast and people will just think of them because function. This can be a difficult situation for a star, as they may feel restricted in their career alternatives and unable to break out of the typecast. It is important for actors to bear in mind that they can playing a range of functions which they should not be restricted by the roles they have actually played in the past. It is also essential for actors to remember that they are more than simply the characters they play and that they need to not let themselves be defined by the functions they handle.