WEDDING bells will be ringing in a few months' time for Claire Forlani.
The British brunette, best known for her role as Brad Pitt's sweetheart in Meet Joe Black (1998), will be walking down the aisle in summer this year with fellow Brit actor, Dougray Scott, 41.
The latter, a divorcee with two children, is now seen on the hit TV series Desperate Housewives as the new love interest of Susan Mayer (Teri Hatcher).
The couple, who were introduced to each other in 2004 by a friend, announced their engagement last year.
Forlani, 34, confirmed the wedding plans with Life! on the line from Los Angeles in a phone conference last Friday.
However, ask her for more details about the event, such as the exact date and the location of the ceremony, and she clams up.
'I'm not telling you,' she replies with a giggle, like a shy girl who shares secrets only with her ragdoll.
She is more willing to talk about her relationship with her onscreen beau, Gary Sinise, who plays the lead character, detective Mac Taylor, in the cop drama CSI: NY, now airing on AXN (StarHub Channel 19).
Forlani joins the third and latest season of the series as medical examiner Dr Peyton Driscoll.
She says that the recurring role appeals to her because it develops the romantic side of Taylor.
'As an actor, you want to bring something to the part. The writing, the emotional scenes I have with Gary, are something that clinched it for me,' she explains.
However, she is not that keen about dissecting corpses - part of her character's work. 'These are the most gruesome sights that will probably give nightmares to anyone,' she says.
She adds that even though she knew the dead bodies were fake mannequins, it took her a while to adjust. Luckily for her, on the set are real medical examiners who teach her the proper ways to cut bodies up while explaining the jargon to her.
While she says she is enjoying her first major role on TV, do not count on her to stay on the goggle box for long.
She is set to appear in two films to be released later this year - a fantasy adaptation of a computer game, In The Name Of The King: A Dungeon Siege Tale, opposite Jason Statham; and a bittersweet coming-of-age drama called Hallam Foe, opposite Jamie Bell, who starred in Billy Elliot (2000) as the titular character.
'Unlike TV, in film you know the beginning, the middle and the end of the story, which is something I like,' she says, before adding with a chuckle. 'I like to know the pain is going to end.'
Does that mean Dr Driscoll's romance with detective Taylor will not have a happy ending then?
Forlani reverts to her cryptic self: 'You guys will have to find out.'
szeyong@sph.com.sg
CSI: NY airs on Mondays on AXN (StarHub Channel 19) at 10pm.
'These are the most gruesome sights that will probably give nightmares to anyone'
Claire Forlani on dissecting corpses on CSI: NY
