10 Actors Who Left Criminal Minds & Why

You're probably more than familiar with "Criminal Minds," the CBS crime drama series that first aired on September 22, 2005. Giving viewers an inside look at the work of the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU), the show quickly gained popularity, as well as a loyal fan base, so much so that the original "Criminal Minds" would end up running for a total of 15 seasons.

"It's just an amazing recipe of good people, good product, and good process, and actors who have created characters that the fans welcome into their lives week in and week out, and the fans who are so loyal and supportive of the show," showrunner Erica Messer told TV Overmind.

Yet just like any television series with a long run, not all characters last forever, and fans had to sadly wave goodbye to some of their favorite team members over the years. Of course, this led to many questions, especially when certain characters were actually brought back. But lucky for you, we're here to reveal the truth behind some of the BAU's most notable exits. Here are 10 "Criminal Minds" actors who left the show and why.

If you know "Criminal Minds" as well as we do, then you know Jason Gideon, for the character was not only the BAU's senior supervisory special agent, but a part of the original cast. Portrayed by actor Mandy Patinkin, Gideon quickly became a favorite among fans, as he showcased a deep empathy for both his team members and innocent victims alike.

Yet such feelings of compassion are what ultimately led the character to resign from the BAU, cutting his time on the series much shorter than anyone had expected. That's right, in addition to the guilt he felt after the murder of his girlfriend, Sarah, and the suspension of one of his colleagues, Gideon could no longer deal with the emotional weight that came with the job. The character would officially resign from his position in Season 3.

Well as it turns out, Patinkin's reasons for leaving the show were quite similar in nature, as the gruesome content became far too much for the actor to handle on a daily basis. In fact, Patinkin reported that filming began to make him feel sad rather than excited. "The biggest public mistake I ever made was that I chose to do 'Criminal Minds' in the first place," he told New York Magazine. "I never thought they were going to kill and rape all these women every night, every day, week after week, year after year. It was very destructive to my soul and my personality."

Yet another "Criminal Minds" original character was Elle Greenaway: a fiery and strong-willed sex crimes specialist portrayed by actor Lola Glaudini. In fact, Greenaway actually shot the show's first ever unsub (talk about making an impression); however, the agent's time with the BAU wouldn't last very long.

At the end of Season 1, Greenaway herself was shot by an unsub, leaving the skilled profiler with more trauma than she could handle. Fans watched as the character struggled with her mental health throughout the beginning of Season 2. She would ultimately resign from the FBI at the end of the season's sixth episode.

While her character left the BAU to heal and rebuild her life, the reason Glaudini walked away from "Criminal Minds" is not nearly as extreme. In a 2006 interview with the Los Angeles Times, writer-producer Ed Bernero revealed that the New York City native was simply ready to return to the East Coast. California was just not the place that she initially thought it would be, and she wasn't happy in Los Angeles. Yet moving across the country didn't stop Glaudini from furthering her acting career. She went on to appear in a number of television series, including "Persons Unknown," "The Expanse," and "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D."

Agent Emily Prentiss was first introduced to fans following the departure of Elle Greenaway and quickly became a full-time member of the BAU. However, the character, who was played by actor Paget Brewster, went through a number of changes during her time on the show, including faking her own death during Season 6 to protect her team from a deadly enemy.

In a 2012 interview with Deadline, Brewster revealed that her initial departure from "Criminal Minds" was due to cuts in the budget, though a negative reaction from fans would end up bringing her back for Season 7. Yet her time on the popular crime drama would not last too much longer, as Brewster would leave once more at the very end of that season. The actor decided it was about time to pursue other projects, and she denied the producer's offer of a new deal once her contract officially expired. For those of you who don't know, Brewster is the "Criminal Minds" star you didn't remember was in "Friends," so she wished to return to more light-hearted and comedic content. "As much as I will miss my 'Criminal Minds' family, I am excited about the future and other opportunities," she said in Deadline.

However, the actor just couldn't stay away from the pull of the popular crime drama and reprised her role once more in Season 12 after making an appearance in the show's 200th episode. Brewster has been back and filming with her crime-loving co-stars ever since, even joining the cast of the 2022 reboot titled "Criminal Minds: Evolution." 

As the Unit Chief of the BAU, Aaron "Hotch" Hotchner was a pivotal member of the team, known for his calm demeanor and strong leadership skills. Though the character faced many personal struggles, he continued to be the rock for both his team and his son, Jack, which ultimately led to his departure. Yes, in order to protect Jack from a stalker, the character was put into witness protection, and fans waved a final goodbye to Hotch during Season 12.

However, actor Thomas Gibson did not walk away from "Criminal Minds" on his own. He was fired due to a physical altercation with one of the show's writers. While helping direct one of the episodes, Gibson engaged in a heated argument with the crew member and ultimately kicked the writer as a result of his frustration. Surprisingly enough, this was not the actor's first offense on set, as he pushed a producer a few years prior (talk about the shady side of Thomas Gibson). Though he was asked to attend anger management classes after the producer incident, such schooling proved to be unsuccessful, and Gibson was let go on the spot following his second offense.

"I love 'Criminal Minds' and have put my heart and soul into it for the last 12 years," Gibson said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter in 2016. "I had hoped to see it through to the end, but that won't be possible now."

Season 6 of the CBS crime drama series not only proved to be a tough one for Paget Brewster, but for actor A.J. Cook as well. That's right, the star, who played agent Jennifer "JJ" Jareau, also fell victim to the show's speculated budget cuts, which is ultimately why A.J. Cook walked away from "Criminal Minds." "It felt like a breakup with a guy," the actor told TV Guide in a 2011 interview. "It happened out of nowhere. And it was an 'It's not you, it's me' sort of thing. You think, 'What did I do?'"

Once again, fans were outraged by the absence of one of their favorite BAU members, and a petition was actually started in order to get JJ back on the show. After receiving over 40,000 signatures, the network decided to oblige, and Cook was able to reprise her role by Season 7. "The whole thing was so surreal, from being let go to getting asked to come back," she continued. "I'm just this sweet little Canadian girl, and this was a nice wakeup call. In this business, you have to be on your toes, ready for anything. That's a valuable lesson."

When we hear the phrase "baby girl," we can't help but think of special agent Derek Morgan (Shemar Moore): the skilled profiler, designated protector, and heartthrob of the BAU. From the moment he appeared on screen, fans instantly fell in love with the character's charm, strength, and leadership qualities. It was a combination that truly made the OG team member seem unstoppable.

It was during Season 11, however, that things got really serious for Morgan, as the agent was held at gunpoint by an unsub while his wife was simultaneously in labor. Though he made it out alive, it became quite clear that a decision needed to be made, and Morgan ultimately left the BAU in order to devote his life to his lady and newborn son.

Well, the truth about Shemar Moore is that he was ready to move on from the CBS drama series, though his exit from the show seemed pretty seamless in nature. In an interview with TV Guide, the star explained that he always viewed his acting career like school, with his time on "The Young and the Restless" being high school and "Criminal Minds" being college. After 11 years, he was ready to enter the next chapter of his life (aka grad school). "I'm leaving because I just creatively want to be fueled and [am] excited to try new things and see what else I'm capable of," Moore said. The actor also explained that leaving the show would allow him to focus on more personal avenues of his life, including getting married, having kids, and traveling.

Dr. Alex Blake joined the BAU during Season 8 of "Criminal Minds," taking over the position that had been previously filled by Emily Prentiss. Though brand new to the team, Blake had been recruited by the FBI when she was just 24 years old and was also a forensics linguistics expert who taught at Georgetown University (Dr. Spencer Reid actually attended a few of her lectures).

Played by actor Jeanne Tripplehorn, Blake seemed to fit in quite well, meshing with other members of the BAU and being well received by fans. However, Tripplehorn decided that she would not be re-signing her contract after it expired at the end of Season 9, and an exit for her character needed to be discussed. "Jeanne didn't want it to be a big deal and we felt like that was in line with Blake too," executive producer Erica Messer revealed to TV Guide. "I think it makes sense given the character we've known for two years. She's not a splashy, loud character."

In the two-part Season 9 finale, Blake is confronted by her dark past, as the case in question involves a young boy similar to the age of her late son. Such a detail, in combination with the fact that one of her teammates took a bullet for her, put Blake in a downward spiral, and the character would end up resigning from the BAU by secretly slipping her badge to agent Reid.

While you probably recognize Jennifer Love Hewitt from her role in the "Ghost Whisperer" series, she did in fact join the cast of "Criminal Minds" for a moment. Yes, the actor took on the role of agent Kate Callahan in Season 10, though her character would leave the BAU after just 23 episodes.

In the Season 10 finale, Callahan's teenage daughter, Meg, is kidnapped, making for a very intense and emotional episode for the entire team. Though the young girl is eventually rescued, Callahan decides to take a step back to focus more on her family, especially since the character is also expecting another child.

Well as it turns out, Hewitt was actually pregnant in real life, preparing to become a devoted mom of two. So when it comes to the truth about Jennifer Love Hewitt leaving "Criminal Minds," it's simply because her priorities changed, and such a choice was one in which showrunner Erica Messer couldn't help but respect. "It felt like we had every opportunity to write to the truth of it: She's having another baby," Messer told Entertainment Weekly. "It's a bittersweet idea of 'life is full of choices and they define who you are.' She [Callahan] makes the decision to leave the team for a while. It's really lovely and real, not only because it was happening off-screen, but because I know those things happen in real life too."

Agent Ashley Seaver was first introduced to fans during the sixth season of "Criminal Minds," brought in by David Rossi (Joe Mantegna) to help solve a very specific case. Though still a cadet at the FBI Academy at the time, the character would soon reveal that her father was a notorious serial killer, so the BAU thought that both her insight and personal experiences would be a vital resource. Seaver, played by actor Rachel Nichols, quickly became a series regular, appearing throughout the rest of Season 6.

However, Nichols' new job playing a BAU agent came at a very unfortunate time, as Season 6 of "Criminal Minds" is when both A.J. Cook and Paget Brewster made their exits. To fill the voids, Seaver was made a regular character, but fans could not ignore the fact that their favorite members were no longer on the team. For that, viewers never really took to the new agent.

Though Cook and Brewster would make their returns, such a recast meant the end of the line for Nichols. "Having eight characters on 'Criminal Minds' seemed unlikely," showrunner Erica Messer shared in an interview with TV Guide. "Rachel is a real trouper and a pro. She walked into an incredibly difficult position and handled it with grace."

Actor Damon Gupton joined the cast of "Criminal Minds" following Thomas Gibson's exit, portraying the role of Stephen Walker for the rest of Season 12. Though he was made a regular member of the CBS crime drama, Gupton's time on the show wouldn't last very long, as his character would soon be written off in a very sudden and tragic way. Yes, unfortunately, during the Season 12 finale, agent Walker and other members of the BAU are involved in a car accident that ultimately kills the new agent and leaves the team in mourning.

"Criminal Minds" showrunner Erica Messer would later reveal the truth behind Gupton's abrupt departure, as she wished to modify both the dynamics of the team as well as the direction in which the show was going. Walker was therefore let go in order to make room for a new character, Matt Simmons, whose presence was proposed to fulfill Messer's wishes for Season 13.

Though a shock for Gupton, the actor did not let such an exit bring him down, and he went on to join the cast of "Black Lightning" for a total of three seasons. Other celebrated roles post-"Criminal Minds" include those within "The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey" and "The Big Door Prize." Gupton even made time to return to the theatre where his passion for acting first began.