Criminal Minds has featured several guest stars, many of whom are huge names in the entertainment industry. Some notable examples include Golden Globe-winner Jane Lynch and Emmy-winner Mark Hamill. These stars, along with many others, have lent their talents to the show, playing a wide range of characters, from ruthless killers to victims of crime. The show has also featured appearances from actors like James Van Der Beek, best known for his role as Dawson Leery on the popular television series Dawson’s Creek.
Their appearance on the show made the episodes more enjoyable and helped boost the show’s popularity among audiences. Many of these guest stars have also been praised for their performances, making Criminal Minds one of television’s most successful crime dramas.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
10 Jason Alexander as Henry Grace
CBS
Jason Alexander is famous for his role as George Costanza in the hit television series Seinfeld, which ran from 1989 to 1998. He is considered one of the most talented and respected actors in the entertainment industry and received critical acclaim and several awards for his role, including a Golden Globe and multiple Emmy nominations.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
In Criminal Minds season 4, the episode titled Masterpiece, Jason Alexander portrayed the character of Henry Grace. He is a recurring antagonist in the show and a serial killer known for his intelligence and ability to manipulate those around him. Alexander’s portrayal of the character is chilling and adds depth to the episode, making it a memorable episode of the series.
9 Meredith Monroe as Haley Hotchner
Meredith Monroe is an American actress best known for portraying Andie McPhee, a troubled teenager, in the television series Dawson’s Creek, for which she got a Teen Choice Award nomination for her performance. She had a recurring role on the crime procedural show Criminal Minds as Haley Hotchner, the wife of Aaron Hotchner, played by Thomas Gibson. Her character is cast as a loving wife and mother who struggles to understand her husband’s demanding and dangerous job. As the show progresses, it explores the impact of Aaron’s job on their marriage and family life, ultimately leading to their divorce. Meredith Monroe also appeared in a hallucination scene later in the series. Her portrayal of Haley Hotchner received praise from critics and audiences alike for her natural and relatable portrayal of a loving wife and mother.
8 Ben Savage as Young Jason Gideon
Ben Savage is primarily recognized for his portrayal of the main character, Cory Matthews, on the successful television sitcom Boy Meets World, which aired from 1993 to 2000. The show got him nominated three times for the Young Artist Award and once for the YoungStar Award, but didn’t win them. However, he won the Blimp Award in the 2000 Kids’ Choice Awards in the Favorite Television Friends category.
Ben Savage appeared as a young Jason Gideon in the hit TV series Criminal Minds. In the show, Gideon is a profiler for the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit and is portrayed as a brilliant and dedicated agent. Savage’s portrayal of the character delves into Gideon’s past, providing a glimpse into the events that shaped him into the complex and skilled profiler he becomes. In the tenth season of the popular TV show, Criminal Minds, actor Ben Savage portrayed the character of a young Jason Gideon through a series of flashbacks in the episode titled Nelson’s Sparrow. He also appeared later, in season fifteen, reprising his role as young Gideon, this time through a series of visions in the episode titled Face Off.
RELATED: Criminal Minds: The Best Characters in the Show, Ranked
7 Danny Glover as Hank Morgan
1091 Pictures
For over 35 years, Danny Glover has significantly impacted the entertainment industry as an actor, producer, and humanitarian. He is famous for portraying Roger Murtaugh in the Lethal Weapon film series and won an Independent Spirit award for Best Male Lead in the film To Sleep with Anger. Hank is a recurring character in the popular television series Criminal Minds, where he is frequently mentioned by Derek, one of the main characters.
The first time Hank is mentioned is in the episode titled Profiler, Profiled, where Derek is falsely accused of murder by local police. Hank’s name continues to come up throughout the series, building up the significance of his role in the story. In the Derek episode, Hank makes a significant appearance as a vision to Derek Morgan. Hank’s appearance in the series adds an extra layer of complexity to the story and contributes to the overall mystery that unfolds throughout the show.
6 Bellamy Young as Beth Clemmons
ABC
Bellamy Young gained recognition for her portrayal of Melody “Mellie” Grant in the ABC series Scandal, for which she won the Critics’ Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in 2014. Bellamy Young has had a consistent acting career, appearing as both a guest star and recurring character on many television shows. Before she was causing trouble for Olivia Pope (Kerry Washington) on Scandal, Bellamy Young was cast as Beth Clemmons in multiple seasons of Criminal Minds. Beth Clemmons is the first serious girlfriend of the character Hotch (Thomas Gibson) after the tragic death of his wife (Meredith Monroe).
Young recurred in the show’s seventh and eighth seasons, meaning she appeared in several episodes. It is notable how Bellamy Young skillfully portrayed Beth Clemmons’s character and how she connected with the audience. This role helped her establish herself as a talented actress and allowed her to showcase her range and versatility.
5 Jane Lynch as Diana Reid
Emmy winner Jane Lynch, known for her portrayal of the villainous cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester on Glee, has had several dramatic guest roles in her career. Lynch is also famous for her appearances in Christopher Guest’s mockumentary films, such as A Mighty Wind, Best in Show, and For Your Consideration. Lynch joined the cast of the long-running crime drama Criminal Minds as the character Diana Reid, the mother of one of the show’s main characters, Dr. Spencer Reid (Matthew Gray Gubler).
Diana Reid is first introduced in the show’s first season and is revealed to suffer from schizophrenia. Diana’s character is a beacon of hope and resilience, and her story is an important reminder of the impact of mental illness on families and loved ones. Her relationship with her son is a heartwarming and vital aspect of the show, and her presence is always a reminder of the strength and power of family.
4 James Van Der Beek as Tobias Hankel
James Van Der Beek is most recognized for his roles as Johnny “Mox” Moxon in the film Varsity Blues (1999) and Dawson Leery in the series Dawson’s Creek. He attained a Teen Choice Award nomination for Choice TV Actor in 1999 for his role on Dawson’s Creek. The same year, Beek won the Choice Movie Breakout Star for his role on Varsity Blues.
James Van Der Beek portrays the character Tobias Hankel in Criminal Minds. Tobias Hankel is a chilling and complex villain who serves as the chief antagonist in the episodes titled Revelation and The Big Games of the popular television series Criminal Minds. He is a mentally disturbed serial killer who carries out his killings based on a twisted interpretation of Christianity. Hankel’s actions are driven by two of his alternate personalities, “Charles” and “Raphael”. These personalities play a significant role in his motivation for committing the murders.
RELATED: Criminal Minds Cast: Character Guide and Descriptions
3 Finn Wittrock as Harvey Morell
Finn Wittrock gained recognition playing Dandy Mott in American Horror Story and got a Primetime Emmy Award for that role. In 2018, he received a second Emmy nomination for his portrayal of murder victim Jeffrey Trail in the FX crime drama series The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story.
Finn plays the character Harvey Morell in Criminal Minds. In season seven, in the True Genius episode, Harvey Morell is depicted as a willful accomplice to a killer named Caleb Rossmore (Jeff Newburg). Caleb begins to imitate the actions of the notorious serial killer known as the Zodiac in an attempt to gain Harvey’s attention. The two men are obsessed with the real-life serial killer, the Zodiac Killer, who terrorized the San Francisco Bay area in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
2 Mark Hamill as John Curtis
Legendary Pictures
Mark Hamill is famous for portraying Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars series, starting with the original 1977 film. He has won three Saturn Awards for his performances in The Empire Strikes Back (1980), Return of the Jedi (1983), and The Last Jedi (2017). Mark Hamill’s character, John “The Replicator” Curtis, made his debut in season 8 of the television show Criminal Minds. He quickly established himself as one of the show’s most formidable antagonists, known for his intelligence and dangerous criminal behavior where he mimics the crimes of other notorious serial killers who have been apprehended or killed by the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU). He is known for his intelligence and resourcefulness, making him a challenging case for the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU). The Replicator targets members of the BAU team, and the team must race against time to stop him before he causes any further harm.
1 Adam Rodriguez as Luke Alvez
Adam Rodriguez gained recognition for his portrayal of Eric Delko on the popular TV series CSI: Miami. He was also nominated in 2013 for an MTV Movie Award for Best Musical Moment in Magic Mike. Adam plays the role of Luke Alvez in season twelve of Criminal Minds as a new addition to the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit, a fugitive recovery specialist who has joined the team after a military stint. The timing of his arrival is significant as there had been a massive prison break at the end of the previous season. Alvez had a personal connection to the case as he was responsible for capturing one of the fugitives, Daniel Cullen, in the past and was determined to put him back behind bars.
