‘Criminal Minds’: Every Cast Member Who Is Confirmed to Return

Six fan favorites are returning to the Paramount+ revival of Criminal Minds. Deadline reported exclusively in Feb. 2022 that Criminal Minds studios ABC Signature and CBS Studios reached a license agreement with the streaming giant for a 10-episode new season. In the revival, FBI’s elite team of criminal profilers come up against their greatest threat yet, an UnSub who has used the pandemic to build a network of other serial killers. As the world opens back and COVID-19 restrictions are lifted, the network goes operational, and the team must hunt them down, one murder at a time.

Production is slated to begin Aug. 21 in LA. In addition to the OG cast, the show’s longtime executive producer/showrunner Erica Messer is also returning. The actors’ contracts were contingent on one main cast member signing a pact with ABC Signature. The deal took a year and a half to finalize.

Paget Brewster

Brewster played Emily Prentiss, joining the cast in Season 2, replacing Agent Elle Greenaway (Lola Glaudini). She is the Unit Chief of the BAU. 

Aisha Tyler

Tyler played Tara Elizabeth Lewis, a forensic psychologist and a Supervisory Special Agent of the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit. Tyler joined the show in Season 11. 

A.J. Cook

Cook played Jennifer “JJ” Jareau. She is a Supervisory Special Agent, the BAU’s former liaison with police and media officials.

Adam Rodriguez

Rodriguez played Luke Alvez, an FBI Fugitive Task Force Agent. He joined the cast in Season 12, replacing Shemar Moore’s character, SSA Derek Morgan.

Kirsten Vangsness

Vangsness starred as Penelope Grace Garcia. She is the technical analyst of the Behavioral Analysis Unit.

Joe Mantegna

Mantenga joined the show in its third season as David Stephen Rossi. Rossi is a Supervisory Special Agent in the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit.