Thomas Gibson and Matthew Gray Gubler face the Press

From E!Online

Criminal Minds fans, you're gonna want to read this story.

Stars Thomas Gibson and Matthew Gray Gubler talked to reporters at the Monte-Carlo TV Festival today and were more than open about the impact of this year's backstage turmoil, not to mention the cast crisis that's currently ongoing. In case you haven't heard, CBS and Thomas Gibson appear to be an impasse in negotiations to bring the show's lead character back for season seven.

Gibson brought us up-to-date on the talks—and jokingly suggested a certain infamous actor replace Hotch as BAU team leader:

Q&A With Criminal Minds Star Thomas Gibson

Thomas, how are contract negotiations going, will Hotch be back next season?
I hope so, that's all I really can tell you. I am just hopeful we can work something out.

Are you getting close to finalizing something, doesn't shooting begin next month?
That's what they tell me.

If, God forbid, Hotch leaves, who do you think should replace him in the division?
Charlie Sheen. He's free, you know.

Q&A With Criminal Minds Star Matthew Gray Gubler

Do you think that Hotch will be back next year?
I honestly have no idea, I hope so. I love Thomas, I think Hotch is important to the show but I don't know, man. Hollywood is a strange place. I was raised as a real worker, you know, you get out and get a real job. In Hollywood it's all about negotiations and contracts so I don't know how this will turn out. I hope he is back.

What will the show be like if Hotch doesn't come back? Who will take over as head of the division?
Emily, I think, would take over as the chief, or Joe Montegna. I don't know, we do have a lot of characters. I don't know what they'd do. It would suck but they'd figure something out.

Coming from your background of "real workers" how did you adjust to Hollywood?
I am an eternal optimist. To me the fact that I get to entertain people is what matters the most to me. All I have ever wanted to do is entertain people and so I try not to think about that other part of it. I focus on the simplicity of it.

What do you think about Paget Brewster coming back after the contract/budget drama this year?
We lost her and A.J. Cook for no reason at all, on just on a whim, and that is sort of offensive to me because they're my friends, and they did a good job, and the fans liked them. At the same time I understand that we are all grownups and six years ago we signed contracts that said they could fire us. So while I don't like it, I think there are bigger things to worry about in life. Japan, for example had a huge hurricane and has a nuclear mess on its hands.

Did it cause tension on the set?
No, there's no tension but it makes it harder because for six years we've functioned as a unit and then suddenly it's different. These are my best friends in life, these actors, so losing them changed everything. And so I'm so glad that the band is back together now. I hope that Thomas doesn't leave. I think Rachel [Nichols] will leave. Which is sad, she's a nice girl it was a tough position she came into but like I said it's a strange situation, it's Hollywood. But I know that just because she's not on the show doesn't mean I won't talk t her, she's a friend and I know I'll speak with her on the weekends. All I know is we're going to try to keep on maintaining. The spirit on set is very jovial. I think because it's so dark we have to find things to laugh about.

Does that darkness ever overwhelm you and how do you deal with it?
Yes, I'm sort of a Method actor. We have a month off and during this month I turn back into my real self and I realize the 11 months of the year we film the show really affects my mind. The only way I know how to do something, as cheesy as it sounds, is to become that character and it affects me in a not so healthy way. It does kind of make me crazy. I am an optimist and I try to think that the light will always prevail in any situation so it doesn't really make me sad about humanity because I think deep down everybody is full of love and light. But the show does get to you after a period of time, it has to. I know it got to Mandy Patinkin (who played Jason Gideon), too—very much so. To do a good job it really has to affect you.

Thomas Gibson and Matthew Gray Gubler in Monte-Carlo

source: AlloCiné



Source: AlloCiné

Still No Contract for Thomas Gibson

From Deadline Hollywood

Exactly one month before CBS' Criminal Minds is scheduled to start production on its upcoming 7th season, there is still no deal for co-star Thomas Gibson. And word is that talks between the actor and CBS have stalled. That is creating an issue for the series' writers who convened at the beginning of last week to break stories and work on scripts for next season. Gibson's character, Supervisory Special Agent Aaron Hotchner, has been key to the show's storylines, so it would be difficult to map out next season without knowing if he will be back. Expectation is that a deal will eventually be made as the show is looking for cast stability after the drama surrounding co-stars A.J. Cook, Paget Brewster and Rachel Nichols this past season. Despite not having a deal, Gibson has been fulfilling all Criminal Minds obligations. He mingled with international buyers at the LA Screenings and is currently in Europe. Along with Criminal Minds co-star Matthew Gray Gubler he will represent the show at the Monte Carlo TV festival, which starts tomorrow, and will also participate in a press junket in London

Criminal Minds Showrunner Erica Messer on Paget Brewster's Return

From TVGuide

Exclusive: Criminal Minds Boss on Paget Brewster's Return: "It Feels Rewarding"

May 29, 2011 04:06 PM ET
by Adam Bryant

The news that Paget Brewster will return to the cast of Criminal Minds in Season 7 gave many fans reason to cheer. But executive producer Erica Messer's reaction was more a sigh of a relief.


And for good reason. Messer, who will officially handle showrunner duties this season, is coming off a Season 6 that was rocked by the never-fully-explained cutting of two fan favorites, Brewster and A.J. Cook, from the cast. But with both women now back on board, Messer says she's excited to move forward.

"It feels rewarding," she tells TVGuide.com exclusively. "This team works well together and now we can get on with telling the stories that have kept us going for six seasons.

But the good news for Brewster means bad news for Rachel Nichols, who will not return full time next season after recurring this past year. Below, Messer discusses that painful decision process, how the return of Brewster's presumed-dead character, Emily Prentiss, will affect the team, and the power of the Criminal Minds fans.


TVGuide.com: What are your plans for reintroducing Prentiss to the team?
Erica Messer: This will be the first order of business on Tuesday. The writers will be back and we will officially dive into Season 7.

TVGuide.com: Will she have changed any since we last saw her?
Messer: Absolutely. No one goes into hiding and comes out unscathed. She has been in defensive mode for months now. She'll be exhausted and will have to face the family to explain a few things.

TVGuide.com: Starting with the fact that she's alive! What will the team reaction be, given that many of them believe her to be dead?
Messer: There will be a lot of tension. Hotch [Thomas Gibson] and JJ [Cook] kept a big secret from the team. Ultimately. those kept in the dark will forgive the others when they find out Prentiss is alive.


TVGuide.com: What can you say about letting Rachel Nichols go?
Messer: It wasn't an easy decision and it took a village to make it. Having eight characters onCriminal Minds seemed unlikely. Rachel is a real trouper and a pro. She walked into an incredibly difficult position and handled it with grace. The cast felt she fit in — we're actually a funny group off-camera — and she will be missed by all of us who worked with her everyday.

TVGuide.com: Will she appear in any capacity to wrap up her character's story?
Messer: As storytellers we hate leaving threads undone. Creatively, there's more to explore there. I won't know for a bit if that's a possibility.

TVGuide.com: What's the latest on Thomas Gibson's contract?
Messer: [He's in] ongoing negotiations that I hope close soon. I have visions of the premiere in my head, but would feel better knowing he's back.

TVGuide.com: So, do you have a theme for next season at this point?
Messer: Our theme hasn't been discussed yet, though right now it seems like surprises await all of us, on-screen and off. So maybe there's something in that.

TVGuide.com: Looking back at last season overall, how did the cast changes detract from the original goals?
Messer: The cast issues gave us unexpected story lines, and I think we handled that the best we could. The goals for the season were altered, but the theme of secrets had been set and our Prentiss storyline reflected that in every possible way — before, during and after her battle with Ian Doyle [Timothy V. Murphy].

TVGuide.com: Do you want to do come back bigger and bolder than ever this year?
Messer: Having the band back together is in itself a huge victory and should give everyone a sense of security. Once that's established, we can get our heroes back to solving twisted tales.

TVGuide.com: How much did the fan outcry play into bringing back A.J. and Paget?
Messer: Our fans are some of the most loyal I've ever known. And they're not shy. Their love for our show and investment in the characters is beyond encouraging. If they're enthusiasm helped everyone see how important the unity of our team is, fantastic.

Paget Brewster back on Criminal Minds!

From Deadline Hollywood

EXCLUSIVE: Paget Brewster will continue on CBS' crime drama Criminal Minds next season, while new series regular Rachel Nichols won't return. Meanwhile, co-star Thomas Gibson still doesn't have a deal for next season, with negotiations ongoing.

I hear CBS and series' producer ABC Studios have exercised the option they have on Brewster and opted not to pick up Nichols. As part of Brewster's modified deal for Criminal Minds last season, which included her doing fewer episodes, she got an out to do a pilot. Brewster used the opportunity and did a pilot, NBC's comedy My Life as an Experiment, which didn't make the cut to series. Bewster's pilot was in first position to Criminal Minds but ABC Studios had an option to bring the actress back to the CBS drama if the pilot didn't go to series and has now exercised that option. With Brewster and original cast member and fan favorite A.J. Cook returning to the crime drama alongside Kirsten Vangsness, there wasn't much room left for Nichols, whose character Ashley Seaver was introduced last season in part to fill the void left by the departure of Cook's JJ. As for Gibson, I hear Criminal Minds producers want him back. He got warm reception by international buyers at the L.A. Screenings this week where he appeared with other cast members of the veteran CBS crime drama.

Criminal Minds' A.J. Cook: Get Ready for a Different JJ

From TVGUIDE

May 24, 2011 10:00 PM ET
by Joyce Eng

She was only on set half a day for the Criminal Minds season finale, but it was still a very sweet homecoming for A.J. Cook. "Everyone was so happy," she tells TVGuide.com. "They were like, 'Finally! OK, good, let's get back to what we do here. We missed you. We're glad you're back.' I love everyone over there. It was so great to see the camera operators and everyone you know and love."


The brief appearance — Cook's bare-legged JJ ("It was so Mrs. Robinson, right?" the actress says) cryptically accepts an offer from Rossi (Joe Mantegna) to rejoin the BAU — was only a guest spot, but the actress will return to the procedural as a regular this fall. CBS dropped her a year ago only to rehire her last month. Fans who launched a tireless campaign aimed at bringing back both Cook and Paget Brewster, who has an option to come back, are excited for Cook's return, but she says it wasn't an easy decision to sign a new two-year deal. See what else Cook, who will appear with Mantegna on Sunday's National Memorial Day Concert special (8/7c on PBS), has to say about her "rollercoaster" year, what's next for JJ and what she wants to make for the fans.

Can you describe what the past 11 months have been like?
A.J. Cook: It's been a rollercoaster ride, just from the shock of not getting picked up to trying to figure out why to never really knowing why. They kept asking me to come back for things, so trying to have closure was difficult. But it's been good. I've been able to focus on things that are really important, like my family, and just get back to acting. It's so easy to get used to playing a role. Then all of the sudden when you're tossed out of it, it's almost like you have to remember how to act again! This whole thing made me remember why I love acting. I've been able to work with some really great people. I'm shooting a really great movie right now [Least Among Saints] and I'm so excited because people have never seen me this way before. That was something that was very important to me, especially since I'm heading back to Criminal Minds. It's been fun and a challenge, and I love challenges.

When did you hear they wanted you back full-time?
Cook: Well, there was dialogue happening for quite some time: "What if...? Would you...?" From Day 1, they've let me know that I've been missed and they want to try to get me back. I knew that they were always trying, but I had to move forward. ... I always knew that it might be a possibility, but obviously until it was real, I didn't want them to keep coming to me. ... They made the offer [last month]. Pretty much when the news hit is when I heard it! I'm amazed by the Internet and how quickly things move. Everything's pretty much dead-on. It's crazy.


Did you say "yes" right away or did you think about it?
Cook: No. [Laughs] I did a lot of thinking and a lot of stressing. At the end of the day, it just happened to be the right decision for my family right now. I guess one thing to make clear to everyone is that I wasn't sitting around waiting for them to come back. I had other offers. There were other things that could've been great, but I wasn't willing to pick up my family and move them out of the country or out of state to pursue something that I didn't completely love. It just made sense for my family and my second family — Criminal Minds! ... I did a lot of talking to several of the cast and producers and writers. ...I am excited to get back there, from an acting standpoint too. I think this is a different JJ than we've seen in the past, so I'm excited to see where she goes.

She seems much more confident. I almost didn't recognize you in Paget's last episode — in a good way.
Cook: I know! Yeah, she's a different woman — a confident, "I've been working in the State Department" woman. But that's what I like. If I was going to come back, I didn't want to go back to what I was because apparently it wasn't deemed important enough to have me there in the first place! [Laughs] I wanted to make sure the character was going somewhere else and was going to be utilized. ... We've been talking a lot, me and Erica [Messer], who's now the new showrunner. ... What I love about them is it's open dialogue. It's always been that way with writers and actors. I guess fans are kind of freaked out that I'm going to turn into this huge ball-buster!

Some think you may be the new Unit Chief.
Cook: I know, right? I have no idea. The new Strauss? I don't know!


When they wrote you out, they made it seem like there was no other choice but for you to leave. So how are you talking to Rossi behind Hotch's back and accepting an offer he made when there are budget cuts?
Cook: Yeah, I mean, it's one of those cliff-hangers where you're like, "What? Why isn't she talking to Hotch?" I'll tell you why! Joe has a contract and Thomas [Gibson] does not! [Laughs] It's them just covering themselves. I am hoping that everyone comes back and we can make the show that the fans love to see every week. That's what all of our fingers are crossed for.

Will we see more of JJ's family life? Is your son still going to play Henry?
Cook: Well, I pitched it! I'm like, "You know, Mekhai's still available!" [Laughs] He did such a great job the first time and now he's older and wiser! I'm sure we'll make that happen. But we're going to see that come into play this season. We're going to touch on that quite a bit more.

We haven't seen JJ holding press conferences and handling the media in the later seasons like we did in the earlier ones. Are we going back to the old days?
Cook: I'm not sure if she'll be stepping back into that. I'm being so vague! All I know is based on the conversations I've had and I don't want to look like an idiot if I go back to doing exactly what I was doing! "Oh, we just told you that to get you back!" [Laughs] But I think it's safe to say she'll still be the spokesperson of the BAU, but she's going to evolve. ... She was working at such a ridiculous level at the State Department that I think she's coming back ... able to handle a little more. But she's still going to be the nurturer, she's still going to be that JJ that everyone loved.

She and Hotch are in on Prentiss' "death." I feel like that has to be revealed to the team even if Paget doesn't come back. What do you think the repercussions are going to be?
Cook: It has to, right? They've got a lot of balls in the air right now! Poor writers! Bless their hearts. ... But that could turn into trust issues with JJ. I think they would understand. It's so Prentiss can live. There are so many different ways we can take it and go with it. It was excruciating for JJ to have to do that to everyone. ... That tore her up, but I think that shows how much she has grown and is doing her job. It was a kick-ass [exit] for Paget. She did a great job and she deserved that. I had two episodes to say, "Peace out, homies!" I'm so happy that they wrote her this really strong arc. She went out guns a-blazing.


A lot of fans were riled up about Seaver (Rachel Nichols) "replacing" JJ.
Cook: It has nothing to do with her. They were just upset because of the whole situation. The whole thing was crappy and I think they tried to fix a situation too quickly, and I think that rubbed people the wrong way — especially because she sort of looks like me! [Laughs] I honestly haven't been watching, so I don't even know what she did. From what I understand, she's a cadet. I feel for her too because it's a tough situation to walk into. The whole situation is so bizarre for everyone involved and sort of unprecedented.

What do you have to say to the fans?
Cook: I'm so touched that they spoke their minds and reached out to me personally. It made me feel like it's all going to be OK and that these people are going to support me wherever I go. Yeah, they're angry about the Criminal Minds thing, but they truly appreciate me as an actor and a lot of them were like, "We're excited for what you're going to do next." That made me feel really good. I mean, thank you! What else can I say? It was crazy! There was no explanation. ... They decided to make a creative decision and they're allowed to. It's their show. But our fans are so loyal. They love it. I'm so glad they do. Don't mess with the Criminal Minds fans! I'm going to get T-shirts made for them!

What Might Be JJ's Role Next Season?

So glad JJ is back on Criminal Minds. Might she ever change her mind about becoming a full-fledged profiler next season? — Terry
ADAM: It doesn't seem very likely, according to A.J. Cook. "All I know is, she's still the coordinator," she says. " I don't know if [the team] even needs another profiler. I think she likes her role." That said, JJ's character will offer a new perspective. "She's seen things that these guys haven't seen, so she's grown," Cook says. "She's tougher, more experienced. I think now she may be able to bring more to her role, but I don't think it'll be out [in the field]. She's still going to be the face of the team."

source: TVguide