Criminal Minds fans are excited. After mourning the end of the crime drama with the season 15 finale in 2020, Criminal Minds is back with a brand new spinoff, Criminal Minds: Evolution on Paramount Plus.
The spinoff is a Paramount Plus originals series that premieres November 24, with new episodes releasing weekly. In addition to diving back into the world of Criminal Minds, most of the original cast members are back, as well as a new antagonist that is sure to catch viewers' attention.
Let's say hello to the familiar and new faces of the Criminal Minds: Evolution cast.
Joe Mantegna as David Rossi
Joe Mantegna is an actor, producer, writer and director, best known for his roles in boxoffice hits such as The Godfather Part III, Searching for Bobby Fischer and Baby's Day Out and in TV series like Joan of Arcadia. He has been in show business for more than 50 years and his resume is extensive, but he is most popularly known for his Criminal Minds role as Supervisory Special Agent David Rossi.
Rossi is literally the senior supervisor of the main investigative team, both in age and as one of the founding members of the unit. In the final episode of season 15, SSA Rossi was a newlywed looking forward to retirement. Fans are excited to meet the married version of SSA Rossi, seeing how he balances his work and family life.
AJ Cook as Jennifer "JJ" Jareau
AJ Cook is best known for her role as Supervisory Special Agent Jennifer "JJ" Jareau on Criminal Minds. She has also appeared in other films such as Tru Calling, Final Destination 2, Higher Ground and The Virgin Suicides. She graced our screens each week for 15 seasons on Criminal Minds with her killer moves and witty dialogue, until the show ended in 2020. After the show wrapped, Cook decided to take a break from acting.
JJ is not only a tough agent, she is the face of the BAU to the press corp. JJ lost her somewhat sweet, school-girl demeanor after her classified deployment caused her to be captured and tortured. Her friendship with Penelope and Emily give her the support she needs on the job, as well as shoulders to lean on outside of work. In the last season, JJ was forced to confront some latent romantic feelings she has for Reid. Will that impact their working relationship in the new season?
Kirsten Vangsness as Penelope Garcia
Kirsten Vangsness has been with Criminal Minds since the pilot episode as Penelope Garcia. While Vangsness is best known as the bespectacled-brainiac-tech-kitten on the crime drama show (including the spin-off Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior), she has had a long and varied career that includes guest work on multiple TV shows like LAX, Phil of the Future and Agent Carter.
At the close of season 15, Penelope was leaving the BAU to work for a non-profit. She also agreed to start dating SSA Luke Alvez. In Criminal Minds: Evolution, fans are looking to see why Penelope rejoined the bureau and if her relationship with Luke worked out.
Aisha Tyler as Tara Lewis
Aisha Tyler is an actress, comedian, author, producer, writer, director and, most recently, pickleball athlete. She is best known for her roles as Andrea Marino in the first season of Ghost Whisperer, voicing Lana Kane in Archer, a co-host of The Talk, the current host of Whose Line is it Anyway? and her role as Dr. Tara Lewis on Criminal Minds. She joined the cast in season 11 and has played the role since.
Tara gets along well with the team, bonding especially with Rossi over antique cars. Tara also leans heavily on the team after her broken marriage engagement and the capture of her brother by BAU nemesis, Mr. Scratch. Fans expect to see more of the extremely bright, Ivy League-educated Dr. Lewis as she lends her expertise to the BAU.
Adam Rodriguez as Luke Alvez
Adam Rodriguez is an actor, screenwriter and director known for his roles as Eric Delko on CSI: Miami and Luke Alvez on Criminal Minds. Rodriguez portrayed SSA-in-training Luke Alvez, a member of the FBI Fugitive Task Force who joined the BAU to help them recapture 13 escaped serial killers. He started playing the role in season 12.
Luke, and his dog Roxy, was welcomed into the BAU, even though he is initially hazed by Penelope as the newbie. Luke endures the trauma of having his ex-partner and best friend killed by one the unsubs, which not only impacts him emotionally, but ultimately causes the end of his relationship with his live-in girlfriend. Fans are looking forward to seeing if his asking Penelope on a date in the last episode of season 15 blossoms into anything serious.
Paget Brewster as Emily Prentiss
Paget Brewster is known for her roles in the comedy series Friends, Andy Richter Controls The Universe and the crime drama Criminal Minds. In 2006, Brewster joined the Criminal Minds cast playing FBI profiler Emily Prentiss. It has been confirmed that Brewster returns to the series for the spinoff, Criminal Minds: Evolution.
As the section chief for the BAU, Emily has been through a lot and has led the team through much. From faking her own death to losing a team member, Emily has been tested and has proven she’s not just a tough agent, but a great leader and even better friend. She was once passed over for consideration for being the first female FBI director. Is that in the cards in the spinoff? And her new love interest, does that work out? Fans are eager to find out.
Zach Gilford as Elias Voit
Zach Gilford is one of the new additions to the Criminal Minds cast. The American actor is previously known for his role as Matt Saracen on the NBC sports drama series Friday Night Lights. In 2021, he starred in the Netflix horror limited series Midnight Mass. Gilford is a recurring guest star on Criminal Minds: Evolution.
The character of Voit is described as an operations analyst at a global cybersecurity firm with a dark side and an obsession with death.
Criminal Minds: Evolution premieres November 24 on Paramount Plus.
