Why Thomas Gibson Was Fired From Criminal Minds (2024)

After 12 seasons as one of the only remaining original cast members, actor Thomas Gibson was fired from Criminal Minds, with FBI Special Agent Aaron Hotchner being written out of the series. When Criminal Minds’ 15-season series ended in 2020, only three original cast members remained on the show. Criminal Minds’ FBI cast revolved fairly often, with most actors choosing to leave the long-lasting show behind to pursue outside interests. This wasn’t the case for Aaron Hotchner actor Thomas Gibson, who was fired from Criminal Minds in 2016 after an on-set ordeal.

Aaron “Hotch” Hotchner began Criminal Minds’ show in 2005 as a humorless, hardworking, yet ultimately caring FBI BAU Supervisory Special Agent. The talented agent was notable for his struggles in balancing work with his family, culminating in the tragic death of a loved one by one of Criminal Minds' serial killers with a vendetta against him. After leading the team for over a decade, Hotch is phased out of the series entirely at the beginning of season 12. While Thomas Gibson’s last Criminal Minds episode was season 12, episode 2, Aaron Hotchner wasn’t officially written out until episode 6 of the same season. The character resigns to go into the Witness Protection Program after a serial killer stalks his son and eventually chooses to be a full-time father to Jack rather than return to the BAU.

Related: Criminal Minds: Steven Walker's Shocking Exit Explained

In early August 2016, Thomas Gibson was suspended from Criminal Minds due to an on-set physical altercation with one of the show’s writer-producers. After his suspension, Gibson made a public statement of regret for the incident, explaining the quarrel was based on creative differences surrounding a Criminal Minds episode he was directing. When Criminal Minds’ cast and crew made an official statement about the suspension, it was noted that Gibson had previously gotten into a dispute with one of Criminal Minds’ assistant directors, after which he attended mandatory anger management counseling (via Deadline). Gibson’s directorial pursuits on the show were immediately nixed, after having already helmed six episodes, with CBS announcing the termination of his acting contract on August 12, 2016.

Why Thomas Gibson Really Left Criminal Minds

Since continuing his role as Aaron Hotchner was still up for debate in the two weeks of his suspension, it makes sense that it took four episodes after Gibson’s last appearance to officially write out the character. Variety reported that the decision to fire movie and TV actor Thomas Gibson from Criminal Minds was weighed with past instances of his volatile behavior on set in mind, as many sources described his tendencies as both friendly and anger-prone. Following Criminal Minds’ firing of Thomas Gibson, it seems the actor has either taken a break from the screen or has struggled to find roles. Since Criminal Minds season 12, Gibson has only appeared in two projects: The 2019 TV film Shadow Wolves and a voice role in Criminals Minds actress Aisha Tyler’s 2017 movie Axis, which was recorded before his contract termination.

While Gibson’s firing may have been necessary for protecting the show’s on-set culture and the studio’s liability for repeated instances, Aaron Hotchner leaving Criminal Minds did present creative issues for Criminal Minds. Hotchner’s exit coincided with another original Criminal Minds cast member leaving the series, as Derek Morgan actor Shemar Moore departed at the end of Criminal Minds season 11. Losing two of the last five remaining original Criminal Minds characters in such a short time risked a ratings drop for the popular series, though the series wouldn’t see a substantial decline in viewership until season 13. While Aaron Hotchner appeared once more through archived footage in a flashback for Criminal Minds’ series finale, it seems unlikely that Hotch or Thomas Gibson will return to Paramount+’s upcoming revival of the series.

Could Thomas Gibson Return In The Criminal Minds Reboot?

Since he wasn't literally killed off, there's no reason that Aaron Hotchner the character can't join the returning cast for the Criminal Minds Paramount+ reboot. The chances of Thomas Gibson returning to play him, however, are slim to none. Since there's no real narrative reason to reintroduce even a recast Hotchner so many seasons after his exit, it's pretty safe to say that Gibson's legacy with the show is well and truly over, even as "the guy who used to play Hotch before the reboot." Gibson's fallout with the crew and other members of the Criminal Minds cast was astronomical, so much so it got covered by international press who'd usually pay little mind to behind-the-scenes drama on a US cop show.

Gibson wasn't just difficult to work with — he was allegedly volatile to the point of being violent on set. He also hasn't done any significant work since, so the studio has little incentive to try and rebuild those burned bridges for Criminal Minds season 16, even if mediation and resolution were possible (or desired). Gibson left Criminal Minds in 2016, and while some cast and crew from that time have since left the show, many still remain, and they would probably be unwilling to consider re-stoking workplace tensions for the sake of a Hotchner return. Since there's not really demand from Criminal Minds fans to see him back either (Prentiss has more than proved herself a better BAU lead), the chances that Thomas Gibson will be among the returning BAU alumni in the Paramount+ reboot are more or less nonexistent.