{"id":342194,"date":"2026-05-28T23:47:55","date_gmt":"2026-05-28T18:17:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/?p=342194"},"modified":"2026-05-28T23:47:55","modified_gmt":"2026-05-28T18:17:55","slug":"which-criminal-minds-stars-are-and-arent-returning-for-season-19","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/2026\/05\/28\/which-criminal-minds-stars-are-and-arent-returning-for-season-19\/","title":{"rendered":"Which Criminal Minds Stars Are \u2014 And Aren’t \u2014 Returning for Season 19?"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Criminal Minds<\/em> appeared to hint at a possible major forged exit ahead of season 19 \u2014 but who is predicted to return to date?<\/p>\n

The official account for the hit Paramount+ series shared a photograph from the set in May 2025 with the caption, \u201cThe BAU is back on the case! A brand new season of Criminal Minds: Evolution<\/em> has officially began filming.\u201d<\/p>\n

Within the social media post, Joe Mantegna, Aisha Tyler, Kirsten Vangsness, Adam Rodriguez, A.J. Cook, Paget Brewster<\/strong> and Ryan-James Hatanaka<\/strong> all smiled for the camera. The one major forged member missing? Zach Gilford<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The primary season of Criminal Minds: Evolution<\/em> (a.k.a. season 16 of the OG Criminal Minds<\/em> series) introduced Voit because the major antagonist. The BAU spent the whole season hunting down the prolific killer, who they nicknamed Sicarius after linking him to 62 murders \u2014 and for being the mastermind behind establishing an internet network of fellow serial killers.<\/p>\n

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Related: <\/span>\u2018Criminal Minds\u2019 Solid: Then and Now<\/span>
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\n\t\t\tCriminal Minds is back with a revival on Paramount+\u00a0\u2014 but fans have watched the forged change on and off screen for the reason that procedural first debuted. In 2005, viewers were introduced to a gaggle of criminal profilers who work for the FBI as members of its Behavioral Evaluation Unit. The crime drama, which was created by [\u2026]\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

After Voit was arrested \u2014 for a single murder \u2014 he became an expert criminal consultant for the BAU. Voit\u2019s status because the villain was left up within the air when earlier this season he had significant memory loss that caused him to not be labeled as a psychopath.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat is what I like about it’s his brain patterns. His brain is literally physically modified. So in theory, he’s a very good person and he’s a traditional person now. But he still has done all those things,\u201d Gilford exclusively told Us Weekly<\/em> in May 2025. \u201cIt\u2019s a extremely cool concept that though neurologically this person would never do that again \u2014 he has done it. It’s just such a crazy concept that there\u2019s no real right answer to. Ultimately I\u2019m like, \u2018Well, he did do all of it \u2026 allegedly.’\u201d<\/p>\n

Voit\u2019s unclear future on the show got here after Josh Stewart<\/strong>\u2018s character Will was killed off. In a May 2025 episode, JJ\u2019s (Cook) husband, Will, collapsed after experiencing a headache. The team rushed to the hospital to support JJ, only to search out out that Will didn\u2019t make it.<\/p>\n

Paramount+ confirmed in March 2026 that Gilford is returning alongside latest guest stars: Connor Storrie, Justin Kirk, Yvette Nicole Brown, Clark Gregg, Paul F. Tompkins, Cress Williams, Kofi Siriboe, Lyndon Smith, Richard Cabral, Jeri Ryan, Rob Yang, Nicholas Gonzalez, Inny Clemons, Nicole Pacent, Dash Mihok, Joseph Cross<\/strong> and Cara Jade Myers<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Keep scrolling for what to learn about which Criminal Minds<\/em> characters are coming back \u2014 and which could not:<\/p>\n

Joe Mantegna<\/h3>\n
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Mantegna is about to return within the role of Rossi, which he has played since taking on for Mandy Patinkin<\/strong> in the unique Criminal Minds<\/em> show.<\/p>\n

A. J. Cook<\/h3>\n
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Cook will return to play JJ, who continues to be mourning the lack of her husband.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe definitely touch on loads of the grief phases. And it is just not like we shoot one episode and she or he\u2019s passed through all of it and it\u2019s tied up neatly with a pleasant bow. That\u2019s not how grief works,\u201d Cook told TV Insider<\/em> in May 2025. \u201cSo that is going to be something that we\u2019re going to see throughout the entire season. After which beyond that.\u201d<\/p>\n

She continued: \u201cThis never goes away. This now has shaped her into this latest single mother, and it can proceed shaping her as she now learns to work through life this manner. So I\u2019m excited to see what that appears like for her. It\u2019s been a journey already, and it\u2019ll proceed to be a journey in Criminal Minds form.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kirsten Vangsness<\/h3>\n
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Since Vangsness was within the photo from set, it feels protected to assume that Garcia is just not going anywhere any time soon.<\/p>\n

Aisha Tyler<\/h3>\n
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One other character who seemed to be protected was Tara (Tyler) after coping with some issues in her personal life before reuniting with girlfriend Rebecca (Nicole Pacent<\/strong>) in season 18.<\/p>\n

Zach Gilford<\/h3>\n
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Gilford \u2014 and the remainder of the Criminal Minds<\/em> forged \u2014 has acknowledged that Voit can\u2019t remain on the show for good.<\/p>\n

\u201cI used to be alleged to leave the show some time ago and I\u2019ve been pitching, \u2018Well, I actually have to go away sooner or later. If you happen to\u2019re not going to kill me, we must always have a derivative,’\u201d Gilford quipped to Us in May 2025. \u201cIt\u2019s called Criminal Mind: Voit<\/em> and it follows what Voit is doing when he’s out on this planet. One way or the other he either escapes or he gets released and he is that this white whale to the BAU. So Criminal Minds can keep going and having their [unsub] of the week \u2014 but they\u2019ll all the time be like, \u2018I’m wondering if Voit had something to do with this.’\u201d<\/p>\n

He is predicted to return in season 19.<\/p>\n

Ryan-James Hatanaka<\/h3>\n
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While season 18 explored Tyler (Hatanaka) working with the BAU while training to officially join the team, it was revealed that he would likely should be moved elsewhere to realize experience. Tyler seemed shocked that it could take 10 years for him to officially be a part of the BAU team \u2014 but to date the show has found ways to maintain him working with the remainder of the team in the sector.<\/p>\n

Adam Rodriguez<\/h3>\n
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Rodriguez, who’s presumably returning as Luke, recently spoke to Us<\/em> about how high the stakes are on the show.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou never need to turn the page [and find out that your character was killed off]. But I’ll say that because of our boss and leader on the show, [showrunner] Erica Messer, nobody could be surprised by that. You’d definitely get a call long before that was going to occur,\u201d Rodriguez told Us<\/em> in May 2025. \u201cYou could be given a heads up, I can say needless to say. But no one desires to get that decision.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rodriguez praised Criminal Minds<\/em> for being a very good place to work, adding, \u201cWe love being there. That is such a dream job. It’s just such a beautiful place to indicate up and go to work daily. No one wants it to be over and no one wants to go away. So hopefully we get to do the show for a very long time.\u201d<\/p>\n

He continued: \u201cHopefully no one gets sacrificed for the sake of excellent television and we discover another folks that we will construct enough merit. Will ended up serving that purpose this 12 months. But I feel it just brings something else to the show that fans can enjoy and suffer through with us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Paget Brewster<\/h3>\n
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Based on the behind the scenes photos, Prentiss is alive and well by the point season 18 will come to an end.<\/p>\n

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