Top 30 Stars You Forgot Were on Criminal Minds

Rossdale is obviously best known as a rockstar and member of the British band Bush, which he co-founded all the way back in 1992. You might also remember that he was married to Gwen Stefani from 2002-2016. Yes, Stefani doesn’t just like country music singers. But back to Rossdale who, although best known for his musical talents, has done a fair bit of acting over the last few decades, with roles in movies like “Constantine.” And in 2009, he starred in an episode of “Criminal Minds” as a rocker named Paul Davies with an on-stage alter-ego named Dante. His music is connected to multiple bloody killings. However, Davies is later found innocent when it’s revealed that his manager was the mastermind behind the vampiristic murders committed by a mentally unwell fan, Gina.

As with most actors who started out young in the industry, it can be hard to see Daryl Sabara as anyone other than Juni Cortez from the “Spy Kids” franchise. However, he had various television roles in shows, including “Wizards of Waverly Place” and “Ben 10,” and continued acting into adulthood with more mature projects like Rob Zombie’s “Halloween.” In recent years, Sabara has made headlines due to his relationship with Meghan Trainor. But back in a season 2 episode of “Criminal Minds,” he played Kevin Rose, a teenager who helps the team catch a predator that leads to the safe return of a victim.

Given he’s spent much of his career under heavy special effects makeup, Doug Jones is pretty unrecognizable. But you’ve more than likely seen him in any of his roles — Billy Butcherson in “Hocus Pocus,” Amphibian Man in “The Shape of Water,” and more recently, Baron Afanas in “What We Do in the Shadows.” The talented actor and contortionist also guest starred in not one, but two “Criminal Minds” episodes as different characters. In the season one episode “Blood Hungry,” he played Domino Thacker, a man with a criminal record and history of substance use. Then in season 4’s “Brothers in Arms,” Jones briefly appeared as a fight club captain named Beanie.

In “Stand by Me,” Wil Wheaton went on a hike with his three best friends to see the corpse of a local found close to train tracks. In the “Criminal Minds” season four episode, “Paradise” Wheaton’s character is the one causing a string of corpses as a motel owner slash serial killer. If you thought he was evil in his first couple appearances on “The Big Bang Theory,” that’s nothing compared to the deep, dark and disturbed force he was as Floyd Hansen on “Criminal Minds.” Using his motel as his criminal playground, this was one seriously disturbed character. You might recognize two of Hansen’s victims, played by “Teen Witch” star Robyn Lively and “Lost” alum William Mapother. Their characters Abby and Ian Corbin have a nightmarish stay, but unlike so many others, they make it out alive.

From 2009 to 2011, Juilliard grad Finn Wittrock played Damon Miller in over 100 episodes of “All My Children.” But since he starred as wealthy psychopath Dandy Mott in “American Horror Story: Freak Show,” the actor became a Ryan Murphy regular, continuing to work with him on “AHS,” “The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story,” and “Ratched.” In the episode “True Genius,” Wittrock’s Harvey Morell is a successful guy getting married until his old pal, Caleb Rossmore, becomes jealous. Caleb tries to reignite their shared obsession with the Zodiac Killer by committing a string of copycat murders. It’s later revealed that the former friends murdered someone together, so Harvey isn’t exactly innocent, which is pretty on-brand with Wittrock’s other roles.

Dean Norris played a lot of military and law enforcement roles throughout his acting career, notably DEA Agent Hank Schrader on the hit series “Breaking Bad.” He kept the streak going in this episode, appearing as Detective John Barton, who the BAU assists in finding a missing girl, Rebecca Daniels, played by “Teen Wolf” alum Holland Roden. Barton is emotionally invested in the case and when they finally save her from captivity, he comforts her. And while they weren’t in the same episode, Norris’ “Breaking Bad” co-star Anna Gunn was Agent Lily Lambert on season 10’s “Beyond Borders,” and the spin-off series of the same name.

Two decades after taking off her glasses, letting down her hair and turning heads in “She’s All That,” Cook turned Spencer Reid’s head in the final season of “Criminal Minds.” Cook appeared in two episodes, and although she and Reid had an obvious attraction, they ran into some problems right as their romance was starting. That “problem” being an international serial killer with a vendetta against Reid, Cat Adams. But they weathered that psychopathic storm and ended her final appearance on the show with a kiss. Some fans worried that the relationship had fizzled when Reid showed up alone to the party in the final episode. But TVLine quoted a source saying that the relationship was, “intentionally left open to viewer interpretation.”

Torres has been working in Hollywood since the early 90s, but is probably best known for her roles as Jessica Pearson in “Suits”, Zoe Washburne in “Firefly” and an EMS replacement captain on “9-1-1: Lone Star.” However, the talented Ms. Torres had yet to land either role back in 2008 when she made her guest star turn on “Criminal Minds.” In the season four episode, “Normal” Gina played Detective Thea Salinas who works with the BAU team on a case involving a spree killer targeting female drivers on California freeways. Fans of “The X-Files” probably did a double take seeing “The X-Files” actor Mitch Pileggi as Norman Hill, aka “The Road Warrior.”

Although he’s had other roles in film and television, it’s hard to see Brian Baumgartner as anyone other than Kevin Malone on “The Office.” So, imagine viewers’ surprise seeing him as a spree-killing unsub in the 9th season of “Criminal Minds.” The actor played shipyard worker Bill Harding who had a lot going on for one episode. He suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after a childhood tragedy and as an adult, he received a terminal mesothelioma diagnosis. The chilling part isn’t what we’d expect from the hilarious and lovable Baumgartner, but he really showed his range here.

While Jackson Rathbone has several credits to his name, the actor-musician is undoubtedly most known as Jasper Hale in the “The Twilight Saga” franchise. In the middle of the pandemonium, he found time to guest star on “Criminal Minds.” He played Adam Jackson, a hotel employee suspected of murdering male guests on vacation. After the BAU interviews him, Reid believes his behavior points to a dissociative identity disorder (DID). Adam spent years living with his abusive stepfather and his mind formed an alternate personality called Amanda to protect him. Rathbone delivers a nuanced performance that makes Adam one of the rare sympathetic unsubs.

“Star Trek” fans know actor-director Jonathan Frakes as Commanding Officer/Captain William T. Riker on “Star Trek: The Next Generation” along with other shows, films, and video games in the franchise. Younger audiences may recognize his voice in several animated series like “Gargoyles,” “Adventure Time,” and “Guardians of the Galaxy.” Frakes also had his turn as one of the hosts of “Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction.” But his appearance in one of “Criminal Minds”’ most disturbing episodes deserves more recognition. Frakes played child psychiatrist Dr. Arthur Malcolm, whose daughter Samantha became a serial killer after enduring his years of mistreatment. He finds himself on the receiving end of Dr. Spencer Reid’s verbal takedown, which is oh-so-satisfying.

Muniz is best known for his starring role as the titular “Malcolm” in the 2000s sitcom “Malcolm in the Middle.” The success of that show raised Frankie’s profile to the point where he was one of the biggest teen movie stars of the decade, with films like “Big Fat Liar” and the “Agent Cody Banks” movies. But while Muniz worked primarily in the comedy and children-friendly arena, his turn on “Criminal Minds” was anything but. Frankie went way against type as vigilante-serial-killer Johnny McHale in the season three episode “True Night.” It’s one of the more tragic cases of the show and Muniz delivered an impressive performance as a grieving artist.

Michelle Trachtenberg has been a familiar face since the 1990s, starring in films like “Harriet the Spy” and “Inspector Gadget.” The budding actress also dominated the small screen in shows such as “The Adventures of Pete & Pete,” “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” and later a recurring role on “Gossip Girl.” But for “Criminal Minds” fans, Trachtenberg was Diane Turner, the stalker unsub who killed Spencer Reid’s love interest, geneticist Maeve Donovan, played by “Leverage”’s Beth Riesgraf. Spencer and Maeve only got to meet in person once before he had to witness Turner take her own life along with Maeve’s.

Though the actor’s career spans decades, Tony Todd became synonymous with the titular “Candyman” when he donned the hook for the first time in 1992. He’s also known as the ominous mortician William Bludworth in the “Final Destination” franchise. But in an episode of “Criminal Minds,” he played Eric Miller, an innocent man wrongfully accused of a horrific crime. Todd gives a brief but heartbreaking performance as a father suffering the devastating loss of his family while also locked up in jail. Though not in this episode, the show also featured other horror icons including, Jigsaw himself, Tobin Bell.

Brad Dourif began his acting career in the 1970s, notably portraying Billy Bibbit in “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,” a role that earned him an Oscar nom and Golden Globe win. However, most might recognize him, well, his voice, as Charles Lee Ray, aka Chucky, in the long-running “Child’s Play” franchise. Interestingly, his turn on “Criminal Minds” would involve puppets, though not of the killing variety. Dourif played Adam Rain in season 8’s “The Lesson,” a man who suffered damage to his prefrontal cortex, resulting in his childlike state of mind. Reliving the traumatic night his father died, Adam begins kidnapping people and dislocating their joints to make them into human marionettes. It’s definitely one of the more disturbing episodes.

Before Sheryl Lee Ralph was winning Emmys for her stellar performance on “Abbott Elementary,” she played Hayden Montgomery, a diplomat and the second Mrs. David Rossi. The former couple reconnects after he meets Joy, their daughter who he didn’t know existed. Ralph, also famous for “Moesha” and “Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit,” appeared in two episodes in season 11 with her character reconciling with Rossi and getting back together. However, their relationship ended off-screen in later seasons. Interestingly, her “Abbott” co-star, Tyler James Williams, also appeared in the show as technical analyst Russ Montgomery, though the characters aren’t said to be related.

Even the most avid of “Criminal Minds” watchers would be forgiven for not recognizing future “Euphoria” star Sydney Sweeney, because she’s young and has very few lines of dialogue. But she certainly made an impact. Joining her in this Season 5 episode is Joshua Rush, best known for playing Cyrus Goodman in “Andy Mack,” though his screen time is even shorter. His appearance is a blink and you’ll miss it a moment. Sweeney’s Dani Forester and Rush’s Ronny Downey don’t share any scenes together. However, both of their characters are victims of a family annihilator.

Legendary actor Ed Asner began his career in the 1950s and worked until his passing at age 91 in 2021. His most famous role is Lou Grant, whom he played for over a decade, starting on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” and later, the eponymous spin-off. He also became known to younger audiences as Santa Claus in “Elf” and the voice of Carl Fredricksen in Pixar’s “Up.” On “Criminal Minds,” Asner played Roy Brooks, Haley and Jessica’s father, who made his only appearance five seasons after Haley died in season 5. Roy spends most of the episode making sure Hotch knows that he blames him for his daughter’s death. Asner perfectly delivers the emotional lines with the not-so-subtle hostile undertone of a grieving father.

As far as we can tell, Ben Savage has no familial relationship to Mandy Patinkin, and yet he has made a small career for himself in the 21st century playing Mr. Patinkin’s younger self. In 2020, he guest starred in one episode of the Showtime series, “Homeland” as a younger Saul Berenson. However, previous to that he had twice shown up on “Criminal Minds” playing, that’s right, a young Jason Gideon. And fun fact: his second appearance on “Criminal Minds” was on the show’s penultimate episode, as was his turn on “Homeland.”

Though playing Dylan McKay on “Beverly Hills, 90210” skyrocketed him to stardom in the 1990s, modern audiences likely know the late Luke Perry as Fred Andrews on “Riverdale.” Perry appeared in two episodes as cult leader Benjamin Cyrus. Perry’s character was inspired by real-life cult leaders David Koresh and Jim Jones and commits similarly awful actions. He holds Reid and Prentiss hostage inside the compound until the team is finally able to save them. Perry showed up again in the season 14 premiere “300,” so named because it was the 300th episode of the series. And to celebrate the milestone, the series treated fans to a history of the show and characters and brought back a number of faces from the past, including Cyrus, via flashback.

Although both end up with a criminal record, Alexander’s George Costanza and Henry Grace are two very different characters. And we aren’t just talking about the hairdo. While George is found guilty of criminal indifference and sentenced to one year in prison, Henry murders several people and is eventually executed. Grace is the brother of a serial killer who was captured by Rossi and who makes it his mission to get revenge for that. But in the end, Rossi is able to outsmart the long-haired killer and send him away for good.

Robert Engund made his film debut all the way back in 1974 and has continued to work in film and television for over 40 years now. But, it was, and still is, the “Nightmare on Elm Street” movies that are what he is most associated with. However, as a change of pace, instead of killing people in their dreams, Englund played a detective on “Criminal Minds.” As Detective Gassner, he comes in to help the BAU team solve a number of ritualistic murders. These crimes are committed by James Heathridge, played by Kyle Gallner. Horror fans might recognize the actor from several films, including the 2010 remake of…“A Nightmare on Elm Street.” While many people might not remember Englund’s appearance on the show, there’s a good chance some didn’t even recognize him, given that, as Freddy Krueger, he is heavily made up.

Fans of “The Office'' will remember Evan as Michael’s nephew who, in an effort to teach him a lesson, he spanks in front of the entire office. But for the non-”Office” superfans, he is probably best known for his roles in the “X-Men” franchise and “American Horror Story” anthology. And speaking of horrors, Peters' character in “Criminal Minds” lived a horror story of his own. Charlie Hillridge was kidnapped as a kid and held captive for years by his abductors. After years in captivity, Charlie was forced by his captors to help them commit their crimes and kidnap more victims.

Satanic serial killer and cannibal Floyd Feylinn Ferell is a hard unsub to forget. However, not everyone realized it was actor-comedian Jamie Kennedy under the beard and glasses. And it’s not exactly a role we’d expect him to play since he’s known for films like “Romeo + Juliet” and “Malibu’s Most Wanted.” Of course, Kennedy is best recognized as horror expert Randy Meeks in the “Scream” franchise. Ferell first appeared in Season 3’s “Lucky,” when the BAU investigated an especially disturbing murder in Bridgewater, Florida. Kennedy reprised the role in the season 13 episode, “Lucky Strikes,” which saw him trying and failing to gain his freedom.

Fanning played Tracy Belle, a young girl who was almost the victim of Cameron Monaghan’s young serial killer Jeffrey Charles. Monaghan is no stranger to playing disturbed characters, like twin brothers Jerome and Jeremiah Valeska, the Joker-esque characters on the “Gotham” TV series. After being saved by Gideon and the BAU team, Tracy and her family moved to another city. Later on, in the season 2 finale when Frank Breitkopf is killing people who had, at one time, been saved by the BAU, Tracy again comes face to face with evil and is abducted by Breitkopf. Thankfully, Gideon is able to save her again.

There are probably those wondering how they forgot that the guy who played Jesse Pinkman was on an episode of “Criminal Minds.” Well, when Aaron Paul appeared on the show in 2005, Jesse Pinkman was nothing more than possibly a glimmer in the eye of “Breaking Bad” creator Vince Gilligan. Still three years away from his breakthrough role, Paul played Michael Zizzo, a suspect in a series of cult-related killings. As a self-proclaimed Satanist, he fits the profile that the real killer, Cory Bridges, takes advantage of. His hostility while being interrogated sure didn’t help either. And while Jesse Pinkman would be guilty of a number of crimes, Mike Zizzo was exonerated and let go after being interrogated.

Ariel Winter started acting very early in life, appearing on “Monk” and voicing animated characters in series like “Phineas and Ferb.” In the late 2000s, she landed the breakthrough role of Alex Dunphy on “Modern Family.” Winter also voiced Sofia Cordova in the Disney Junior series “Sofia the First,” as well as spin-off movies. But before either of the life-changing roles, she played Katie Jacobs, a young girl who goes missing while at the mall with her family. It’s one of the tensest, saddest episodes of the show, which says a lot considering the cases they handle. Winter doesn’t have as much screen time as other supporting characters but she’s incredibly adorable and sympathetic in the brief moments we see her.

Even if you don’t know his name, chances are you’ve seen and/or heard Walton Goggins in something. You’ll find the versatile actor in several Quentin Tarantino films, including “Django Unchained,” along with several TV shows — “Justified,” “The Righteous Gemstones,” “Fallout.” In the late 2000s, Goggins also found time to play John Cooley, an old friend of Emily Prentiss who delivers the devastating news that their mutual friend Matthew Benton died. But it’s the unusual circumstances involving an exorcism that lead to an unofficial BAU investigation. Cooley almost meets the same fate, but Prentiss rescues him just in time. “Demonology” also features actors James Remar as Tom Benton and Carmen Argenziano as Father Paul Silvano.

Matthew Lillard has had a long career in film and television playing more than one iconic character. For younger audiences, he’s Shaggy Rogers from many “Scooby-Doo” films, as well as countless animated series, and video games. But to everyone else, Lillard is known for playing Stu Macher in “Scream,” one-half of the OG Ghostface duo, so he’s no stranger to the horror genre or playing crazed murderers. In season 8’s “The Apprenticeship,” Lillard embodied another serial killer, David Roy Turner. The episode sees his character mentoring young killer-in-training, Toby Whitewood.

In season 2’s “Sex, Birth, Death,” Spencer Reid is approached by Nathan Harris, a student trying to make sense of his violent urges. The Reid-centric episode sees the doctor doing whatever he can to help the distressed young man and ultimately, saves his life. Anton Yelchin’s powerful performance makes Nathan one of the most sympathetic characters in the show’s history. The late actor was known for stepping into the role of Pavel Chekov in 2009’s “Star Trek” reboot and its subsequent sequels. Yelchin had starring roles in a number of films, including “Like Crazy,” “Fright Night,” and “Green Room.” Sadly, the 27-year-old passed away following an accident in 2016.

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