Kirsten Vangness, Adam Rodriguez and Zach Gilford Talk 'Criminal Minds: Evolution'
Moviefone speaks with Kirsten Vangness, Adam Rodriguez and Zach Gilford Talk 'Criminal Minds: Evolution' Season 2. "We all love each other," Vangness said.
Premiering with two new episodes on June 6th on Paramount+ is the second season of ‘Criminal Minds: Evolution', which is a continuation of the popular series ‘Criminal Minds’.
The series stars Joe Mantegna ('The Godfather Part III'), A.J. Cook (‘Final Destination 2’), Kirsten Vangsness (‘Kill Me, Deadly’), Aisha Tyler (‘The Santa Clause 2’), Zach Gilford (‘The Purge: Anarchy’), Ryan-James Hatanaka (‘Nancy Drew’), Adam Rodriguez ('Magic Mike') and Paget Brewster (‘Batman and Harley Quinn’), as well as guest star Felicity Huffman (‘Desperate Housewives’).
Related Article: Joe Mantegna Talks Paramount+'s 'Criminal Minds: Evolution'
(L to R) Adam Rodriguez, Kirsten Vangsness and Zach Gilford talk 'Criminal Minds: Evolution' season 2.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Kirsten Vangsness, Adam Rodriguez and Zach Gilford about their work on the new season of ‘Criminal Minds: Evolution', returning for the first day of shooting, Gilford’s character’s new arc, Penelope and Tyler’s new working relationship, and Rodriguez and Gilford’s experience each directing an episode this season.
You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Vangsness, Rodriguez and Gilford, as well as Aisha Tyler, A.J. Cook and Ryan-James Hatanaka.
(L-R) Kirsten Vangsness as Penelope Garcia, A.J. Cook as Jennifer ‘JJ’ Jareau, Joe Mantegna as David Rossi and Aisha Tyler as Dr. Tara Lewis in 'Criminal Minds: Evolution' season 2, streaming on Paramount+, 2024. Photo Credit: Michael Yarish /Paramount+.
Moviefone: To begin with, Kirsten, in the first episode, there is a scene where all the characters are together at a party. Was it fun to do a scene like that, where you are not hunting a serial killer but just hanging out as a group? Was it too much fun? Did the director ever have to you remind you and the cast to stick to the script?
Kirsten Vangsness: It's probably more than you'd think that they would have to. I mean, also we'll just riff and then they get that. But it was a blast. I think it was our first day. Because we all love each other and we had twenty-eight different topics we're covering and then you're trying to run lines, and it's all kind of bleeding in together. But when we do the roundtable, when we have all those crazy lines, if you came, it's still like herding cats. Everybody knows their lines and we're all kind of boom, boom, boom, because we're all trying to get to the part where they say cut and we have a second to bulls**t.
(L to R) Kirsten Vangsness as Penelope Garcia, Aisha Tyler as Dr. Tara Lewis, Adam Rodriguez as Luke Alvez, Joe Mantegna as David Rossi and A.J. Cook as Jennifer ‘JJ’ Jareau in 'Criminal Minds: Evolution' season 2 streaming on Paramount+, 2024. Photo Credit: Michael Yarish /Paramount+.
MF: Adam, what is it like for you to return to this character and reunite with the rest of the cast?
Adam Rodriguez: The excitement of being back, the excitement of seeing each other, and catching up on things, I mean those days are a lot of fun for us. We must remind ourselves, be professional and pay attention to what we're supposed to be doing.
Zach Gilford as Elias Jasper Voit in 'Criminal Minds: Evolution' season 2 streaming on Paramount+, 2024. Photo Credit: Michael Yarish /Paramount+.
MF: Zach, last season your character was the serial killer the team was hunting, but this season he is helping them catch another killer, Hannibal Lector style. Can you talk about how Elias is working with BAU this season?
Zach Gilford: It's been a blast. I mean, last season I barely got to interact with anyone in front of the camera. I got to know everyone well and had such a great time doing so. But this season it's been so fun getting to just f**k with them and I am the bad guy. They all hate me and Elias's approach to manipulating them is getting under their skin and they may give me a lot of leeway to go off script a little bit when I feel like I come up with something that I think will needle them a bit. So, it's been fun, but really the most fun of it is getting to be there for the bulls**t between cut and hang out with all of them. It really is just such a great group of people.
(L to R) Kirsten Vangsness as Penelope Garcia, Ryan-James Hatanaka as Tyler Green, A.J. Cook as Jennifer ‘JJ’ Jareau, Joe Mantegna as David Rossi and Paget Brewster as Emily Prentiss in 'Criminal Minds: Evolution' season 2 streaming on Paramount+, 2024. Photo Credit: Michael Yarish /Paramount+.
MF: Kristen, now that Tyler has joined BAU, does that cause some anxiety for Penelope because of their past relationship? Can you talk about how she will deal with that this season?
Kirsten Vangsness: Honestly, the whole thing's uncomfortable. As an actor you're uncomfortable because it's this uncomfortable thing. So, it's fun to do and I think it'll be fun to watch and then it is so uncomfortable that it gets to a point where you're like, “How do we set up boundaries so that they're not around each other?” It is something I think that the writers were like, “We don't want to put people together because then you must deal with the reality of how awkward it is. You know what I mean? So, I think she's just understandably ticked that her friends would, out of all the people in the world that are experts, not get that one. It's just mean.
(L to R) Aisha Tyler as Dr. Tara Lewis, Adam Rodriguez as Luke Alvez, Joe Mantegna as David Rossi and A.J. Cook as Jennifer ‘JJ’ Jareau in Criminal Minds: Evolution' season 2, streaming on Paramount+, 2024. Photo Credit: Michael Yarish /Paramount+.
MF: Adam, you are directing again this season. What is it like directing an episode of this series and working with your fellow cast members?
Adam Rodriguez: Everybody's amazing. Amazingly supportive. Everybody shows up. Look, it's very difficult for the writers and for the people that handle scheduling, the producers that are putting schedules together, the ADs to try and accommodate all of us to direct. It's a huge undertaking for them, and we're all grateful for the effort that goes into making that happen. I think everybody's aware of the fact that we're on a clock and because of that there is a pressure to get things done. So, everybody shows up incredibly well-prepared and ready to deliver, and we pick and choose our moments to have fun. We do have a lot of fun on the show. But everybody really puts the team first. Just to sum that up, no matter what it is that's required of you as an individual, everybody's always willing to give their best because we know it's going to serve the team. The thing we want the most is to keep this show going because we love doing it.
(L to R) Joe Mantegna as David Rossi and Paget Brewster as Emily Prentiss in 'Criminal Minds: Evolution' season 2, streaming on Paramount+, 2024. Photo Credit: Michael Yarish /Paramount+.
MF: Finally, Zach, you are also directing an episode this season. What was that experience like for you?
Zach Gilford: This cast is, they're the f**king best. Adam has been a bit of a mentor to me. We met before we went back to the season, he talked to me a lot throughout and then in my episode. I mean honestly, there were two points where Adam, I was just like, "Dude, thank God it's Adam." One was, there's something where he had an instinct to do something, but it wasn't the way the script went. I kind of liked it, but other people were like, "I don't know. It's just not the way we wrote it. It's not the way we thought it was going to happen." I was like, "Adam, I like it your way." He is like, "Dude, you know what? Take your shot, man. If that's what you want, you're the director, go for it." I was like, "All right, we're going to do it that way." It totally worked great. Then there was another point where Adam magically finds a box. This happens on the show, they had a piece of evidence and it just felt so convenient. I was like, "Adam, it's going to feel awkward, but can you just search around this house for five minutes." He did it and it played so well because he was like, "Cool, I'll get it. It's going to feel super awkward and silly to me." But everybody's so giving and gets how this show works.
What is the plot of 'Criminal Minds: Evolution’ season 2?
In the wake of last season’s shocking finale, the upcoming all-new season of 'Criminal Minds: Evolution’ picks up as the FBI’s elite team of profilers investigates the deadly mystery of Gold Star. As the conspiracy unfolds, the Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU) is met with an unexpected complication when serial killer Elias Voit (Zach Gilford) negotiates a deal that transfers him to federal custody in the BAU’s own backyard. The team faces its biggest threat yet and cannot emerge unscathed from the mind-bending consequences.
Who is in the cast of 'Criminal Minds: Evolution’ season 2?
- Joe Mantegna as David Rossi
- AJ Cook as Jennifer "JJ" Jareau
- Kirsten Vangsness as Penelope Garcia
- Aisha Tyler as Dr. Tara Lewis
- Adam Rodriguez as Luke Alvez
- Paget Brewster as Emily Prentiss
- Ryan-James Hatanaka as Tyler Green
- Zach Gilford as Elias Voit
- Clark Gregg as FBI Director Ray Madison
- Paul F. Tompkins as Brian Garrity
- Felicity Huffman as Dr. Jill Gideon
(L to R) Joe Mantegna as David Rossi and Paget Brewster as Emily Prentiss in 'Criminal Minds: Evolution' season 2, streaming on Paramount+, 2024. Photo Credit: Michael Yarish /Paramount+.
TV Shows in the ‘Criminal Minds' Franchise:
- 'Criminal Minds' (2005 - 2023)
- 'Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior' (2011)
- 'Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders' (2016 - 2017)
Buy 'Criminal Minds' On Amazon
