Criminal Minds: Evolutionstar Aimee Garcia has revealed which cast members she was most excited to meet, after joining the show as a newcomer this year. After concluding in 2020 with its fifteenth season,Criminal Mindswas revived two years later asCriminal Minds: Evolution, and began airing on Paramount+. Garcia joined thecast ofCriminal Minds: Evolutionseason 3playing the part of Dr. Julia Ochoa, and is set to have a recurring role throughout the season.
Garcia, who made her series debut in the episode “The Zookeeper” sat down withScreenRantto discuss her experiences joining the iconic show, and which cast members she was most looking forward to meeting when she joined. Garcia talked in glowing terms about her co-stars, singling out Kirsten Vangsness and Joe Mantegna in particular. She described herself as"fangirling" over Vangsness, and how she felt a kinship with Mantegnabecause he was also from Chicago. Check out Garcia’s comments below:
ScreenRant: Were you already a fan of the show? And if so, was there anybody in particular you were really looking forward to sharing scenes with?
Aimee Garcia: Kirsten, because I’m such a goofball and I’m a huge hugger, and so I completely fangirled when I met her. We’re talking sweaty palms, possibly jumping up and down, and I was just so giddy to meet her and Joe, because he’s a fellow Chicagoan and I’m from Chicago. He’s a Cubs fan, and I just felt like he was so salt of the earth, which he is. He’s a complete class act, and I say he’s a national treasure. That must be protected at all costs.
What This Means For Garcia’s Time On Criminal Minds: Evolution
Garcia’s comments suggest that, despite being a seasoned actress, she was still a little starstruck by joining such an iconic and successful show. She recognizes the impact that the cast has had onCriminal Minds: Evolution.It seems as though her experiences so far have been positive, and joining the revival followingCriminal Minds' 15-season historymust have been very daunting for Garcia, but it seems like things are going well.
There is a good chance Dr. Ochoa could become a long-term character on the show, and may have a prominent role in cases moving forward.
It is unclear how many episodes Garcia might appear in over the course ofCriminal Minds: Evolutionseason 3, but Julia is a character there is clearly a plan for, and she has had meaty roles so far, particularly treating serial killer patient Elias Voit. There is a good chance that Garcia’s character could also return forCriminal Minds: Evolutionseason 4, and there are storylines with the character that could be set up in this season to continue in season 4, which presents exciting opportunities for Julia.
Our Take On Garcia’s Criminal Minds Future
She Could Become A Series Regular
Criminal Minds: Evolutionis a show that continues to reinvent itself, and this allows for new characters to have prominent arcs. Given that fan-favorite character Spencer Reid returned for a cameo inCriminal Minds: Evolutionseason 3, but has not been confirmed to be appearing again, there is plenty of room to introduce fresh and interesting characters. There is a good chance Dr. Ochoa could become a long-term character on the show, and may have a prominent role in cases moving forward.
Criminal Minds
Cast
Criminal Minds follows an elite team of FBI profilers from the Behavioral Analysis Unit as they analyze the nation’s most complex criminal minds, led by experienced agent David Rossi. The team works to anticipate and prevent crimes by understanding the behavior of these dangerous individuals.
