{"id":86276,"date":"2026-04-29T03:00:35","date_gmt":"2026-04-29T03:00:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/diyhaven858.wasmer.app\/index.php\/criminal-minds-paget-brewster-recalls-being-fired-from-show\/"},"modified":"2026-04-29T03:00:35","modified_gmt":"2026-04-29T03:00:35","slug":"criminal-minds-paget-brewster-recalls-being-fired-from-show","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/diyhaven858.wasmer.app\/index.php\/criminal-minds-paget-brewster-recalls-being-fired-from-show\/","title":{"rendered":"Criminal Minds\u2019 Paget Brewster Recalls Being Fired From Show"},"content":{"rendered":"


\n<\/p>\n

\n

Criminal Minds<\/em> star Paget Brewster<\/strong> is recalling her brief departure from the show after being fired and subsequently brought back.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think it was season six or seven or something,\u201d Brewster, 57, said during the Monday, April 27, episode of Kristin Davis<\/strong>\u2019 \u201cAre You a Charlotte?\u201d podcast.<\/p>\n

The actress, who has portrayed Emily Prentiss since season 2 of the CBS crime drama, explained that Criminal Minds<\/em> did a backdoor pilot for another series, meaning that the episode served as an introduction to a spin-off series and helped determine whether the spin-off would move forward.<\/p>\n

\u201cApparently, this is what I heard, when Les Moonves<\/strong> \u2014 who is the now famously ousted president of CBS \u2014 when he got the pilot inside of our episode, it was the first time he\u2019d watched the show [in a while],\u201d Brewster claimed. \u201cWe think he saw the show for the first time in years and just said, \u2018Oh, I don\u2019t like those women. Get rid of those women.\u2019 And so, A.J. Cook<\/strong> and I were fired.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\"Criminal<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n
\n

\n

Related: <\/span>Matthew Gray Gubler \u2014 And Other OGs \u2014 Return for ‘Criminal Minds’ Funeral<\/span>
\n\t\t<\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n\t\t\tCriminal Minds: Evolution didn\u2019t just bring back Matthew Gray Gubler\u2018s Reid \u2014 but several other OG characters \u2014 for Will\u2019s funeral. During the Thursday, May 22, episode of the Paramount+ show, JJ (A. J. Cook) prepared for late husband Will\u2019s (Josh Stewart) funeral with help from Penelope Garcia (Kirsten Vangsness) and Emily Prentiss (Paget Brewster). [\u2026]\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Moonves, 76, resigned from his position as chairman and CEO of the network in 2018 after allegations of sexual harassment, sexual assault and abuse.<\/p>\n

Cook, 47, who plays Jennifer \u201cJJ\u201d Jareau on Criminal Minds<\/em>, briefly left the series after season 5 in 2010, along with Brewster. The latter returned for several episodes in season 6 after her \u201cagent went in and had a big fight\u201d with CBS, Brewster alleged. Meanwhile, Cook returned as a main cast member in season 7.<\/p>\n

Brewster claimed that although she was also asked to return full-time, she opted to leave the show after season 7 in 2012 because she was \u201cso mad\u201d at the network. She then ventured into comedy, including roles in the shows Grandfathered<\/em>, Community<\/em> and Another Period<\/em>.<\/p>\n

\n
\"TCDCRMI_I8021-paget-brewster-criminal-minds\"<\/div>
Paramount+ \/ courtesy Everett Collection<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Eventually, Brewster reconsidered her decision to step away from Criminal Minds.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cI really did hold on to that anger for too long,\u201d she recalled. \u201cIt was an unhealthy thing to hold onto. Because A.J. and I were like, \u2018We were early, we knew our lines, we never got into fights.\u2019 We were really angry. I held onto the anger for too long, and after four years, I finally thought, \u2018Why am I not [on the show]? I love everyone there. I just don\u2019t like Les Moonves, and I never have to see him because he doesn\u2019t care about this show.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Brewster returned to the show during season 12 in 2016 following former costar Thomas Gibson<\/strong>\u2019s firing for an altercation with a producer. Gibson, 63, played Aaron Hotchner, the chief of the FBI\u2019s Behavioral Analysis Unit. Brewster\u2019s character replaced Gibson\u2019s in the role.<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\"\u2018Criminal<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n
\n

\n

Related: <\/span>\u2018Criminal Minds\u2019 Cast: Then and Now<\/span>
\n\t\t<\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n\t\t\tCriminal Minds is back with a revival on Paramount+\u00a0\u2014 but fans have watched the cast change on and off screen since the procedural first debuted. In 2005, viewers were introduced to a group of criminal profilers who work for the FBI as members of its Behavioral Analysis Unit. The crime drama, which was created by [\u2026]\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Before agreeing to return to the show, Brewster said she argued for equal pay.<\/p>\n

\n
\n\t\"\"
\n\t\"\"<\/p>\n