Thomas Gibson

Thomas Ellis Gibson (born July 3, 1962) is an American actor and director best known for his roles as Aaron Hotchner on Criminal Minds (2005–16), Greg Montgomery on Dharma & Greg (1997–2002) and Daniel Nyland on Chicago Hope (1994–97).

Early life Gibson was born in Charleston, South Carolina, to Charles M. and Beth Gibson. He has three brothers and two sisters.

His mother was a social worker, and his father was a lawyer and liberal Democrat who served in the South Carolina state Senate and House. He is Catholic. Gibson's interest in the performing arts began at a young age. Gibson was fascinated by Louis Armstrong. He and his sister were on a swim team together, and they frequented a pizza parlor after their swim meets. It was at this pizza parlor that Gibson would sing along with a Dixieland band, complete with his attempt to impersonate Armstrong's singing voice.

As a child, Gibson enrolled in Little Theater School and later graduated from Bishop England High School. He then attended the College of Charleston (1979–1981) and became an intern at the Alabama Shakespeare Festival, where he was encouraged to apply to the Juilliard School. After a year and a half at Charleston, Gibson won a scholarship to Juilliard's Drama Division (Group 14: 1981–1985), where he graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 1985.

Career Gibson started acting when he was nine years old, in children's theater. He appeared in Julian Wiles' Seize the Street: the Skateboard Musical, a Young Charleston Theater Company (now Charleston Stage) production. As a teenager, he began his classical theater training by becoming a member of the Young Charleston Theater Company and the Footlight Players, often performing at the historic Dock Street Theatre. During his time at College of Charleston, Gibson was an intern at the Alabama Shakespeare Festival. Gibson made his stage debut in David Hare's A Map of the World in the New York Shakespeare Festival. He subsequently appeared in more plays for producer Joe Papp, both in Public Theater and in Central Park. He worked on and off Broadway for the next 10 years in a range of plays by Shakespeare, Christopher Marlowe, Molière, Tennessee Williams, Howard Brenton, Romulus Linney, Noël Coward, and Alan Ball. Gibson also waited tables at Tavern on the Green.

Criminal Minds In 2005, Gibson was cast as Supervisory Special Agent Aaron "Hotch" Hotchner, the unit chief of the Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU), in the series Criminal Minds.

Gibson directed six episodes of Criminal Minds beginning in 2013. Gibson had a prior altercation with an assistant director and had undergone anger-management counseling at that time.

On August 11, 2016, Gibson was suspended (after appearing in two episodes of the 12th season of Criminal Minds) following an on-set altercation with writer-producer Virgil Williams; he apologized for the confrontation in a statement, claiming the dispute arose from creative differences in an episode he was directing.

The following day, ABC Studios and CBS Television Studios (which co-distribute Criminal Minds) issued a statement announcing that Gibson's contract with the series had been terminated. The statement included the information that his character's exit story from the series had yet to be determined. In the October 12, 2016, episode "Taboo", the absence of Gibson's character is explained as being away on special assignment; however, in the episode "Elliot's Pond", it is revealed that he resigned and went into the Witness Protection Program after discovering that a serial killer was stalking his son.

Personal life Gibson resided in San Antonio, Texas, and has a house on Sullivan's Island, South Carolina, which he frequents. Gibson has three children. Gibson and his wife Christine separated in 2011, and he filed for divorce in 2014. The divorce was final on February 14, 2018.

Filmography

Film Year Title Role Notes 1992 Far and Away Stephen Chase 1993 Love and Human Remains David Stage Actor 1994 Barcelona Dickie Taylor Men of War Warren Sleep with Me Nigel 1997The Next Step Bartender 1999 Eyes Wide Shut Carl 2000 Psycho Beach Party Kanaka Chip Rockefeller Stardom Renny Ohayon 2001 Jack the Dog Faith's Attorney 2003 Manhood 2005 Come Away Home Gary Berkeley Thomas 2007 I'll Believe You Kyle Sweeney 2014 Son of Batman Slade Wilson / Deathstroke Voice role 2017 Axis Joseph Voice role 2019 Shadow Wolves Colonel Branson

Television Year Title Role Notes 1987 Leg Work Robbie Episode: "All This and a Gold Card Too" Guiding Light Peter Latham 1988 Lincoln William Sprague Miniseries 1988–1990 As the World Turns Derek Mason 1990 Peter Fitzwilliam Miniseries Another World Sam Fowler 1993 Tales of the City Beauchamp Day Miniseries 1994–1997 Chicago Hope Daniel Nyland 70 episodes 1995 Secrets Hailus Tuckman Television film 1996 Duckman Thomas Gibson Episode: "Pig Amok" Night Visitors Ross Williams Television film To Love, Honor and Deceive Matthew Carpenter / Stuart Buchanan Television film Caroline in the City Willard Stevens Episode: "Caroline and the Nice Jewish Boy" Paul Mornay VoiceEpisode: "Ghost Quest" 1997The Inheritance James Percy Television film Alexander Rotha Television film 1997–2002 Dharma & Greg Greg Montgomery 119 episodes 1998 More Tales of the City Beauchamp Talbot Day Miniseries Sin City Spectacular Unknown Episode: "1.6" James MacLaren Episode: "1.1" Nightmare Street Dr. Matt Westbrook / Joe Barnes Television film 2001 The Monkey King Nicholas Orton Television film 2003 Brush with Fate Richard Television film Evil Never Dies Detective Mark Ryan Television film 2004 Raising Waylon Reg Television film Category 6: Day of Destruction Mitch Benson Television film 2005 Stone Cold Troy Drake Television film 2005–2016 Criminal Minds Aaron Hotchner Lead role; 256 episodes (Seasons 1–12) 2006 In from the Night Aiden Byrnes Television film 2011 Two and a Half Men Greg Montgomery Episode: "Nice to Meet You, Walden Schmidt" 2015 Hot in Cleveland Tom Episodes: "Vegas Baby", "I Hate Goodbyes"

As director Year Title Notes 2001 Dharma & Greg Episodes: "The Story of K", "A Fish Tale" (Seasons 4 and 5) 2013–2016 Criminal Minds Episodes: "All That Remains", "Gabby", "Boxed In", "Lockdown", "The Night Watch", "Derek" (season 8, 9, 10 and 11)

Awards and nominations Year Award Category Work Result 1995 Screen Actors Guild Award Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series Chicago Hope 1996 Screen Actors Guild Award Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series 1997 Screen Actors Guild Award Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series 1998 Q Awards Best Actor in a Quality Comedy Series Dharma & Greg 1999 Golden Globe Best Performance by an Actor in a TV Series - Comedy/Musical 2000 Satellite Award Best Performance by an Actor in a Series, Comedy or Musical Golden Globe Best Performance by an Actor in a TV Series - Comedy/Musical 2010 Entertainment Weekly online poll Under-appreciated Entertainer of the Year Criminal Minds