Criminal Minds: Hewitt on Maternity Leave, Spin-Off without Gunn, Brewster to Come Back Next Season, And More

Criminal Season 11 will go ahead without actress Jennifer Love Hewitt. Hewitt, who had joined the cast of the popular series, has decided to quit the show because of her pregnancy. However, unlike actress A.J Cook, who is also on a maternity leave, there is no official news about Jennifer Love Hewitt returning to Criminal Minds, soon.

Crossmap has reported that A.J Cook is going to be away for the first few episodes of Criminal Minds Season, only to return on the second half of the season. When asked about the official reason for the absence of the two actresses, producer Erica Messer said that the reason for A.J Cook’s return and the departure of Jennifer Love Hewitt’s is because of their due dates and commitment to their families.

While Cook is enjoying maternity leave now, Hewitt has her due date only in July, when Criminal Minds Season 11 goes on the floor. Hewitt has said that she wants to be a hands-on mom and hence is going to be staying with her second child, keeping her career on the back burner for now.

With two of the cast members gone, there are speculations that the Criminal Minds spin-off, Beyond Borders might be cancelled. The first pilot for Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders was aired in April, and seeing the popularity, the executive producers went ahead to plan on releasing the series.

The pilot showed Anna Gunn in the star cast, but the actress has since then been removed from the show by the executive producers, who felt that her role wasn’t necessary since Gary Sinise, who was partnering her was capable of doing the part on his own.

Anna Gunn, played an important role in the pilot, will not be reprising her role as Lily Ambert in the series. CBS producer Nina Tassler has said that Gary Sinise is larger than life and is filling most of the aspects that were set aside for Gunn’s character.

Tassler made it clear to TV Line that Sinise is not replacing Gunn, but his character, Jack Garrett is fulfilling the role of Gunn’s Ambert. Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders seems to be shaping up well. A lot many actors will be included in the final cast, with Sinise leading the team to protect Americans in trouble in foreign countries.