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‘Criminal Minds’ Season 12: Thomas Gibson Talks Shemar Moore And The Infamous Kick

By Frank Yemi
Published on: 03:56 PST, Sep 24, 2016

With Criminal Minds Season 12 starting in four days, Thomas Gibson has opened up about the kick that got him fired and his rumored feud with co-star Shemar Moore.

Many fans have rallied behind the Criminal Minds veteran who has plays SSA Aaron Hotchner since the beginning of the series. The hashtag #NoHotchNoWatch has made its rounds though social media as a response to Thomas Gibson’s firing.

In an interview with People magazine, Thomas Gibson gave his version of the infamous kick.

“We were shooting a scene late one night when I went to Virgil and told him there was a line that I thought contradicted an earlier line,” according to Gibson. “He said, ‘Sorry, it’s necessary, and I absolutely have to have it.”

Virgil Williams is an American TV producer and writer for Criminal Minds.

Thomas Gibson was unhappy with the response and told the publication that he then when back to the Criminal Minds set and spoke to his cast mates about the response he received when Williams entered the room.

“He came into that room and started coming towards me. As he brushed past me, my foot came up and tapped him on the leg,” Gibson recalls. “If I hadn’t moved, he would have run into me. We had some choice words, for which I apologized the next day, and that was it. It was over. We shot the scene, I went home – and I never got to go back.”

Some fans have criticized Thomas Gibson for his description of the kick as a tap. However, others feel that the incident does not warrant the actor being fired from the show.

Season 12 of Criminal Minds premieres Sept. 28 on CBS and Thomas Gibson will reprise his role as Aaron Hotchner in the first two episodes.

The showrunners are yet to give details on how the character will be written off the show. There is speculation that Aaron Hotchner will be written off in the same manner Derek Morgan left in Season 11.

However, it does not seem like Thomas Gibson and the showrunners are coming to an agreement.

Due to Shemar Moore’s alleged response to the Gibson’s firing, many fans have suspected that the two Criminal Minds veterans do not get along.

Moore wished Gibson the best of luck in his future endeavors in another interview and denied that his “karma” comments were about Gibson and suggested it was about Keith Tisdell who was a guest star on Criminal Minds. Tisdell allegedly stole $60,000 from Moore from which he won a lawsuit.

According to Thomas Gibson, the two stars have had their differences but he considers Shemar Moore a brother and suggests that they have already hashed out their problems.

“Shemar and I did have disagreements early on. People work differently and have different priorities, but we are like brothers and worked through it,” Gibson told People magazine.

More evidence of their mended relationship came when Gibson revealed that he directed the episodes leading to Derek Morgan’s exit in Season 11.

“I was so happy to direct the three-episode arc that was written to send him off, with hugs and kisses [at the end of last season].”

Thomas Gibson expressed his disappointed that he will be erased from Criminal Minds. The actor is currently enjoying the extra time he has to spend with his family and has joined social media to interact with the Criminal Minds fans who support him.

The 54-year old actor also addressed a DUI incident in the interview and kept an optimistic attitude about his future.

You will have to tune into Criminal Minds next week when the show returns to find out how Hotchner exits the show.

What are your predictions for Criminal Minds Season 12?

Does Aaron Hotchner get killed by a serial killer, get transferred to another department, or retire?

Leave your thoughts in the comment section.

[Featured Image by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images]

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