Thomas Gibson

Thomas Gibson
Gibson on the set of Criminal Minds in 2010
Born
Thomas Ellis Gibson

(1962-07-03) July 3, 1962 (age 61)[1]
EducationCollege of Charleston
Juilliard School (BFA)
Occupation(s)Actor, director
Years active1987–present
Known forAaron Hotchner in Criminal Minds
Daniel Nyland in Chicago Hope
Greg Montgomery in Dharma and Greg
Spouse
Christine Parker
(m. 1993; div. 2018)
[2][3]
Children3

Thomas Ellis Gibson (born July 3, 1962) is an American actor and director. He is best known for his television roles as Aaron Hotchner on Criminal Minds (2005–2016), Greg Montgomery on Dharma & Greg (1997–2002) and Daniel Nyland on Chicago Hope (1994–1997).

Early life[edit]

Gibson was born in Charleston, South Carolina, to Charles M. and Beth Gibson.[4] 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.[5] He is Catholic.[6] 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.[7]

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),[8] where he graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 1985.[9]

Career[edit]

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.[7]

Gibson's first television appearance was in 1987, in a guest role on the legal drama Leg Work, followed by stints on the daytime dramas As the World Turns and Another World. In 1992, Gibson made his movie debut in Ron Howard's Far and Away, in which he portrayed Stephen Chase. Chase was the villainous rival of Joseph Donnelly (Tom Cruise) for Shannon Christie's (Nicole Kidman) affections. His next lead role was in 1993 as David, a gay waiter, in Denys Arcand's Love and Human Remains. Also in 1993, he played bisexual businessman misanthrope Beauchamp Day in the television version of Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City (1993). At the time, Tales of the City was highly controversial for its gay, transgender, bisexual, and drag-queen characters along with nudity, sexual situations, drug use, and explicit language. Gibson later reunited with Arcand in Stardom (2000). In 1999, Gibson had a supporting role in Stanley Kubrick's final film Eyes Wide Shut, where he was reunited with Cruise. Gibson then returned to television, portraying Dr. Danny Nyland on the medical drama Chicago Hope from 1994 to 1998. From 1997 to 2002, Gibson portrayed Greg Montgomery in the sitcom Dharma & Greg, for which he was nominated twice for a Golden Globe Award. After Dharma & Greg, Gibson appeared in various TV movies.

Criminal Minds[edit]

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 (in 2001, he directed two last-season episodes of Dharma & Greg). Gibson had a prior altercation with an assistant director and had undergone anger-management counseling at that time.[10]

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 a writer-producer; 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 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.[11] 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 noticing a serial killer stalking his son.

Personal life[edit]

Gibson resides in San Antonio, Texas, and has a house on Sullivan's Island, South Carolina, which he frequents.[12] His son, Travis Carter, was featured in the Season 10 episode "Boxed In" (#5) of Criminal Minds as a friend of a kidnapped child.[13] Gibson and his wife Christine separated in 2011, and he filed for divorce in 2014.[14] The divorce was final on February 14, 2018.[3][2]

Gibson enjoys golf. He plays at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am every year, as well as other golfing events, and is friends with golfer Corey Pavin. He was part of the 2010 Host Committee for the Inaugural SAG Foundation Golf Classic, and he co-hosted the 2nd Annual SAG Foundation Golf Classic with Criminal Minds castmate Joe Mantegna.[15]

Filmography[edit]

Film[edit]

Year Title Role Notes
1992 Far and Away Stephen Chase
1993 Love and Human Remains David
The Age of Innocence Stage Actor
1994 Barcelona Dickie Taylor
Men of War Warren
Sleep with Me Nigel
1997 The Next Step Bartender
1999 Eyes Wide Shut Carl
2000 Psycho Beach Party Kanaka
The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas Chip Rockefeller
Stardom Renny Ohayon
2001 Jack the Dog Faith's Attorney
2003 Manhood Faith's Attorney
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

Television[edit]

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 The Kennedys of Massachusetts 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"
The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest Paul Mornay Voice
Episode: "Ghost Quest"
1997 The Inheritance James Percy Television film
The Devil's Child 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"
A Will of their Own 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"
2019 Shadow Wolves Colonel Branson Main role

As director[edit]

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[edit]

Year Award Category Work Result
1995 Screen Actors Guild Award Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series Chicago Hope Nominated
1996 Screen Actors Guild Award Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series Nominated
1997 Screen Actors Guild Award Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series Nominated
1998 Q Awards Best Actor in a Quality Comedy Series Dharma & Greg Nominated
1999 Golden Globe Best Performance by an Actor in a TV Series - Comedy/Musical Nominated
2000 Satellite Award Best Performance by an Actor in a Series, Comedy or Musical Nominated
Golden Globe Best Performance by an Actor in a TV Series - Comedy/Musical Nominated
2010 Entertainment Weekly online poll[16] Under-appreciated Entertainer of the Year Criminal Minds Won

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Thomas Gibson". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved April 28, 2022.
  2. ^ a b "Thomas Gibson Reveals Why He Kept His Divorce from Wife of 20 Years a Secret and Reveals How They Are Co-Parenting". People.com. Retrieved October 1, 2016.
  3. ^ a b "Thomas Gibson's Divorce From Cristina Parker Finalized". February 14, 2018. Retrieved September 30, 2020.
  4. ^ "Thomas Gibson". NewsBank.com. Archived from the original on October 16, 2013. Retrieved October 15, 2013.
  5. ^ Rizzo, Frank (March 17, 1992). "Actor Craves Respect More Than Fame". Hartford Courant. Retrieved October 15, 2013.
  6. ^ "Thomas Gibson interview from 2000". criminalmindsfanatic.blogspot.ca. Retrieved October 15, 2013.
  7. ^ a b "Bonnie Hunt Interview" (Video). Youtube.com.
  8. ^ "Alumni News". The Juilliard School. November 2007. Archived from the original on November 11, 2011.
  9. ^ Bozzola, Lucia. "Thomas Gibson". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. Archived from the original on July 12, 2012. Retrieved April 4, 2012.
  10. ^ Gonzalez, Sandra (August 11, 2016). "Thomas Gibson suspended from 'Criminal Minds' after on-set altercation". CNN. Retrieved August 12, 2016.
  11. ^ Rice, Lynette. "Thomas Gibson fired from 'Criminal Minds'". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved August 12, 2016.
  12. ^ Donahue, Steve (April 30, 2012). "My Town: Thomas Gibson's Charleston". Golf Digest. Retrieved June 26, 2013.
  13. ^ Gorman, Bobby. "Interview: Thomas Gibson". Shave Magazine. Retrieved May 10, 2012.
  14. ^ Real, Evan (August 22, 2016). "Thomas Gibson Secretly Filed for Divorce Two Years Ago". Us Weekly. Retrieved October 1, 2016.
  15. ^ "Actors FORE Actors: The Inaugural Screen Actors Guild Foundation Golf Classic". Screen Actors Guild Foundation. June 13, 2011. Archived from the original on October 21, 2010.
  16. ^ Slezak, Michael (December 3, 2010). "Under-Appreciated Entertainer of the Year 2010". Entertainment Weekly.

External links[edit]