In the gripping world of Criminal Minds, these beloved actors brought complex characters to life while maintaining their own unique lifestyles and routines. From dedicated runners to champions of self-acceptance, let’s explore the fascinating bodies and minds of some of the show’s stars. Discover AJ Cook’s newfound love for running, Paget Brewster’s embrace of natural beauty, Shemar Moore’s diet wisdom, and more intriguing insights into the lives of the talented actors who brought Criminal Minds to life. Explore their fitness routines, self-care practices, and personal philosophies that contribute to their amazing bodies and resilient minds.
AJ Cook played Jennifer Jareau on the show. She loves to run, and talked about this to Women’s Running. “I’ve run all my life really, but just because it was a good way to get cardio in. I never enjoyed it. Just in the last year or so, I’ve come to love how I feel when I run. It’s that time where I just get to escape from everything—no phone, no computer, I’m not working, I just shut that side of my brain off and let the other side of my brain open up.“
Paget Brewster played Emily Prentiss. On Twitter, she opened up about her decision to not dye her hair. “I have felt pressure to dye it, pretend to be 35 again, no thanks,” she wrote. “We all have huge issues to address, I know. This is one small battle. But I think all of us have small personal battles. Let’s start by being kind to each other, even when we disagree. Please.”
Shemar Moore played Derek Morgan on the show. He talked about his approach to diet and exercise to Men’s Health. “Don’t get it twisted, whatever you do in the gym—I don’t care how far you run or how heavy you lift—getting lean and mean starts in the kitchen with your diet,” says Moore. “If you’re diet ain’t right, you’re going to drive yourself crazy in the gym. You might get a little stronger, but you’re not going to get prettier.”
Rachel Nichols played Ashley Seaver on the show. In an interview with Smashing Interviews, she talked about the importance of having quality time with her husband. “It’s been crucial and non-negotiable that we spent a lot of time together since we live together and weren’t allowed to go anywhere. But I’m pretty easy. I love to go home to Maine to see my family. I’m actually leaving to go to Maine in the middle of November. I haven’t been home in two years. It’s the longest I’ve ever gone without seeing my parents. So I’d maintain that travel is my favorite thing to do on my down time.“
Joe Mantegna played David Rossi on the show. He talked about his workout secrets with Parade. “For the last 23 years, I’ve lived in a two-story house, and so I often run up the stairs—an opportunity. I spend a good portion of the day going up and down. If I’m in a building that’s three stories, I walk up the stairs. If I’m traveling—and there’s somewhere I can walk—I’ll do that or take a bicycle. I used to go to the gym, but don’t feel the need now. I felt I spent too much time chatting with other people about what we do for a living.”
Kirsten Vangsness played Penelope Garcia on the show. She talked about how she approached the reboot to Parade. “I’m not writing an episode because gosh, I love acting. Writing is fun for me, and I find it really pleasurable, but it’s hard for me to do for Criminal Minds because I’m not as good at it as everybody else. I was taking acting classes for six months before I got back here and I was very excited to be like, I want to do this better than I did before. I want to try things and be more.“
Aisha Tyler played Tara Lewis on the show. She described her diet to People as a modified paleo diet. “This means that for the most part, I avoid refined carbohydrates, grains, dairy and sugar. That said, I’m not super strict. I try to be as disciplined as I can during the week so that I can eat what I want on the weekends, which includes pasta, bread and other fun stuff.”
Jennifer Love Hewitt played Kate Callahan on the show. She tells Hello! Magazine that she loves Palmer’s products. “Palmers is classic. I knew about it before pregnancy. But once I was pregnant I used it, it worked and I loved it. The massage cream for stretch marks and the skin therapy oil. Yes, those are the two Palmers products I’ve used. I’ve used it twice a day-morning and night.”