'Criminal Minds' Season 9 Cast Grows
With the ninth season of the CBS hit drama "Criminal Minds" set to premiere this fall, many fans are wondering what changes to the cast will be made. It appears that one casting decision has already been made, as Esai Morales will be joining the "Criminal Minds" cast for the upcoming season. It appears that he will have a recurring role.
According to TV Guide, the 50-year-old Esai Morales will play the role of the new BAU section chief. Morales's character will be Matt Cruz, a former FBI agent who has been promoted to his current position of BAU section chief. There will besome existing backstory for Matt Cruz, as he will have worked in law enforcement with J.J. at a previous time.
Esai Morales will make his "Criminal Minds" debut on the third episode of season nine, TV Guide reports.
Esai Morales is no stranger to crime drama. In 2006, he played agent Michael Tyner on Fox's show "Vanished." From 2011-2012 he played a recurring role on USA's "Fairly Legal." Morales's role on that show was D.A. Aaron Davidson, according to IMDb.com.
Morales has also appeared on "Law and Order," so needless to say, he's prepared to take on a law enforcement role due to his rather extensive experience.
The "Criminal Minds" season premiere will air on CBS on Sept. 25 at 9 p.m.
The first episode will be will be directed by actor Joe Montengna, who plays David Rossi on the hit drama, according to E! News. It will be his first time serving as director for the show.
