page_title: Criminal Minds (season 15)
section_title: Casting
hierarchical_section_title: Criminal Minds (season 15) / Production / Casting
caption_attribution_description: English: Three Stars at Festival Actresses Linda Hamilton Jane Lynch and Carol Leifer accepting their Willfilm Awards -11.17. 2016 at the Cinema at the WYTHE Hotel
context_page_description: The fifteenth and final season of Criminal Minds was ordered on January 10, 2019 with an order of 10 episodes. The season premiered on January 8, 2020 and concluded on February 19, 2020, with a two-hour series finale.
context_section_description: On February 4, 2019, it was announced that Jane Lynch would reprise her role as Diana Reid, the mother of Spencer Reid. Later that month, it was announced that Rachael Leigh Cook had been cast in a recurring role as Max, who is a love interest for Reid. Max is described as "a quirky, kind-hearted, candid woman who strikes up an unusual relationship" with Reid.
  Aubrey Plaza reprises her role as Cat Adams in the sixth episode "Date Night". 
  It was revealed that Jayne Atkinson, C. Thomas Howell and Beth Riesgraf would reprise their roles as Erin Strauss, George Foyet and Maeve Donovan in the series finale. Ben Savage would also reprise his role as young Jason Gideon. 
  Thomas Gibson, who played Aaron Hotchner, would not be returning for the final season.
  Messer revealed that Shemar Moore, who played Derek Morgan, would also not be returning for the final season.
caption: Jane Lynch returned in Season 15 as Diana Reid.
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