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Adam Rodriguez, Eric Delko Of ‘CSI: Miami,’ To Replace Shemar Moore’s Derek Morgan On ‘Criminal Minds’ [Video]

By Susan Macdonald
Published on: 15:53 PST, Jun 9, 2016

Adam Rodriguez, best known for playing Eric Delko on CSI: Miami, will be joining the cast of Criminal Minds, according to Entertainment Weekly. Shemar Moore, who played Derek Morgan, left the show after co-starring on it for 11 seasons.

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Adam Rodriguez, who is of mixed Cuban and Puerto Rican heritage, will be joining Criminal Minds for its 12th season as an FBI agent with the Fugitive Task Force who joins the Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU), which is short-handed from Agent Morgan’s departure.

Adam Rodriguez is an actor, writer, director, guitarist, and juggler. Playing an FBI agent on Criminal Minds should be easy for him. He’s best known for playing Eric Delko on CSI: Miami. He’s also appeared in Brooklyn South as Officer Hector Villanueva, in Reckless as Detective Preston Cruz, on Sesame Street as Detective Alfie Betts, in the music video “Respect My Conglomerate” as a police officer, and in the music video “Many Men” as a detective.

His non-law enforcement TV roles include Bobby Talercio on Ugly Betty, Laz Delgado on Empire, Dr. Joey Chavez on The Night Shift, Jonathan Chavez on Jane the Virgin, and Jesse Ramirez on Roswell. Rodriguez played Tito in the movies Magic Mike and Magic Mike XXL. He won the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture for playing Sandino in I Can Do Bad All By Myself.

Erica Messer, the executive producer of Criminal Minds, was “thrilled” to have Rodriguez join the show, according to Deadline Hollywood.

“We’re thrilled to introduce a new special agent by adding the very talented Adam Rodriguez to our amazing cast. We have exciting storylines planned for his character and the entire BAU team as we head into our 12th season.”

Criminal Minds has had several cast changes over the years. When the show started, the BAU team consisted of Aaron Hotchner (Thomas Gibson), Jason Gideon (Mandy Patinkin), Jennifer “J. J.” Jareau (A. J. Cook), Spencer Reid (Matthew Gray Gubler), and Derek Morgan (Shemar Moore). Kirsten Vangsness started as a recurring character, but computer expert Penelope Garcia soon became a series regular. Elle Greenaway (Lola Glaudini) left and was replaced by Emily Prentiss (Paget Brewster). Gideon left and was replaced by David Rossi (Joe Mantegna). Ashley Seaver (Rachel Nichols) came and went. Emily Prentiss left and was replaced by Dr. Alex Blake (Jeanne Tripplehorn). J.J. left, but came back. Dr. Blake left and was replaced by Kate Callahan (Jennifer Love Hewitt), who left and was replaced by Tara Lewis (Aisha Tyler). Morgan left, and next season, Adam Rodriguez’s character will be taking his place on the BAU team.

Shemar Moore told E! News that he would be willing to return to Criminal Minds as a guest star, perhaps for the show’s 300th episode. His character, Special Agent Derek Morgan, left the show to devote himself to his wife Dr. Savannah Hayes Morgan (played by Rochelle Aytes) and their infant son, Hank. Moore left for similar reasons: to find balance in his personal life and try new roles.

“I am wanting to see what else is out there for me and what else I’m capable of in my career and also in my personal life. I’m looking for balance. I want to fall in love, get married, have kids, travel. I want to walk my dogs more. Just get some balance. Those elevator doors closed and I have no problem because CBS and more importantly my fans and my family at Criminal Minds have been so good to me, I’m not opposed to those doors opening up again. Now, it may not be permanently, and it may not be for a full season, but if there’s an opportunity to go back and dance and play, I wouldn’t be opposed to that.”

Adam Rodriguez told Criminal Minds fans that it was “an honor and a pleasure” to be joining the cast.

[Photo by Michael Buckner/Getty Images]

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