Zach Gilford Opens Up About His Dark ‘Criminal Minds’ Role and ‘Friday Night Lights’ Fans (Exclusive)
Plus, the actor talks auditioning for the ‘Criminal Minds’ pilot over 20 years ago!
Key Takeaways
- Zach Gilford has been bringing Elias Voit to life on 'Criminal Minds.'
- The former 'Friday Night Lights' actor opened up about his role in the series.
- Gilford also got candid about the 'Criminal Minds' and 'Friday Night Lights' fandoms.
In 2006, Zach Gilford stumbled onto screens with his soft-spoken nature and sweet smile in the debut season of Friday Night Lights. The young actor brought Matt Saracen to life, the backup quarterback in a fictional Texas town where football was king. In the first episode of the series, Jason Street, the community’s star player, suffers a spinal injury resulting in his paralysis, forcing Matt to step up and lead the Dillon Panthers despite his lack of confidence. Friday Night Lights earned itself a cult following over the years, but Zach Gilford’s career didn’t end there.
After the series concluded, Gilford had success in shows such as The Mob Doctor and Good Girls, but in recent years, he’s dug deep to play a series of darker roles. Shows like Midnight Mass and The Fall of the House of Usher allowed him to show a different side of himself, and it’s ultimately what led him to his latest gig playing the sinister Elias Voit in Criminal Minds.
Voit was introduced in Season 16 of the series and has remained a thorn in the side of the BAU. With the Season 19 finale now streaming on Paramount+, Zach Gilford opened up to Woman’s World about his experience taking on Elias Voit and being a part of two series with major fan bases.
Zach Gilford’s surprising ‘Criminal Minds’ history
It was in 2022 when Gilford made his Criminal Minds debut, but most people aren’t aware that he actually auditioned for the show’s pilot over 20 years ago! Hoping to snag the role of Spencer Reid at the time (which ultimately went to Matthew Gray Gubler), Zach is happy with where life took him and ultimately feels his gig as Elias was the right part for him in the end.
“It was one of my first auditions I ever had, and of course, I thought I was going to get this show and be a star, and that didn’t happen. But it was fun to come back and do a totally different character, and nothing against whatever role I auditioned for, but I think this one is so much more fun.” He continued, “I think it worked out where I got to come in and do something that I think I can do well. And I think I would have just been boring if I was saying evidence all the time. People would be like, ‘Get this guy off the show.’”
Zach Gilford on the ‘Friday Night Lights’ and ‘Criminal Minds’ fandoms
Though their subject matter is entirely different, one thing that Friday Night Lights and Criminal Minds has in common is their dedicated fan base.
“Whatever the fandom, whatever they’re into, it’s always just fun meeting people who like something you did,” Zach shared. “I always joke I feel so silly that I play make-believe for a living, but you kind of realize it means something to people, and whether it’s escapism—a way to, at the end of the day, just go somewhere and leave the rest of the world behind—it’s always fun to see that people really appreciate what you’re doing.”
From the heartland of Dillon, Texas, to an intense world of crime, Zach Gilford continues to bring authenticity and heart to every role he takes on, whether he’s playing the underdog hero or the sinister villain.
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