5 Unexpected Stars Who Made A Cameo On Criminal Minds

The Paramount+ revival of Criminal Minds, titled Evolution, has brought back the old, beloved BAU team in a new package. Now, each season of Evolution consists of just ten episodes and features one major case with a number of smaller subplots.

This allows for the profilers' personal lives and feelings to come to the forefront, but robs the show of its classic feature - a slew of guest stars who brought to life some of the show's creepiest and most twisted unsubs and their victims.

Even seasoned viewers are sometimes left wide-eyed when rewatching Criminal Minds with its lineup of familiar faces, making every binge-watching session an exhilarating hunt for celebrity cameos.

Here are five Criminal Minds guest stars you might be shocked to remember.

Amber Heard as Lila Archer

S1E18 Somebody's Watching

Back in Season 1, the BAU boy genius Spencer Reid shared a steamy pool kiss with a Hollywood starlet he was supposed to be guarding. That girl, Lila Archer, was played by none other than Amber Heard.

Lila found herself caught up in a chilling plot involving a stalker who eliminated anyone perceived as a threat to her career. After that performance, Heard shot to fame. And today, seeing the scandalous actress gracing the screen alongside Reid might just give you pause.

Mark Hamill as John Curtis

S8E24 The Replicator

The legendary figure from the Star Wars universe made some memorable appearances on Criminal Minds as John Curtis, aka The Replicator, the formidable Season 8 antagonist.

A former FBI agent turned highly intelligent, narcissistic serial killer, Curtis held a deep-seated grudge against the BAU, blaming them for his professional downfall. So he killed his victims, mimicking the styles of the BAU's previous unsubs.

Brian Baumgartner as Bill Harding

S9E22 Fatal

Fans of The Office were probably shocked to see Brian Baumgartner, beloved for his role as the affable and dim-witted Kevin, portray the deeply disturbing character of Bill Harding, a serial poisoner.

Harding's story was truly tragic and dark. A childhood trauma ignited Bill's obsession with Greek mythology and fueled his dream of visiting Greece. But that dream was shattered when he was diagnosed with terminal cancer, and Bill turned to poisoning the food of those he felt were more fortunate than he.

Tim Curry as Billy Flynn

S5E23 Our Darkest Hour & S6E1 The Longest Night

Billy Flynn, dubbed the Prince of Darkness, stands out as one of the most despicable unsubs the FBI profilers have ever encountered. For a staggering 26 years, he terrorized his victims through a horrifying spree of robbery, sexual assault, torture, and murder.

It took the BAU two full episodes to catch him, which was fitting, as viewers needed time to get over the fact that this unfathomably evil man was played by the legendary Tim Curry.

Jason Alexander as Henry Grace

S4E8 Masterpiece

It is hard to recognize the actor behind Seinfeld's lovably neurotic George Costanza in the Season 4 narcissistic psychopath seeking revenge on Agent Rossi for incarcerating his brother.

Obsessed with math and sequences, this unsub sets up an entire cat-and-mouse game with the BAU, only to be outsmarted by Reid (who would doubt that?). But the mind games Grace plays certainly make him one of the series' most memorable antagonists.