Criminal Minds' Shemar Moore Has A Favorite Compliment He Receives From Fans

Shemar Moore, the actor who brought FBI Special Agent Derek Morgan to the small screen, has offered many facets to "Criminal Minds." Although on the surface, Morgan seems like a domineering personality, Moore wanted to avoid any stereotypes or flatness to the character he portrayed for over 250 episodes.

During an interview with Assignment X, Moore went into detail about the motivation behind Morgan's character and what he wanted to see from him. Despite being wary about the series due to the genre being flooded with "one hundred and two cop shows," he had big ideas for Morgan's character when the series got picked up. The most important thing, however, was that he not be a one-note cliché. He wanted his character to have room to grow, breathe, and develop into something greater than his original state.

"In the early days, I said very adamantly to the writers and producers, 'I don't just want to be the tough guy who kicks down doors. As fun as that is, because it's very fun to carry a gun and shoot the bad guys and beat them up and chase them through fire escapes and jump over cars and run into burning buildings and run out, I don't just want to be the brawn. I want to have levels and layers.'"

Moore's dedication and passion for his character led to fans resonating so well with Morgan's portrayal, something the actor is very grateful and honored by.

During the interview with Assignment X, Shemar Moore discussed the layers that Morgan got due to his request. "What I like about my character is, he comes off very alpha male and tough like he could take anybody on, but he has vulnerabilities and he has weaknesses and he has charm."

Morgan's portrayal is a refreshing take on the manly-man stereotype that audiences expect from Hollywood because he does fit that role, but he also deconstructs everything about it. Allowing Morgan to have multiple facets to his character–including a secret in his backstory that helps explain why he is the way he is allows fans to experience an authentic person rather than a caricature. Those details also help fans see reflections of their own experiences in Morgan.

Moore says the best compliment he can get is when people appreciate his work for what it means to them on a personal level. "The biggest compliment I get in the street, so to speak, is not, 'Oh, I love your show' or 'You're my favorite character,' it's, 'I identify with your character and I love to watch your work.' That's a compliment."

Having fans resonate so well with your work that it goes beyond the simple declaration of being a favorite on the series is more meaningful than most compliments actors hear day after day. Moore seems to take how much that means to heart.