What Happened To Matthew Gray Gubler After Criminal Minds?

During its 15-season network run, "Criminal Minds" subjected its devoted fanbase to a run of killer supporting players, and bone-chilling captivity tales almost too grueling to fathom. The show's creative team also offset the weekly dose of fictional trauma fuel with the Behavioral Analysis Unit (better known as the BAU), a crew of crime-fighting FBI agents whose general virtues helped balance out the murder-plagued world of the series. 

Of course, even the BAU heavies had their share of personal and professional issues on "Criminal Minds." And few members of the team faced quite as many over the years as their genius-level profiler, Dr. Spencer Reid. Arguably no single character was quite as unflinchingly adored during the show's primetime tenure either, with Matthew Gray Gubler's endearingly nervy turn as Spencer helping earn the character bonafide fan-favorite status.   

Gubler's Dr. Reid was so beloved while "Criminal Minds" was on the air that fans of the show were legitimately devastated when it was announced Gubler would not be reprising the role for the streaming spin-off series, "Criminal Minds: Evolution." But here's a look at what the actor's been up to since leaving "Criminal Minds" behind.

Though he'd only logged one legit screen credit — in Wes Anderson's "The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou" — before beginning his "Criminal Minds" journey back in 2005, Matthew Gray Gubler continued to bolster his acting cred throughout his time on the series, landing roles in lauded indie projects like "500 Days of Summer," "Life After Beth," "Band of Robbers," and "Newness." Gubler has continued to deliver notable turns in similarly offbeat projects since the show ended. That includes a supporting appearance in Netflix's wildly inventive and eerie 2020 psychological drama, "Horse Girl." Gubler plays Darren Colt in the film, a character from a fictional fantasy procedural series adored by the troubled central character, Sarah (Alison Brie).

Gubler followed his "Horse Face" gig by re-teaming with his "Suburban Gothic" director, Richard Bates Jr., to play the lead in his kooky romantic witch comedy, "King Knight." Co-starring Angela Sarafyan, the film finds the pair playing a loving pair of witches whose lives are thrown into flux when Thorn's less-than-witchy past is revealed. In the film, Gubler shows sides of himself rarely glimpsed during his "Criminal Minds" days. Ditto for his role on Hulu's "Dollface," which actually casts Gubler in a pseudo-romantic lead as a Los Angeles veterinarian who can't quite get properly synced up with Kat Dennings' Jules Wiley. It's safe to assume "Criminal Minds" fans were not ready for how effortlessly charming Gubler is on the show.

Though Matthew Gray Gubler is largely known for his on-camera work in the film and television arenas, the actor also fancies himself a director. He earned his first behind-the-camera credit for helming a documentary about the making of Wes Anderson's "The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou." In the years since, he's directed several short films, a pair of music videos for The Killers, and 12 episodes of "Criminal Minds."

Though Gubler hasn't claimed a directing gig since "Criminal Minds" ended, it's hard to believe he's done with that part of his creative life. Still, Gubler has taken on more than enough artistic endeavors to tide him over until his next directing gig, including dabbling in magic, puppetry, and apparently, masonry. He has also earned a bit of notoriety as a painter.

In 2019, Gubler even entered the literary arena, writing and illustrating the children's book, "Rumple Buttercup: A Story of Bananas, Belonging, and Being Yourself." The book follows an awkward-looking creature who largely keeps to the underground for fear that the world will not accept him. He soon discovers, however, he's not alone, and the world may not be quite as unaccepting as he thinks. 

"Rumple Buttercup" struck a chord with parents and kids alike upon release — eventually topping The New York Times Best Seller List for children's books. And his soon-to-be-published follow-up, "The Little Kid with the Big Green Hand," looks to be every bit as touching.