Thomas Gibson’s Pride Was ‘Hurt’ After Being Fired — He Is Doing His ‘Best’ After ‘Hard’ Divorce

If you are a fan of the series “Criminal Minds,” then you would be familiar with Thomas Gibson, who played the role of Aaron “Hotch” Hotchner from 2005 to 2016. The actor is also recognized for portraying Greg Montgomery on “Dharma & Greg.” Gibson has not only been a leading man but also worked behind the camera as a director on a few episodes of both TV shows.

The son of a lawyer that served in the South Carolina state Senate and House and a social worker, Gibson was born in Charleston in 1962. He fell in love with performing at a young age and he was inspired by Louis Armstrong. Gibson even sang in a Dixieland band as a teen to emulate Armstrong’s voice. He attended the Little Theater School as a child and later graduated from Bishop England High School.

The star attended the College of Charleston and was an intern at the Alabama Shakespeare Festival, where he was encouraged to apply to the prestigious Juilliard School. Gibson was accepted and even won a scholarship to attend the school’s Drama Division. In 1985, he graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree.

Gibson landed the role on “Dharma & Greg” in 1997 and received a Golden Globe Award nomination for his performance. The actor is best known for playing Hotch on “Criminal Minds,” but sadly Gibson was terminated from the show in 2016 due to a physical altercation with a co-worker.

This happened two years after he filed for a divorce from his wife Christine, whom he married in 1993. They share three children together and have prioritized the kids' wellbeing throughout everything. Keep reading to learn more about Gibson’s exit from “Criminal Minds” and details about his divorce.

Gibson was shooting “Criminal Minds” in 2016 when he entered into a disagreement with writer and producer Virgil Williams. “We were shooting a scene late one night when I went to Virgil and told him there was a line that I thought contradicted an earlier line,” Gibson said to People. “He said, ‘Sorry, it's necessary, and I absolutely have to have it.’”

After this discussion, Gibson said he carried on with filming, and then afterward the incident occurred. “He came into that room and started coming towards me. As he brushed past me, my foot came up and tapped him on the leg,” he shared. “If I hadn’t moved, he would have run into me. We had some choice words, for which I apologized the next day, and that was it. It was over. We shot the scene, I went home—and I never got to go back.”

Williams has maintained that Gibson did more than just tap him with his foot and actually kicked him on purpose. For this reason, Gibson was fired from the show.

The actor has since tried to move on with his life and career. He said, “It seems like they’re trying to erase me from the show. That hurts. But I’m using this time to be with my kids, and I look forward to what’s next. Maybe I’ll do a comedy, or a play, or direct, or produce. My pride and reputation are hurt, but in the end, I know the good work is what people will remember. I just need more opportunities to do good work and be a good guy.”

With hardships going on in his career, it is unfortunate that Gibson’s personal life has also been challenging. He married his ex-wife Christine in 1993 and then filed for divorce in 2014. It was finalized by 2018. According to Us Weekly, the star stated in court documents:

“The marriage has become insupportable because of discord or conflict of personalities … that destroys the legitimate ends of the marriage relationship and prevents any reasonable expectation of reconciliation.”

What matters most to Gibson is the well-being of his three children. “Being a dad is the greatest experience of my life,” he shared. He and Christine share daughter Agatha Marie and sons James Parker and Travis Carter. After being married for over 20 years, the couple decided that even though it was difficult, the best thing for their family was to part ways.

Gibson’s own parents got divorced when he was young, and the experience made him do everything he could to not go down that road himself. Unfortunately, life did not turn out that way for him. “I’m the child of divorce, and when Christine and I got married it was important to me that I never undermine the marriage,” he said.

The couple did not give up on their marriage without a fight. “We spent a year and a half in mediation. We kept it private because divorce is hard enough on kids without having to deal with it publicly,” Gibson explained. “Christine and I switch off staying with our kids at home in San Antonio. We did the best we could and continue to do the best we can as parents.”

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