CRIMINAL MINDS: Matthew Gray Gubler Dishes on Directing ‘Lauren’

For CRIMINAL MINDS fans, tonight’s episode is a big one. One of our own is in danger, an old favorite returns and series star Matthew Gray Gubler (Reid) was hand-picked to direct the hour.

I talked with Gubler about his second time directing the CBS hit, the difficulties of directing yourself, what he wants to happen and his message to the fans…

I’m really excited to talk about the episode you’re directing this week. What can you tell me about “Lauren”?
Matthew Gray Gubler: It’s pretty intense, I can tell you that! [Laughs] It may or may not be the end of one of our main characters and [there’s] a lot of excitement, a lot of action, a lot of adventure, a lot of intensity, I’d guess you could say.

And how was that for you to direct? I’d imagine intensity would equal extra pressure for you as a director…
MGG: A little bit, but I welcome that. I had hoped to direct this one and [this is] Paget Brewster’s (Prentiss) episode. This is her finale and she demanded I direct it. So the vote of confidence was very nice to have.

That’s sweet that she has that kind of faith in you as a director.
MGG: Yeah, she knows that I give everything I do my 110% and I think she appreciates my — not to sound like a bragger, but I have great faith in myself as a director, and I’m happy she does, too.

That’s good. What was your favorite part about directing this particular episode?
MGG: It was getting to work with Paget in her moments that we don’t normally get to do on our show. The main characters on our show are sort of stuck in this world of profiling and being heroic and being, for a lack of better term, not really human. Sort of superheroes. It’s a very touching and vulnerable place for her character to be and it was great to see her completely blow us all away with her amazing skills as an actress.

The promos seemed incredibly intense and it appears like it will be an hour unlike anything we’ve really seen on the show so far…
MGG: Yeah, that was the other great thing about it — we got to go to places the show normally doesn’t get to go. While I’m sad it’s her last episode, it’s a great opportunity to tell a unique and exhilarating story.

Was there any lessons you learned from your first time directing the show that you used this time around?
MGG: I was really lucky, the first time went so well. I guess I learned…I breathed a little easier the second time around. I wasn’t nervous the first time, but I was definitely over, over, over, over prepared. [Laughs] I was neurotically prepared for rain, prepared for sunshine, prepared for hail, prepared for wind. And I realized I had overdone my prepping on the first one. Not overdone, but this was a bit more relaxed, I guess you’d say.

Not to mention you’ve been working with this crew for so many years that you probably knew what to expect from people.
MGG: Yeah, it was a bit of that and the first one, I knew it was an incredible honor. And I went to college for directing and I have faith in myself as a director. I knew the first time around there was this onus of responsibility of having to prove to others that I knew what I was doing. But this time around, luckily, they all knew that I loved directing and I’m good at it, so there wasn’t that fear of, “Oh, will they accept me as a real director?” Everyone was wholeheartedly welcoming as always.

How do you feel you balance being a director in the scenes you’re in? Do you have to set aside a certain portion of your brain for each task?
MGG: It’s tough. It’s really tough for me to act in my own stuff I direct, merely because the only way I know how to act is to completely believe it in my own head, what’s happening. And it’s hard to do that when you’re trying to direct because your head needs to be focused on telling the story. So it’s that real bizarre mix of trying to convince myself in my head that something is happening and also know that it’s not because I’m directing that scene. But I think I did all right with it. It’s tough for me to do both. That was the one thing that was easier the second time around — I was more prepared to act in it.

I know the episode is focused on other characters, but are you still in a good portion of the hour?
MGG: Yeah. We really all are. The writers did a tremendous job of giving every character on the show a nice moment on the show. And I think that’s when our show excels: we’re sort of a broad range of different characters and our best episodes are ones which showcase everybody in a different light and this definitely does that. Joe Mantegna (Rossi) has some great stuff…for whatever reason, he’s sometimes light in episodes. He’s great in it. Everyone’s great in it.

Was there anyone who surprised you with what they brought to their scenes?
MGG: Not necessarily. We’re really lucky to have such a great cast and great guest stars on this one. Everyone continually blew me away with their talent. I was very, very happy with everyone’s performances.

Are you hoping to direct again next season?
MGG: Yeah, I love it. Of course. It would be an honor. I think [we have] the best crew in TV and the best cast — me aside — so of course I’d love to work with them all again as a director.

I don’t think you should exclude yourself from the list. I’m pretty sure your fans would agree that you are a vital part of the show.
MGG: Well, thank you.

I speak the truth. Both episodes you’ve directed have aired in March…was that intentional? Do you find it easier to direct a certain time of the year?
MGG: I don’t know what it is, but for me I quite like it, merely because directing towards the end gives me the added boost of excitement and caffeine to get me through the doldrums of the last third. You’re kind of about to be, “Oh, this is never-ending,” but then I get this juice of excitement, this jolt of excitement knowing I’m directing one. So for me, it’s that. But I don’t know what it is. I like directing in the springtime. I’d direct anytime of the year because I’m just happy to be directing.

That’s good to hear. What can you tease about what’s to come in the final episodes of the season?
MGG: I’m not even sure what’s to come. I don’t think anyone is. It’s an interesting time on the show. I know contracts are up and I don’t even know. It’s almost like in real life, the curiosity is as interesting as what is happening with the characters. I don’t know what will happen.

What would you like to see happen?
MGG: I’d like to see Paget return. I’d like to see the show continue to entertain people. I hope we did it with no loss of main characters. [Laughs] That would be my hope, that it would continue as it is and get back some of our lost loved ones. I’d like to even see Mandy [Patinkin (Gideon)] return. I thought he was great. I just hope [CRIMINAL MINDS] continues to entertain people.

So I assume it would be safe to say Prentiss isn’t killed off in this episode?
MGG: I don’t know. It may or may not…that may have been leading you down a false road. Who knows? It’s up in the air. It remains to be seen, but it an be interpreted a couple of ways.

Before I let you go, is there anything you want to say to your fans?
MGG: I feel so entirely lucky and blessed. Someone once said — and it might have been me — the one thing you can’t pick in this world…you can pick your movies, what you’re in, what you audition for, but you can’t pick your fans. Your fans pick you. And if I was given the choice, I would 100% wholeheartedly would choose the type of people who seem to respond to what I do. They seem to be the most loving, accepting, unique, smart and in their own right, wonderfully, wonderfully unique. I’m lucky because my character is unique and an outsider and I’ve always considered myself, for better or for worse, a bit of an outsider. And those who respond to him seem to be special people. I’m very happy that I get to provide them with entertainment because they provide me a great deal of encouragement.

–

Are you excited to see “Lauren”?

Follow @GiveMeMyRemote and @marisaroffman on Twitter for the latest TV news. Connect with other TV fans on GIVE ME MY REMOTE’s official Facebook page.

And to be the first to see our exclusive videos by subscribing to our YouTube channel at youtube.com/givememyremotetv