# Thomas Gibson
**Thomas Gibson** (Thomas Ellis Gibson, born 1962 in [Charleston, South Carolina](https://www.edgepedia.org/charleston-south-carolina)) is an American actor and director best known for three long-running television roles: Dr. Daniel Nyland on the CBS medical drama *Chicago Hope* (1994–97), Greg Montgomery on the ABC sitcom *Dharma & Greg* (1997–2002), and FBI Supervisory Special Agent Aaron Hotchner on the CBS procedural *Criminal Minds* (2005–16), from which he was dismissed in August 2016 following an on-set altercation.[1](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/gibson-thomas-1962) • [2](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/12223/thomas-gibson) • [3](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/thomas-gibson-fired-from-criminal-minds/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1962, Charleston, South Carolina; son of Mac (a judge and state legislator) and Beth (a social worker)[1](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/gibson-thomas-1962) |
| Training | College of Charleston 1979–81; B.F.A. in theater, The Juilliard School, 1985[1](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/gibson-thomas-1962) |
| Signature TV roles | Daniel Nyland on *Chicago Hope* (1994–97); Greg Montgomery on *Dharma & Greg* (119 episodes); Aaron Hotchner on *Criminal Minds* (256 episodes)[2](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/12223/thomas-gibson) |
| Awards | SAG Award ensemble nomination (1997, *Chicago Hope*); Golden Globe nominations for *Dharma & Greg* in 1999 and 2000[1](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/gibson-thomas-1962) |
| 2016 dismissal | Suspended for two weeks, then fired from *Criminal Minds* in August 2016 after an on-set incident in which he kicked writer/producer Virgil Williams[4](https://criminalminds.fandom.com/wiki/Thomas_Gibson) • [3](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/thomas-gibson-fired-from-criminal-minds/) |
| Later work | Voice role in *Axis* (2017); *Shadow Wolves* (2019); theater including a 2024 off-Broadway *Ibsen's Ghost* and a 2025 Chicago run of David Mamet's *Henry Johnson*[5](https://www.tvline.com/2260347/what-happened-thomas-gibson-after-criminal-minds-firing/) |
## Training and early career
Gibson began performing as a child in his hometown. In a 2000 interview for the PBS *American Masters* archive, he described a community theater in Charleston that had a school and a children's theater, and a production of *Life with Father* when he was about nine years old.[6](https://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/archive/interview/thomas-gibson/) [TV Guide](https://www.edgepedia.org/tv-guide)'s profile records enrollment in the Little Theater School, membership in the Young Charleston Theater Company and the Footlight Players, and graduation from Bishop England High School a year early to attend the [College of Charleston](https://www.edgepedia.org/college-of-charleston), which he left after a year and a half for the [Juilliard School](https://www.edgepedia.org/juilliard-school).[7](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/thomas-gibson/) Encyclopedia.com credits him with a Juilliard B.F.A. in theater in 1985 and an internship at the Alabama Shakespeare Festival around 1980–81.[1](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/gibson-thomas-1962)
His first television work came in daytime drama. He played [Derek Mason](https://www.edgepedia.org/derek-mason) on *As the World Turns* (CBS, 1988–90) and Samuel "Sam" R. Fowler on *Another World* (NBC, 1990), and appeared in the miniseries *Gore Vidal's Lincoln* (1988) and *The Kennedys of Massachusetts* (1990) as Peter Fitzwilliam.[1](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/gibson-thomas-1962) • [7](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/thomas-gibson/)
## Television career
**Breakthrough roles.** Gibson earned widespread critical acclaim as the decadent Beauchamp Day in the PBS miniseries *Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City* (1994), a role he revived in *More Tales of the City* (1998).[7](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/thomas-gibson/) In primetime he played the ambitious surgeon Dr. Daniel Nyland on *Chicago Hope* for three seasons; the series received a 1997 Screen Actors Guild Award nomination for outstanding performance by an ensemble in a drama series.[1](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/gibson-thomas-1962)
In 1997 he moved to comedy as Gregory Clifford "Greg" Montgomery on *Dharma & Greg*, a Harvard-educated U.S. attorney married to Dharma Finkelstein ([Jenna Elfman](https://www.edgepedia.org/jenna-elfman)). TVmaze lists 119 episodes between 1997 and 2002, and the role brought Golden Globe nominations for best performance by an actor in a comedy or musical television series in 1999 and 2000, plus a Q Award nomination and a Golden Satellite Award nomination in 2000.[2](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/12223/thomas-gibson) • [1](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/gibson-thomas-1962)
**Criminal Minds.** After a string of television movies, Gibson took the role of FBI Supervisory Special Agent Aaron "Hotch" Hotchner on *Criminal Minds*, a procedural about FBI profilers, at the show's 2005 premiere.[4](https://criminalminds.fandom.com/wiki/Thomas_Gibson) • [3](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/thomas-gibson-fired-from-criminal-minds/) TVmaze credits him with 256 episodes, ending with season 12 episodes airing in late September and early October 2016.[2](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/12223/thomas-gibson)
**Dismissal.** On August 11, 2016, Gibson was suspended for two weeks, and fired the next day, for allegedly kicking writer/producer Virgil Williams in the leg during an argument.[4](https://criminalminds.fandom.com/wiki/Thomas_Gibson) ABC Studios and CBS Television Studios announced the dismissal on Friday, August 12, with no further details; Gibson had apologized the day before, saying "There were creative differences on the set and a disagreement. I regret that it occurred."[3](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/thomas-gibson-fired-from-criminal-minds/) In a statement reported by [USA Today](https://www.edgepedia.org/usa-today), he said, "I love Criminal Minds and have put my heart and soul into it for the last 12 years."
## Film work
Gibson's film roles were supporting parts in high-profile productions. He appeared as a villain intent on keeping [Tom Cruise](https://www.edgepedia.org/tom-cruise) and [Nicole Kidman](https://www.edgepedia.org/nicole-kidman) apart in *Far and Away* (1992), took a stage-actor part in Martin Scorsese's *The Age of Innocence* (1993), and later appeared in [Stanley Kubrick](https://www.edgepedia.org/stanley-kubrick)'s *Eyes Wide Shut* (1999) and the comedy *The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas* (2000).[8](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/thomas_gibson) Rotten Tomatoes lists his highest-rated film as *Barcelona* (1994) at 83 percent.[8](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/thomas_gibson)
## After Criminal Minds
Gibson's screen work after 2016 has been sporadic. He voiced the character Joseph in *Axis* (2017), the feature directorial debut of his former *Criminal Minds* co-star [Aisha Tyler](https://www.edgepedia.org/aisha-tyler), and starred in the 2019 movie *Shadow Wolves* as an NSA agent assisting a Native American tracking unit.[5](https://www.tvline.com/2260347/what-happened-thomas-gibson-after-criminal-minds-firing/) He has also completed a film called *The Writer's Bible*, about a creatively challenged author, which he co-wrote and in which he stars; it has no release date.[5](https://www.tvline.com/2260347/what-happened-thomas-gibson-after-criminal-minds-firing/)
Theater has been the center of his post-2016 activity. He appeared in a 2024 off-Broadway production of *Ibsen's Ghost* and starred in a 2025 Chicago production of [David Mamet](https://www.edgepedia.org/david-mamet)'s play *Henry Johnson*, about a naive middle-aged man jailed for embezzlement; reviewers consistently cited his portrayal of Johnson's fellow convict Gene as one of the production's highlights.[5](https://www.tvline.com/2260347/what-happened-thomas-gibson-after-criminal-minds-firing/)
## Personal life
Gibson married Christina in 1993; the couple has three children, James Parker, Travis Carter, and Agatha Maria.[1](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/gibson-thomas-1962)
## References
1. [Gibson, Thomas 1962(?)–, Encyclopedia.com](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/gibson-thomas-1962)
2. [Thomas Gibson, TVmaze](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/12223/thomas-gibson)
3. [Thomas Gibson fired from "Criminal Minds", CBS News (August 12, 2016)](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/thomas-gibson-fired-from-criminal-minds/)
4. [Thomas Gibson, Criminal Minds Wiki, Fandom](https://criminalminds.fandom.com/wiki/Thomas_Gibson)
5. [What Happened To Thomas Gibson After His Criminal Minds Firing?, TVLine (September 19, 2026)](https://www.tvline.com/2260347/what-happened-thomas-gibson-after-criminal-minds-firing/)
6. [Thomas Gibson Interview, American Masters Digital Archive, PBS (2000)](https://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/archive/interview/thomas-gibson/)
7. [Thomas Gibson - Actor, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/thomas-gibson/)
8. [Thomas Gibson Movies & TV Shows List, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/thomas_gibson)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › American actors: 2000s onward › Surnames G to Gl*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license