As we discussed in previous articles about castmembers exiting the series, Criminal Minds has seen several cast changes over the years. The first actor to leave the show was Lola Glaudini. Glaudini played Elle Greenaway, the team’s resident expert on sex offender cases. Elle was introduced in the pilot episode, but did not join the BAU until episode 2. Elle’s dry humor and dedication to the job made her a good fit for the team, and she had a close relationship with Morgan (Shemar Moore).
Unfortunately, in the first season finale, Elle became the victim of an UnSub who attacked her in her own home. Though she survived and returned to work, Elle was never quite the same after her attack, and she wound up killing an UnSub when it looked like the man would get away with his crimes. Hotch (Thomas Gibson) tried to work with Elle so she could stay with the unit, but Elle resigned, unable to admit what she had done. She has not been seen since.
So What Happened?
After tracking down some reports relating to Glaudini’s exit, it appears the decision was mutual. Former Criminal Minds executive producer Ed Bernero said the show was looking to bring in new talent, and Glaudini wanted to return home. (Glaudini was apparently based in New York rather than Los Angeles, where Minds filmed.) From a show standpoint, Bernero said they wanted to bring in a new agent who was unknown to the team and would give them a chance to shake things up from a writing viewpoint. Bernero said the parting was amicable, and I found no interviews or comments from Glaudini to suggest otherwise.
Where is She Now?
After leaving Criminal Minds, Glaudini had a string of guest starring roles on shows like Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Blue Bloods and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. She also starred alongside Mark Harmon in Certain Prey, based on the Lucas Davenport Series by John Sanford. And in the summer of 2010, Glaudini landed a role on the NBC ‘mini-series’ — originally slated as a series but shortened to only one season — Persons Unknown in which a group of strangers awoke to find themselves trapped in an abandoned town, held as prisoners in what appeared to be some sort of experimental program. Persons Unknown, never released on DVD, is available to download on Amazon and iTunes for those interested.
Megan Cole
Contributing Writer
(Image courtesy of CBS)
Contributing Writer, BuddyTV
