It's been 4 months since Thomas Gibson was fired from Criminal Minds and finally, the writer involved in the incident that got Gibson fired has opened up about it. Speaking to PEOPLE, Criminal Minds writer and executive producer, Virgil Williams, has opened up about the infamous on-set altercation between him and Gibson. During a recent visit to Ghetto Film School Los Angeles, where he hosted an interactive workshop for students aspiring to work in the entertainment industry, Williams has been encouraging high school teens to take a stand for what they believe in. The writer-producer also spoke candidly about the importance of telling your story. “There’s a certain cycle that needs to be broken,” Williams told PEOPLE. “One of these kids came up and asked me, ‘I’m doing a full report on the diversity problem in Hollywood and how do you think you fix that?’ The first thing that came to my mind was ‘You guys. You guys are the way that we fix that. You guys are here right now. You’re fixing it right now because you’re spending time and you’re studying and you’re working on your craft and you’re trying to tell your stories. You have to be the change that you want to see.’ ” After being asked by a student how difficult it is to write off a major character on a TV show, Williams immediately referred to Gibson’s departure — and admitted it was not easy. “It hasn’t been smooth,” Williams told PEOPLE about writing off Gibson’s character, who only appeared on the first two episodes of the current season. “It was very abrupt. But we tried to do it seamlessly and move on. We’re going to keep moving forward and we’re going to keep telling great stories.” As for the altercation that ultimately resulted in Gibson’s departure from the hit show in August, Williams says it stemmed from a professional disagreement. “He came to me with a line change that he wanted,” Williams said. “I felt that change would have hurt the story, but I offered him [an alternative] fix. He didn’t accept the fix and walked off.” Shortly after a second heated conversation between him and Gibson, the writer — who was in search of the showrunner to explain the situation at hand — said that Gibson kicked him in the shin as he walked by him. “He came to me with a line change that he wanted. Because of this particular episode, the change that he wanted hurt the story,” Williams said. “I offered him a fix. He didn’t accept the fix. He said, ‘Fix it so I’m happy’ and then walked off.” Shortly after a second heated conversation between him and Gibson, the writer — who was in search of the showrunner to explain the situation at hand — said that Gibson kicked him in the shin as he walked by him. However, according to Gibson, the incident unfolded a little differently. "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. "He said, 'Sorry, it's necessary, and I absolutely have to have it.'" Frustrated, Gibson says he returned back to set and was sharing Williams’ response with some of his cast mates when Williams entered the room. "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," Gibson said. "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." After what was supposed to be a two-week suspension, Gibson was informed that he was “dismissed” from the show. Gibson had already completed filming on the first two episodes of the season before he was fired and didn't return to set to film a proper exit. Williams — who admits he himself was once suspended from set for raising his voice — believes Gibson created a “hostile work environment,” but reveals he will, in fact, miss his character. “[The fans] got to watch him, but I got to write him,” says Williams. Though he doesn’t foresee working with Gibson in the future, Williams wishes him the best. “I pray for him,” he says. “I hope that he’s getting time with his family. I hope the best for the guy.” Even though Gibson was fired from show after the altercation, Williams still has a job writing and producing for Criminal Minds, and is writing the ninth episode of Season 12. Catch all new episodes of Criminal Minds every Wednesday at 9/8c on CBS.
4 Comments
The Rookie
11/13/2016 06:53:36 am
I really want this controversy to be over! This is a PRIVATE Human Resources issue and should be resolved in closed doors and not social media. Even if I miss Hotch (I do) I am excited to see Prentiss as the new Unit Chief, it is a dream to get Emily for one or more seasons. "NoHotchNoWatch" should stop watching and tweeting, they have to accept they are not getting TG back.
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Kimberly
11/30/2016 01:08:55 am
I agree that this is a HR issue & should've been dealt as such but CM decided to smear Thomas Gibson & that is not right, it took two ppl to argue & it has been documented that Virgil was the one that was being aggressively coming towards Gibson. You can watch & enjoy it, but you have no right to tell other ppl what to do. They have the right to tweet whatever they want. I'' not watching because I chose not to watch.
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Beatriz (Beth) Piercy
6/25/2023 03:55:45 am
I just wish y'all just buried the hatchet and bring Thomas Gibson back. I really miss
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ERIC
3/18/2024 01:34:59 pm
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