Criminal Minds: Evolutionstar Zach Gilford has given his views on whether he believes serial killer Elias Voit is faking his brain injury. Voit has been a permanent fixture of theCriminal Mindsrevival show since it first aired, and the prolific serial killer has been one of the most interesting andterrifying unsubs inCriminal Mindshistory.Criminal Minds: Evolutionseason 3 has thrown in one of the show’s biggest-ever plot twists, with Voit’s brain injury causing him to have amnesia and forget his past, and become horrified by the realization he is a mass murderer.
In an interview withParade, Gilford has given his views on Voit’s current story arc andwhether or not the infamous unsub might be faking his condition. He talked about how playing Voit in this way is akin to playing a completely new character, and that he tries not to overthink the performance, before revealing that if Voit is faking it, he must be a master actor, in his opinion. Check out Gilford’s comments below:
“It’s a little like a different character I guess the difference is I had to treat it like I’m meeting all these people for the first time, and I’m developing new relationships with them. So, I had to forget whatever we had done before; that never happened…
I try to just play it straight and see what happens. I think whenever an actor tries to play a secret within a secret within a secret, you start to overthink it and get lost in what secret you’re in. So, if he is some sort of master actor who can fake this, then I’ll just play it as if it’s real, because I guess he’s a great actor who can do it.”
What This Means For Voit’s Criminal Minds: Evolution Arc
Voit Could Be Playing A Long Con
Criminal Minds: Evolutionseason 3 has shown the limitations of Voit’s storyline, but this has also allowed the show to do a complete reversal, and explore the moral conflict of trying to humanize the unsub. As Gilford reveals, it’s a big change in personality for the character, and exploring a new side to Voit for the first time will no doubt be a thrilling experience for the actor. It is unclear whether Voit is faking at this stage, and he would have to be a phenomenal actor to pull a con like this, but if anyone can pull that off, it’s Voit.
TheCriminal Minds: Evolutionseason 3 finale will air July 10 on Paramount+.
The choice to make Voit more empathetic gives the audience pretty strong cognitive dissonance, which makes for a more compelling viewing experience, especially as it’s unclear whether it is genuine.Criminal Minds: Evolutionseason 3 has dropped a few hints that Voit might be faking it, but they have been presented as deliberately unclear, such as a couple of scenes from theCriminal Minds: Evolutionseason 3 trailer. However, the show is keeping its cards close to its chest regarding Voit’s endgame, and this should make for more compelling viewing.
Our Verdict On Voit’s Brain Injury
It’s Tough To Call At This Point
Criminal Minds: Evolutionis exploring a fascinating moral dilemma, and could even be thrusting Voit down the pathway of a potential controversial redemption arc, but it is still unclear if things are all a ruse, or if the"new"Voit is here to stay. This is one of the most fascinating plot devicesCriminal Mindshas ever thought up, and the fact that Voit’s brain scans show normal activity (as opposed to psychopathy) would suggest his condition is bonafide. However, either possibility is on the table at this point, and things should become clearer as the season unfolds.
Criminal Minds
Cast
Criminal Minds follows an elite team of FBI profilers from the Behavioral Analysis Unit as they analyze the nation’s most complex criminal minds, led by experienced agent David Rossi. The team works to anticipate and prevent crimes by understanding the behavior of these dangerous individuals.
