Criminal Minds' Aisha Tyler Admires Tara Lewis' Workaholic Lifestyle - Exclusive
With "Criminal Minds" on the air again via Paramount+'s "Criminal Minds: Evolution" revival, the Behavioral Analysis Unit of the FBI is back in action, tackling what might be its biggest case yet. Starring Joe Mantegna, Kirsten Vangsness, and Aisha Tyler, among other original cast members, the series — which streams new episodes on Thursdays — follows the crack team of BAU agents as they search for a sophisticated serial killer who has scattered minions terrorizing the entire country.
As forensic psychologist Dr. Tara Lewis, Tyler is an integral part of the unit, staying laser-focused on the case to the point of sacrificing her own personal life. "My character has been on the road for a very long time," Tyler explained during an exclusive interview with Looper. "She's been working and sleeping out of her car, working out of roadside motels and eating in diners. She hasn't cut her hair since the beginning of the pandemic. She's really devoted to the work."
That "workaholic" lifestyle is something that the veteran actress says she greatly admires, a viewpoint she was more than happy to share during the interview.
Tyler sees herself in her Criminal Minds character
Aisha Tyler and her "Criminal Minds: Evolution" character both went to Dartmouth College, a private Ivy League school in New Hampshire. But that's not the only thing the two have in common, according to the actor.
"I'm a real workaholic," said Tyler. "I don't apologize for it. I love what I do, and I find immersion in my creative life and my work life very energizing."
It's a trait she says she shares with Dr. Lewis. "Tara came into the BAU in a relationship that ended pretty quickly, leading into her work there, and she has devoted herself to the work, and I definitely think I share that with Tara ... Also, especially as a woman, I don't believe in apologizing for ambition, and I don't think that Tara does either. She's really driven, unapologetically, unequivocally driven. I love that about her. She knows how important the work is that she's doing, and she is literally saving lives. That devotion, I really respect. I really admire it."
"Criminal Minds: Evolution" airs Thursdays on Paramount+.