Criminal Minds: Who Plays Tyler Green?
"Criminal Minds: Evolution," the Paramount+ revival of the beloved procedural crime drama series, follows the BAU's investigation into a network of serial killers formed by Sicarius, aka Elias Voit (Zach Gilford). But they aren't the only ones tracking the murderous stalker. Tyler Green, a former soldier, manages to gain access in search of his sister's killer and gives information to Penelope Garcia (Kirsten Vangsness), with whom he also has a relationship during his arc on the series. Ryan-James Hatanaka plays the troubled character in seven of the ten episodes making up the 16th season.
After starting with one-off appearances in shows like "Eye Candy" and "Chicago P.D.," the actor eventually landed prominent roles in popular shows like "Nurses," "Nancy Drew," "When Hope Calls," and "The Fairly OddParents: Fairly Odder." And according to showrunner Erica Messer, Hatanaka seems to have a future with "Criminal Minds." Messer said to Variety, "Yes, there's a very great chance that we will be seeing Tyler [again]. We loved Tyler. We love RJ."
There is no denying that Hatanaka has made a lasting impression on the "Criminal Minds" franchise and successfully attained an impressive body of work, which probably has a lot to do with the unique way he prepares for each one of his roles.
Ryan-James Hatanaka gets heavily invested in the characters he plays
Whether it's getting into the mindset of Tyler Green chasing down a serial killer on "Criminal Minds" or cultivating the personality of the responsible Mountie Gabriel Kinslow on Hallmark's "When Hope Calls," Ryan-James Hatanaka goes to great lengths to ensure authenticity in all his performances. The actor shared the secret to his success when discussing his part in the popular Hallmark series. "I always like to start from within myself when I'm developing a character," Hatanaka said in an interview with Macaila Britton. "I think starting from a genuine place helps me build something real. I'm always interested in what makes a person unique. Start from there."
It's clear Hatanaka is not afraid to go the extra mile for a role, especially considering what he went through to properly bring Mountie Gabriel Kinslow to life on screen. "I talked to a few Mounties, which are still very much a thing ..." the actor told Hallmark Channel (via YouTube). "And I talked to the retired commissioner Norman Inkster, among others, who gave me a lot of insight into what it is to be a Mountie and the family that is the Mounties."
Hatanaka's passion for the personas he portrays and the fascination he has cultivating each one is a testament to the level of commitment the actor brings to the table.