Who Is Max on 'Criminal Minds,' Played by Rachael Leigh Cook?

Everyone's favorite autodidact on Criminal Minds, the lovable, bumbling Spencer Reid, hasn't had much luck in his romantic life. There was Lila (season one), who gave him his first kiss, and Maeve (season eight), whose sudden death broke his heart. For the show's 15th and final season, his luck may be about to change: Rachel Leigh Cook will play Max,  (opens in new tab)billed as a "love interest" for Matthew Grey Gubler's character.

TV Line broke the news (opens in new tab) in February that Leigh Cook would play "a quirky, kind-hearted, candid woman who strikes up an unusual relationship" with Reid. Max will guest-star in at least two episodes (which is a lot, considering the final season only has ten episodes)—so you can expect her to play a pretty major role in Reid's life.

You may recognizable Leigh Cook; she played protagonist Laney in She's All That and later appeared in Josie and the Pussycats and Dawson's Creek. Since 2016, she's been focused on Hallmark, both developing and starring in new movies on the network. This past summer, her personal life made headlines when she split from husband and fellow actor Daniel Gillies after more than a decade of marriage.

Here she is in her She's All That era:

And here she is today (Rachael, I would very much like your skincare secrets, thanks):

Her turn in Criminal Minds as a romantic interest for Reid would otherwise be welcome news—but fans were left taken aback by J.J.'s sudden and passionate declaration (opens in new tab) of love for Reid in the final episode of season 14. "I’ve always loved you," she said, quite literally at gunpoint, "and I was just too scared to say it before. And now things are just really too complicated to say it now. I’m sorry, but you should know."

J.J. and Reid, of course, have been the very best of friends for years. Also, J.J. is married to Will, and the couple have two kids. So it's already a pretty dramatic situation—and is set to get even more so with the arrival of "Max," essentially making this a love quadrangle.

Showrunner Erica Messer opened up about the J.J. and Reid situation to TV Line,  (opens in new tab)saying: "It’s definitely a huge driver for the first handful of episodes that will help add layers to those characters again."

No word on exactly when season 15 will premiere, but it'll be midseason—so, late winter or early spring.

For more stories like this, including celebrity news, beauty and fashion advice, savvy political commentary, and fascinating features, sign up for the Marie Claire newsletter.

subscribe here (opens in new tab)