'Criminal Minds' Star Had to Save Jensen Ackles From Her Mother on 'Supernatural' Set
Before becoming a recurring character on Criminal Minds, Aimee Garcia starred in an episode of Supernatural, and there were some awkward moments. Here's what the actress had to share.
The 18th season of Criminal Minds introduced a new recurring character – Dr. Julia Ochoa, one of the most respected neuropsychiatrists in the country.
If you thought the actress who plays Ochoa, Aimee Garcia, looked familiar, you're not imagining things. You may have seen her in another popular, long-running series, Supernatural.
Garcia played Nancy Fitzgerald, one of the main characters in the third season's 12th episode, titled "Jus In Bello."
Who Was Nancy Fitzgerald in 'Supernatural'?
Nancy was a devout Catholic and a secretary at the sheriff's station, which was attacked by Lilith's demons. She witnessed the Winchester brothers exorcize Victor Henriksen and was deeply impressed.
A self-imposed celibate, Nancy volunteered to be a virgin sacrifice in Ruby's ritual to destroy the demons. However, Dean refused and found another way to accomplish the task without sacrifices.
Despite Nancy's help with the new plan and her survival of the siege, Lilith killed her and everyone else in the building shortly after Sam and Dean left.
Aimee Garcia Shared Her Memories of Filming 'Supernatural'
In an interview with TV Insider, Aimee Garcia shared her memories on filming Supernatural and working with the cast, particularly Jensen Ackles, who played Dean Winchester and with whom her mother flirted:
“I had the best time with those guys. My parents came on set, and I do remember my mom flirting with Jensen shamelessly in front of my father [...]. I'm like, ‘Mom, you cannot flirt with Jensen!'”
Garcia also added:
“I do remember those guys just being so welcoming to my family, and it was just a blast.”
Aimee Garcia Plays a Rather Shady Character in 'Criminal Minds'
In Criminal Minds, however, Aimee Garcia's character is much more layered and controversial. Many fans suspect that she is either working with the main antagonist, Voit, or that she has feelings for him and will eventually switch sides. Reddit user fluffy3118 wrote:
“My theories on her are:
She'll fall in love with voit, then help him escape, and they go on the run. He eventually kills her
She helps him escape, kills him, and takes over his organisation
I'd be surprised if she's just a good doctor and clean at the end.”
She interferes too much in the investigation and tries to find details from the BAU members that are none of her business. So far, Ochoa's motives are unclear, but we will definitely find out about them in future episodes.
'Criminal Minds' Next Episode Release Date
New episodes of Criminal Minds air every Thursday on Paramount+. The sixth episode, titled "Hell Is Empty...," will premiere on June 12.
