Gia Mantegna: Who Joe Mantegna's Daughter Played In Criminal Minds

Summary Gia Mantegna, Joe Mantegna's daughter, brought depth and nuance to Criminal Minds in her role as Lindsey Vaughn, a victim turned unsub.

Lindsey Vaughn's character, played by Gia Mantegna, evolved from a traumatized victim to a hardened hitwoman, adding complexity to the show.

Joe Mantegna and Matthew Gray Gubler praised Gia's performance on Criminal Minds, highlighting her talent and contribution to the series.

Joe Mantegna's daughter, Gia Mantegna, appears in Criminal Minds as a notable character. In the 15 seasons of Criminal Minds, and one season of Criminal Minds Evolution, dozens of guest stars have featured in the series, either as unsubs or as come-and-go members of the Behavioral Analysis Unit of the FBI. Even the daughter of one of the series' most popular actors makes an appearance, and a relatively long one at that for a guest star. Joe Mantegna plays David Rossi, the senior supervisory special agent who first appeared in season 3.

A mainstay of both Criminal Minds and the Criminal Minds Evolution cast, Rossi was one of the original members of the BAU and a highly experienced profiler. He left the department for a few years to write books but returned in 2007 after SSA Jason Gideon's (Mandy Patinkin) departure. Unlike the more staid and cerebral members of the team, Rossi is extroverted and abrasive, fond of old-fashioned police work rather than new technology. Mantegna's character adds a crucial energy to the series and his daughter brought that same spirit when she appeared in her episodes.

Related 20 Criminal Minds Episodes Based On Real Cases There are Criminal Minds episodes that are both reasonably straight copies of real killers as well as episodes using real-life cases as a reference.

Gia Mantegna Played Assassin Lindsey Vaughn In Four Criminal Minds Episodes

Lindsey Vaughn Is A Victim Turned Unsub

Gia Mantegna first appears as Lindsey Vaughn in Criminal Minds season 3, episode 12, "3rd Life". Lindsey is the daughter of Jack (Fredric Lehne), a notorious hitman. In the episode, Lindsey and her friend Kate (Hayley McFarland) are abducted and sexually assaulted, and Kate is killed before Jack arrives to murder the attackers. As an important witness in another case, Jack and Lindsey are sent to Atlanta, Georgia to begin again, and that appears to be the end of that.

In the time between entering witness protection and her reemergence, Lindsey donned a blonde wig, began a career as a hit woman, and became romantically involved with Cat.

However, nine seasons later, Lindsey reappears in season 12, episode 20, "Unforgettable", as a member of a gang of international assassins led by Cat Adams (Aubrey Plaza). In the time between entering witness protection and her reemergence, Lindsey donned a blonde wig, began a career as a hit woman, and became romantically involved with Cat.

Lindsey preferred the same weapon her father Jack used in his hits, a .50-caliber IMI Desert Eagle handgun.

Despite the years between performances, Mantegna ensures the character feels the same across seasons, though hardened over time. Mantegna's performance and the character's sexuality are nuanced, and Lindsey is not a caricature. She is one of the few unsubs to be a victim in an early season only to return as a criminal. It goes to show how the BAU's decisions have long-lasting effects years after they're made.

Gia Mantegna's Appearances On Criminal Minds Season Episode Title 3 12 3rd Life 12 20 Unforgettable 21 Green Light 22 Red Light

Gia Mantegna Also Appeared In The Middle & 13 Going On 30

Mantegna Has Appeared In Many Notable TV Shows And Movies

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Gia Mantegna also has notable roles in the TV show The Middle as Devin Levin and in the movie 13 Going on 30 as Gina. Both characters are much more innocent than Lindsey Vaughn, who's a violent murderer. In The Middle, Devin is Axl Heck's (Charlie McDermott) girlfriend from seasons 6-8, whom Axl initially does not like, while Gina is one of the girls that adult Jenna (Jennifer Garner) has a sleepover with in 13 Going on 30. Mantega also appears in Unaccompanied Minors, Gigantic, and Under the Dome.

Gia Mantegna's Notable Movie & TV Performances Title Role Unaccompanied Minors (2006) Grace Conrad The Secret Life of the American Teenager (2008-2009) Patty Gigantic (2010-2011) Vanessa King Under the Dome (2015) Lily Walters The Middle (2014-2017) Devin Levin Criminal Minds (2008-2017) Lindsey Vaughan Life After First Failure (2017) Christina Robbins The Dead Girls Detective Agency (2018-2019) Charlotte Feldman

Joe Mantegna Was Proud Of Gia's Criminal Minds Performance

Matthew Gray Gubler Was Also Impressed With His Co-stars' Acting

Fans were delighted with Gia's portrayal of Lindsey Vaughn, as was her father and co-stars. In an interview with AssignmentX, Joe Mantegna said,

She [Gia] can play a lesbian lover/murderer like nobody’s business. She had. I thought it was interesting that they decided to find out what happens with the daughter of a hit man, who when you last saw her was telling her father, 'Kill him, Daddy,' which kind of flipped him [Spencer] out at the time. It took him three episodes to recover from that."

Matthew Gray Gubler, who plays Spencer Reid, said,

"Oh, yeah. And Gia Mantegna, incredibly talented. She’s very talented. She takes after someone in her family. She was a fan favorite, and we were so happy to have her back."

While Joe would probably be expected to have laudatory things to say about his daughter, Gubler's appreciation for Gia's performance in Criminal Minds is a good sign that the rest of the cast and crew were glad to have her on board, if only for a short time.