Rossi Unrecognizable in Criminal Minds Reboot, Leaving Fans Baffled
In case you missed it, the upcoming Criminal Minds reboot has recently been the talk of the internet. Specifically, people are discussing the radical change in character SSA David Rossi's appearance.
Rossi is portrayed on the small screen by actor Joe Montegna. Fans of the long-running animated series The Simpsons fans should have little trouble recognizing Montegna's voice as belonging to the character Fat Tony. However, it's Montegna's appearance as the federal agent in recent photos for the Criminal Minds reboot that fans say render him almost unrecognizable.
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Purportedly born in 1956, the character of SSA Rossi would've been only 14 years old when he lied about his age in order to join the military. This would make him nearly a decade younger than the actor portraying him. Montegna has played Rossi off and on since Season 9 in 2007, when he replaced actor Mandy Patinkin. Since Montegna's acting career began with a role in the hit musical Hair, it's odd that Montegna's own hair is now drawing so much attention.
Montegna said he decided to let his hair go gray naturally. Criminal Minds fans were surprised by the sudden departure of the actor's lush glossy black locks. Because some fans feel this makes the character look older, the conversation has been about how close the agent was to mandatory retirement.
Like so many other things in life, there are exceptions to the rules regarding mandatory retirement for federal employees. Employees holding certain "special" jobs, such as Supervisory Special Agent, are allowed to request their retirement be deferred. This is also the case for military vets under the federal employee retirement program FERS. Both stipulations apply to Rossi.
With federal employees quitting their jobs, retiring, and passing away every single day, the focus turns to the object of filling vacant roles. Rossi has both military and FBI training. The US Office of Personnel Management (OPM), essentially a federal human resources team, can opt to waive age requirements and mandatory retirement. Rossi certainly seems to be in good health, so chances are he could indeed stay on in his present role.
While the gray hair might be surprising at first, Rossi also displays a much leaner physique. This combination arguably gives the agent an appealingly distinguished look. SSA David Rossi is, in this writer's humble opinion, serving up foxy federal agent vibes on a silver platter.
Criminal Minds: Evolution premieres on Paramount+ November 24, 2022.