Connor Storrie's First Look in ‘Criminal Minds' Has the Internet Losing Its Mind
The Heated Rivalry boys have become the internet's obsession, and it doesn't seem like that obsession will be ending anytime soon.
On May 28, Criminal Minds: Evolution made its return with its 19th season. Alongside its usual cast of Joe Mantegna and A.J. Cook, Heated Rivalry star Connor Storrie will be making a celebrity guest appearance in a four-episode arc beginning on June 11. But series Creator Erica Messer told Vulture that last summer, long before Heated Rivalry took the world by storm, Storrie was already cast and had shot his part.
"We were very much interested in finding somebody that would stand out a bit. Connor won that, hands down," Messer said to Vulture. "The interesting thing is, none of us knew what Heated Rivalry was. Even if it was on his résumé, I think the conversation was, ‘He's just finished this thing that hasn't aired yet.' It wasn't anything more than that."
In Criminal Minds, Storrie will play Lance Kingston, a narcissist who is accused of stalking his ex-girlfriend. In an exclusive clip from PEOPLE, Storrie's character is shown being questioned, leading to an intense outburst.
Storrie was only meant to make a one-episode appearance in the show. However, Messer said to Vulture that he brought such a huge screen presence that the writers expanded his part.
"We were like, ‘Okay, I know he was important for episode four, but we've got to make him more integral to the rest of the season,'" Messer said. This was "100 percent because he was so compelling," she said.
When asked if Storrie will return to Criminal Minds after these four episodes, Messer replied, "You never say never."
Fans quickly took to social media to express their excitement for Storrie's arc.
"I never watched Criminal Minds before but I am so wanna watch these episodes like my life depends on it," one user commented on Instagram.
"I know he's had the time of his life on set just being able to go crazy and showcase even more of his acting chops," another said.
Aside from his appearance in Criminal Minds, Storrie has a busy summer ahead of him. The actor will star in April X, a psychological sci-fi thriller, set to release in over 500 theaters this September. And, of course, Storrie will reprise his role as Ilya Rozanov in Heated Rivalry season 2, which is on track to film in August. It was recently announced that the new season will be released in April of 2027.
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This story was originally published June 10, 2026 at 4:16 PM.