Matthew Gray Gubler is best known as the star of the long-running crime drama Criminal Minds, which ended its initial 15-season run in 2020.
Since then, Gubler has stayed relatively out of the spotlight, even passing up the chance to reprise his role of Dr Spencer Reid in the Criminal Minds reboot to instead concentrate on other projects, including his burgeoning career as a children’s book author. 
Gubler, now 44, has never married and keeps his private life private – and never commented on his rumoured relationship with pop superstar Taylor Swift more than a decade ago.
READ MORE: The ‘connecting the dots’ moments behind Jamie Lee Curtis’ career
Early life
Gubler was born on March 9, 1980, in Las Vegas. His mother Marilyn was a rancher and political consultant while his father John was an attorney.
He always wanted to be an entertainer and told Glamour in 2015 that one of his first memories was trying to impress a crowd.
“It’s all I’ve ever wanted to do,” he said.
READ MORE: Why Aussie actor walked away from seven-figure salary and career
“I have a crazy memory, and I remember being two years old at someone’s party and thinking, ‘This party is boring! I better spruce it up!’
“I got up and tried to do this really dumb dance that I saw Winnie the Pooh do, and I remember falling over and thinking, ‘This is what it’s all about.'”
He said his “loving, encouraging parents” always supported his dreams.
Gubler attended Las Vegas Academy of the Arts high school to study acting after missing out on his first choice, filmmaking, before moving to New York to study directing.
While living in New York he was discovered by a scout for DNA Model Management and ended up modelling for high-profile clients, including Tommy Hilfiger, Marc Jacobs and American Eagle, rising to 46th in a ranking of male models at the time.
Towards the end of his studies, Gubler scored an internship with filmmaker Wes Anderson, who encouraged him to audition for a part in his 2004 movie, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou.
He landed the small part of Nico, an intern, kickstarting his acting career.
READ MORE: One scene made Aussie Adam Garcia a global heartthrob
The big break
The very next year he was cast in new show Criminal Minds as doctor Spencer Reid, a member of the FBI’s serial killer-tracking Behavioural Analysis Unit.
Gubler became a fan favourite for his portrayal of Reid, the youngest member of the team and a genius who holds a swag of PhDs.
He told Glamour that filming Criminal Minds had been “really fun” from the very first day.
READ MORE: Margaret Qualley went from screen icon’s daughter to a star
“When I’m doing this job, I feel like a different person, which is probably why it has gone by so fast,” he said of the show.
“I’ve always loved performing. I am weird that I love auditioning. I’m as happy entertaining one person as I am entertaining a million people.
“It’s so bizarre it has been on for so long, because in no way shape or form does it feel like that. It still feels like day two.”
Notoriously private A-listers cause frenzy over single snap
Other roles
When his schedule allowed, he took on other roles, including voicing the character of Simon in the 2007 film Alvin and the Chipmunks. He reprised the role in 2009’s Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel and 2015’s Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip.
He also starred in the Robin Willams film RV and scored lead roles in How to Be a Serial Killer and (500) Days of Summer.
When he wasn’t acting, he tried his hand at documentary-making and directing, including 12 episodes of Criminal Minds.
He also co-produced, directed and edited the music video for The Killers song Don’t Shoot me Santa.
“I love directing. To me, I really feel most like myself, or that I’m doing what I’m supposed to be doing if I’m directing or acting in comedies or telling ghost stories,” he told Glamour.
“I’m really proud of everything I’ve done as a director.
“I love entertaining people, and that’s all I’ve ever wanted to do. The fact that I’ve gotten to do this for a long time is so awesome.”
Gubler remained in the role for the show’s entire 15-season run.
‘No way’: Law & Order star reveals truth behind exit
Life after Criminal Minds
After Criminal Minds ended in 2020, Gubler busied himself with other projects, including writing and illustrating his second children’s book.
“I really feel it’s important to encourage children,” he told Glamour.
“I’m so proud of all the kids’ entertainment I’ve done, whether it’s The Chipmunks, Scooby Doo, or Batman.
“It’s a huge responsibility, so anything to hopefully foster creativity and imagination in children, there’s no more noble thing you can do as a performer.”
For a daily dose of 9honey, subscribe to our newsletter here.
His first book, Rumple Buttercup: A Story of Bananas, Belonging, and Being Yourself, was released in 2019.
A second book, The Little Kid with the Big Green Hand, followed in 2023.
“I’m a storyteller. That’s what I am,” he told Glamour years before the first book was released.
“Whether it’s pictures I draw or things I direct, I’m just trying to tell a story and make people’s lives hopefully more enchanting.”
When Criminal Minds was rebooted as Criminal Minds Evolution in 2022, fans hoped Gubler would reprise his role.
However, scheduling conflicts stopped him from taking up a role in the show.
Late last year it was announced Gubler had won the lead role in a new series, which has been given the working title, Einstein. He will play a relative of Albert Einstein, who uses maths to solves crimes.
He last appeared in seven episodes of the streamed series Dollface, opposite Kat Dennings of 2 Broke Girls fame.
Dating life
Gulber always strived to keep his relationships out of the spotlight, but did admit to Glamour he dated Kat Dennings “for a long time.”
“It was at the start of my show,” he told Glamour.
The couple reportedly broke up due to distance and his work schedule, but remained on good terms.
“Being on a show like this is not conducive to having a real life because for those first five years of Criminal Minds, we were easily doing 15-hour days,” he said.
“I’m still really good friends with her. I love Kat. She’s the best.
“I fall in love with wonderful people and people that can’t be replicated. They are completely unique individuals, and those people are really rare and you can’t let them go.
“You gotta be friends with them forever because if I’m going to date someone, it’s a real big thing for me.
“It means that I feel that we’re tied together for life, whether they like it or not.”
About those Taylor Swift rumours
Gubler was rumoured to have dated Taylor Swift in 2013.
Rumours began after fans deduced he had attended one of Swift’s famous Fourth of July parties.
Fans noticed a photo Gubler posted to social media on the day featured him with a US flag painted on his face that was similar to one Swift sported the same day.
A kitchen spotted in the background of photos posted by both stars also looked similar.
Neither Gubler or Swift ever commented on the rumours.
Net worth
Gubler was reportedly paid $US150,000 (approx $237,000) an episode in the final season of Criminal Minds, bringing in $2.4 million that season alone and upping his reported net worth to about $16 million.
In 2016 he gave fans a glimpse inside his home in a video for Vanity Fair.
He said his “haunted tree house” included “a lot of weird stuff” and even housed a kimono collection.
FOLLOW US ON WHATSAPP HERE: Stay across all the latest in celebrity, lifestyle and opinion via our WhatsApp channel. No comments, no algorithm and nobody can see your private details.
