Mandy Patinkin has been a staple of film and television for several decades now, but audiences should know him best as Inigo Montoya in The Princess Bride. The swashbuckling swordsman with the trademark quip (“My name is Inigo Montoya, you killed my father, prepare to die”) has followed Patinkin around since the late ’80s, but in recent years he has made a name for himself as a critically acclaimed TV actor as well.
Currently Patinkin can be seen on Showtime’s Homeland, where he plays Saul Berenson, supervisor and mentor to Claire Danes’ character Carrie Mathison. But before ending up on the Golden Globe-winning Homeland, Patinkin was one of the main cast members on CBS’ Criminal Minds – that is, before he abruptly quit the show.
In 2007, when Patinkin failed to show up for a table read, it was presumed that contractual differences were involved. But once he had officially left the show, the actor revealed his distaste for the violence depicted in Criminal Minds.
For a while after his departure, Patinkin stuck to lighter fare (musicals and such) while still making guest appearances in dramatic roles – and then in 2011 he landed the gig on Homeland.
Now that Patinkin has found a new home on Showtime most viewers don’t think twice about his sudden departure, but for those interested the actor has given somewhat of an explanation. More so than that, he tells The Hollywood Reporter his time on Criminal Minds was his “biggest public mistake.”
Patinkin says that when first approached for Criminal Minds he had no idea that the series’ writers were going to “kill and rape all these women every night, every day, week after week, year after year.” Obviously with a show that seeks to examine the serial killer’s perspective there was going to be some death, but apparently Patinkin didn’t know the extent to which he and audiences were going to be exposed to it.
Patinkin says that working on Criminal Minds “was very destructive to [his] soul and [his] personality,” and after leaving the show he “didn’t think [he] would get to work in television again.” A major actor abruptly leaving a TV show isn’t something new (i.e. Charlie Sheen and Two and a Half Men) but the way in which Patinkin made his exit must have given him the impression he burned a lot of his Hollywood connections.
As we’ve already revealed, though, Patinkin has found success again on Homeland, a series he says works as a perfect counterpoint to Criminal Minds.
“A show like Homeland is the antidote. It asks why there’s a need for violence in the first place.”
Patinkin might not be as recognizable in the latter part of his career as he was post Princess Bride, but his presence on award-nominated series has always garnered him recognition. Though it’s Homeland stars Claire Danes and Damian Lewis that have been getting all of the attention from the Emmys and Golden Globes, Patinkin more than holds his own.
Homeland returns to Showtime on September 30th at 10 PM.
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Source: The Hollywood Reporter
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Alright already. This is the fourth article referring to his displeasure with his previous employment. We get it. He didn’t realize a show about serial killers would be so brutal. Did he not read any of the scripts?
Give me a break. Better yet, stop giving him a forum to air his displeasure. Maybe he should have said something five years ago.
Agreed.
I also when I was 18 or 19 or even age 20 served on Jury Duty they sayed like a good Agent Lewis or Antonio RED. ERA THANK YOU!!! DAAM FREE FREE SET THEM FREE!!! DID YOU EVER FIND THOSE GIRLS ARNOLD HAS SOMETHING TO SAY TO YOU GUY’S NIP=
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***SEX CRIME I HUNG THE JURY FREE FREE SET THEM FREE,,GO WATCH SALT MAAN THE WHITE HOUSE SCENE WITH ANGELINA,,,AND DA KAPASSA ON ANY ISSUE!!! P.A. WRITING ATTACHED WITH FULL DA***
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Ohh ok the Terrorist in this World today would need an Episode like that to happen the CIA etc. on the last Show to even have any get backs from Osama’s Death and that Star Spangle you know Golf,Nascar,and Tennis OHH YEA!!! ANY COMEBACK ON THAT YIP! FDC DOWN STAIRS THE HOTTEST OK.Thoe Shadows though teh Terroist cold not anything like anything uhm my Book all those Episodes Whelp enough of commercials “YEA GEZZELLE THE EVIL INDUSTRY” ***.*** UUNDER ***.***5 OHH I HAVE STORYS I HAVE STORYS TO SELL HERE FROM MY HOUSE LIKE HOUSE.
Jesus Christ the T.V. has a NIP! ON ALL AGE 26 what im saying is untill Hell Freezes over got out.Well I have to End this here DA ROME ON ANY ISSUE.
WAY TO GO MARGIE…A REAL SELF-ABSORBED, ARROGANT VILE INDIVIDUAL (WHO, BYE THE WAY, PICKS HIS NOSE OFF SCREEN…(REALLY/JUST WATCH ANY OF HIS INTERVIEWS ON YOU-TUBE) ACTORS OUT THERE WOULD KILL FOR A ROLE ON TV AND HE THROWS 2 ROLES (DON’T FORGET CHICAGO HOPE) AWAY LIKE GARBAGE. DID YOU SEE THE INTERVIEW WHEN HE TOLD EVERYONE THAT HE DOES EVERYTHING THAT HIS WIFE TELLS HIM TO DO. SHE’S ANOTHER ARRAGANT, SELF-ABSORBED INDIVIDUAL. THE BOTH OF THEM SHOULD GO BACK TO BROADWAY AND TAKE THEIR GI=NORMOUS EGOS WITH THEM……CRIMINAL MINDS IS IN ITS 8TH SEASON…HOMELAND WILL NEVER-EVER LAST THAT LONG……
I agree whole heartedly – he is one arrogant Jewish fellow. Probably left the show because of the competition – he is not the only star. He had to shine or nothing. Notice he is closeup most of the time, and also in almost every scene. He was most likely made aware that the show was not only about him. I got sick of looking at his arrogant know-it-all attitude. He is not missed at all.
This guy is a JERK. WTF did this Moron think a show about FBI agents would be about DUH. Hey PESTINKO if you want to work in a day care then try and read a few scripts before you start whining about you karma, you sniveling twerp
Mandy had to follow his heart. And knowing his heart he had to.
Mandy knows all about the dreams that you dare to dream.
Why don’t you Guy’s write about Terrorist in South America.A burning brigde a lonely Highway,,if I can make it to the Border,,if I can make it tot he Coast,,,if I can make it to the Border ill be in the arms of the Girl I love the most uhm.
YEA RIGHT!! THAT STUPID BLOND COMES OVER!!! AND SAYS NO TO MY PARDON “ALL HACKING CHARGES AND GRAND THEFT FOR GOING NEAR MY DOCUMENTS WHEN HELL FREEZES OVER YOU GUY’S AND THAT BLOND YEA RIGHT!!! “YEA RIGHT OF MEANING NO” UUUUUUUUUUUUUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.
It would be one thing if he left a show and it tanked. It’s almost like it scarred him for life. Really? I mean look at the episodes. Men get killed just as much as women. And what does it say about the rest of the cast that stayed on all these years? I just think he should move on.
nip!
Mandy Patinkin is nothing more than a self-centered, self-absorbed prima donna hypocrite. If he really cared about the subject “destroying” him, maybe he should have thought about that when season 2 ended, instead of letting the writers write 8 episodes, he shows up first day, then disappears without telling anyone – leaving the writers to scramble, and nearly costing everyone their jobs as they wondered if the show could literally go on.
I agree. If it was so bad why did he stay for, was it 3 years? He is an extremely intelligent man and even if, as he says, he didn’t realize that it was going to be so violent why didn’t he leave sooner? Sometimes people should just keep quiet and as the French say, il ne faut pas cracher dans sa soupe….
Way To Go Blue SunFlower….I agree! Mr. Patinkin is not only a quitter, but you are correct…he is a self-absorbed, vile, arrogant individual with a wife (kathryn grody) who is worse than he is. Criminal Minds is in its 8th season!!!!! Homeland will NEVER, EVER last that long. If Showtime needs a show with all those unnecessary sex, violence (which Mr. Patinkin dislikes so terribly)and the vile language to keep an audience interested, it should be taken off the air and send Mr. Patinkin and his oversized ego back to broadway (that’s if they desire an Al Jolsen wanna-be) where he belongs. Gosh…I have never seen such an ungrateful actor in my life. there are people out there that would kill for the roles (2) he left. Less we forget Chicago Hope….He and his JAP wife should just GO AWAY!!!!!!
I think Manet is a wonderful actor. Hid remarks are a little off putting however. If Tv fans remember he Aldo left Chicago Hope very suddenly and the shoe never fully recovered. Luckily Criminal Minds is an ensamble and the actors work well together. For ne id is about getting into the minds of the criminals andbribginv safety and closure to the victims.
He’ll always be Rube from “Dead Like Me” to Me. Very unfortunate that DLM was cancelled so soon. Great show, great writing, great acting.
That show has become a bit of a legend.
I’ll have to track it down and give it a go.
I have heard nothing but good things of it.
Wow! Didn’t realize Mandy hated Criminal Minds so much!! But the show isn’t ONLY about women getting raped season after season!! Kids get kidnapped and murdered! Parents get murdered! Men get murdered! Victims are reunited to their families! Murderers get arrested and put in jail! We learn about serial killers and their motives! We learn about the backgrounds of all of the characters and what makes them tick! And most importantly this show is about the actual stuff that goes on in the world!! This stuff is real!! Sure the show gets a little gorry at times, but things like that happen in the world!! And I’m sorry Mandy if the real world scares you, but that’s what’s out there!! And I think Criminal Minds is a FANTABULOUS show!! And the writers and actors to an OUTSTANDING job bringing it to life!!
Criminal Minds isn’t about “killing and raping all these women every night, every day, week after week, year after year.” But it’s fine. I hated his character; I was happy when he left. Criminal Minds is still one of the most watched television shows averaging at least 12 million viewers a weeks.
Give me a break. This guy!
Sounds like he’s a quitter. Just wait until he realizes how much torture and gratuitous sex we saw on Homeland. He’ll probably bolt again.
I remember him most fondly as Huxley on Elmo in Grouchland!
An actor quits. So what? He claims he was mislead
and was not comfortable with the shows direction.
Mandy didn’t get paid and risked his career leaving.
5 years. Everyone has moved on but him. It seems these comments always seem to get him press though. What I have never understood is how someone who claims to be this sensitive could have so little empathy or respect for his castmates and colleagues. I really wish the people that give him a forum to bash the show would press him for the reason he left the show in the manner he did. If he had gone to the showrunners at the end of Season 2 and said he simply could not continue I am sure people would be more understanding but to leave some 200 or so people waiting for you at the first table read with no notice is just inexcusable. Thank goodness the professionals (cast and crew) went on to work furiously to get shows on the air.
Man I thought he quit cause the show sucked!
He has left every show he has been in; starting with Chicago Hope. Now it’s rumored he even wants to leave “Homeland” now.
LUCY-LU..I TOTALLY AGREE. HE IS SO SELF-ABSORBED WITH AN EGO AS BIG AS THE GRAND CANYON…SINCE THE POOR DARLING HASN’T GONE HOME WITH ANY GOLDEN GLOBE; EMMY OR SAG AWARDS FROM HOMELAND LIKE THE THE REST OF THEM, I’LL BET YOU A NICKEL (I’M CURRENTLY UNEMPLOYED) THAT HE IS NEGOTIATING OR TRYING TO NEGOTIATE A HIGHER SALARY. HE THINKS HE CARRIES THE SHOW! WHAT A GI-NORMOUS EGO…I WISH THAT CLAIRE DANES NEVER DID THE “HOLLA” NONSENSE. MR. PATINKIN MUST THINK HE WALKS ON WATER. REALLY, LUCY-LU….HE SHOULD TAKE THAT UGLY BEARD, HIS NASTY, ARROGANT, BITCY WIFE AND GO BACK TO BROADWAY!
Mandy Patinkin is brilliant at whatever he does. I watch everything he’s on. His voice is liquid gold. I preferred Chicago Hope over E.R. But not every actor is a dimwit 18 year old picked for pecs. Some spend a lifetime exposing their souls for public examination. You have no right to judge his motives.He rejected the money and and sabotaged his own career to do what he felt what was right. And he has 2 daughters and great passion.
I so miss Mandy in Criminal Minds, I do however understand & respect his decision to leave the show. I have not watched Homeland yet, but now knowing he is in the show I juat may start.
I am happy to see some one speak up about what is right and wrong. We have violence every day in this world. We live in a greedy world. People should be learning about Jesus, not violence!
I would prefer a story about Ra, or perhaps Odin. Or we could have a show about Zeus and to keep the christian crowd we could call it “Hey Zeus”!
janet ferreira….im glad you buy into what Christians are selling…but not everyone dose. This country has so many religions and im thankful for that. But what irks me to no end is when people try to say that watching a Christan show would be peaceful and lovely. Go ask the Indians the witches(im one BTW) the Muslims and any other group you deemed unfit to live. If they were to have a real show with EVERYTHING that has been done in the name of Jesus it would be 10 times worse then ANYTHING allowed on TV.
Just listened to Mandy’s interview on CBC this morning and I was blown away by his views on fear. He came across as a very interesting and soulful man. The kind of guy that I would dearly love to know as a friend. He’s very engaging and insightful. I wish him all the best in his career. Anyone who is ready to stand behind his ethics, no matter what the cost to their career, is a hero to me. Wether you agree or disagree with his views, you have to hand it to the man for standing his ground.