What Drew Rachel Nichols To Criminal Minds' Ashley Seaver?

During the interview with Pop Entertainment, Rachel Nichols talked about the process of getting the role of Ashley Seaver on "Criminal Minds" and she revealed some interesting tidbits about the inspiration for the character. While it may not surprise a lot of fans familiar with their serial killer pop culture history, Seaver is actually inspired pretty heavily by Clarice Starling, the protagonist of "The Silence of the Lambs."

"They said, 'There are elements of Ashley that are very Clarice Starling in that she is driven and motivated and at the top of her class,'" Nichols revealed. "'She's a fighter. She's a go-getter.' She wants to work in the Behavioral Analysis Unit.'"

Given the enduring popularity of "The Silence of the Lambs" and its iconic characters Clarice and Hannibal Lecter, it's not altogether surprising that the "Criminal Minds" team would pull from that well. It would be interesting to see what Seaver is up to nowadays in the "Criminal Minds" universe and given that the series is still going strong with "Criminal Minds: Evolution," it doesn't seem like the possibility is too out there.