If you searched for “CIA cast,” you are almost certainly looking for the new CBS drama CIA, the latest series in Dick Wolf’s FBI universe. The show premiered on February 23, 2026, and centers on a joint CIA-FBI partnership based out of the CIA’s New York station. CBS and Paramount+ have positioned the cast chemistry as a core hook, especially the contrast between the two leads.
This article breaks down the main cast, the key characters, the crossover connections to FBI, and why this ensemble matters to the show’s early identity. I also cover a confusing detail that fans may notice right away: some official and entertainment sources currently list different character names for a few roles.
What CIA Is About
CIA is a procedural drama with an espionage angle. It follows a CIA case officer and an FBI special agent who must work together on threats tied to U.S. soil. The show blends weekly investigations with intelligence-world secrecy and inter-agency friction. That setup gives the cast room to play both conflict and teamwork.
Paramount’s official series guide describes the show as a collaboration between domestic law enforcement and international intelligence. People’s coverage highlights the same idea and notes that the project grew out of the FBI franchise’s expansion plans before landing as its own series.
The pilot episode, “Directed Energy,” starts with a stolen top-secret weapon and throws the two leads into an uneasy partnership. CBS’s own press materials emphasize the same premise and confirm a guest appearance from Jeremy Sisto as FBI’s Jubal Valentine.
The Lead Duo
Tom Ellis
Tom Ellis plays the CIA lead. Most current coverage identifies his character as Colin Glass, a fast-talking, rule-bending case officer who thrives in gray areas. Multiple sources describe him as the wild-card half of the duo, and the show’s central tension comes from how he clashes with FBI procedure.
Ellis brings strong recognition value to the series. He remains best known to many viewers for Lucifer, and entertainment coverage also points to his more recent work, including Tell Me Lies. That mix helps CIA appeal to procedural fans and viewers who follow actor-driven TV casting.
What Ellis adds to this cast goes beyond star power. The role needs charisma, speed, and unpredictability. Early coverage repeatedly frames the character as someone who can pull the FBI agent into riskier territory, which sets the tone for the series. In a cast-focused show, that makes Ellis the engine of momentum.
Nick Gehlfuss
Nick Gehlfuss plays Bill Goodman, the FBI special agent and the “by-the-book” counterweight to Ellis’s CIA officer. Almost every write-up on the show uses that contrast to explain the series fast: one operates by instinct, the other by rules.
Gehlfuss is widely known for Chicago Med, where he played Dr. Will Halstead for several seasons. That history matters because it gives him immediate TV procedural credibility. He knows how to carry long-form network drama, and CIA seems to lean on that stability.
The Goodman role also gives the audience an anchor. He enters a murkier world and reacts to the CIA style with skepticism. People’s reporting and the official descriptions both present him as a moral compass figure, which helps the show explain intelligence tradeoffs without losing audience clarity.
Why the Ellis-Gehlfuss Pairing Matters
The show’s premise depends on a classic odd-couple setup, but CIA tries to place that formula inside a national security framework. Paramount+ and TV-focused coverage stress that the friction between the leads is not just a personality conflict. It reflects two institutions with different goals, cultures, and tolerances for risk.
That makes casting unusually important. If the leads lack chemistry, the show becomes a standard case-of-the-week procedural. If they click, the series can build tension and humor while still delivering action. Early coverage from EW and People clearly points to the partnership as the show’s main draw.
Supporting Cast
Necar Zadegan
Necar Zadegan plays Nikki Reynard, the deputy chief of the CIA’s New York station. Official Paramount+ material describes her as a senior figure balancing operational demands and political realities. She appears positioned as a stabilizing authority in the ensemble.
Zadegan adds depth and familiarity to the cast. EW highlights her past work in 24, Girlfriends’ Guide to Divorce, NCIS: New Orleans, and Mayor of Kingstown. Those credits make her a natural fit for a show that blends politics, command pressure, and procedural pacing.
Her role also matters structurally. The Ellis-Gehlfuss partnership can generate conflict, but the series still needs someone who controls the room. Nikki Reynard likely fills that function. She can push missions forward, mediate agency tensions, and keep the show’s stakes tied to larger strategy.
Natalee Linez
Natalee Linez plays the CIA analyst on the core team. Paramount+ currently lists her as Gina Rojas, while some other entertainment coverage uses Gina Gosian. I’ll address that naming difference in a later section, because it has caused confusion in early cast searches.
Regardless of the surname variation, the role is consistent across sources. She serves as the analyst whose intelligence work supports field decisions. Paramount+ describes the character as someone whose insights often drive operations, which signals a meaningful role rather than background exposition.
Linez brings a newer-energy presence to the cast. The official cast guide points to credits like Power Book III: Raising Kanan and The Good Doctor, while other coverage notes work in series such as Tell Me Lies. In an ensemble like this, that mix can help the show attract both franchise viewers and younger streaming audiences.
FBI Crossover Cast and Franchise Links
A major reason fans searched “CIA cast” this week is the show’s connection to the existing FBI universe. The premiere includes Jeremy Sisto as Jubal Valentine, and CBS/Paramount materials position that appearance as a bridge for longtime viewers.
EW also reported that more crossover activity may arrive, citing comments about a broader New York-based FBI universe and noting reports that additional familiar faces could appear. That does not guarantee constant crossover events, but it shows the franchise strategy around the cast.
This matters for the show’s identity. CIA needs to feel connected enough to benefit from FBI fans, but distinct enough to justify its own series. Cast choices support that balance: one guest star from FBI in the premiere, but a mostly new core ensemble built around intelligence operations.
The Character Name Confusion Fans Are Seeing
If you searched multiple sites, you may have noticed a mismatch.
Some current official Paramount+ “Sneak Peak” cast coverage lists Tom Ellis as Hart Hoxton and Natalee Linez as Gina Rojas. That same page also describes the Ellis-Gehlfuss dynamic using the Hoxton name.
But CBS press descriptions for the premiere and other recent coverage identify Ellis’s character as Colin Glass. Paramount+’s broader “Everything You Need to Know” page also uses Colin Glass, and it lists Natalee Linez as Gina Rojas. EW, meanwhile, identifies the analyst as Gina Gosian in its cast guide.
The most practical takeaway for readers is this: the core actors and roles are consistent, but some online materials appear to reflect different naming stages or inconsistent updates. For an article about the cast, the safest approach is to focus on the actor lineup and the character functions while noting the naming discrepancy clearly.
Why This Cast Works for a New CBS Procedural
CBS procedurals often succeed on reliability and chemistry. CIA seems built with that formula in mind, but with an espionage layer. The cast reflects that strategy.
Ellis gives the show charisma and unpredictability. Gehlfuss gives it procedural discipline and emotional grounding. Zadegan gives it command presence and institutional weight. Linez gives it analytical perspective and a younger point of entry into the team. Together, they cover the core archetypes a show like this needs.
The cast also supports the show’s stated theme: collaboration across agencies. People’s coverage cites the creators’ interest in exploring what happens when the FBI and CIA work together more directly, and Paramount+ frames the series around that same intersection. The ensemble is not random; it reflects the concept.
What Viewers Can Expect From the Ensemble Dynamic
Early summaries point to a familiar but workable pattern. The leads clash, the team manages the fallout, and each case tests how much trust they can build. That pattern often drives long-running network hits, especially when the cast can handle both procedural dialogue and relationship beats.
The supporting cast should become more important as the season progresses. CBS press listings already point to a second episode, “Fatal Defect,” which suggests the show will expand case settings and likely deepen the team’s operational roles beyond the pilot setup.
If the series gains traction, the cast may also become a bigger draw than the premise itself. That often happens in Dick Wolf-style franchises. Viewers start for the format, then stay for the character dynamics and recurring relationships. CIA appears designed for that kind of growth.
Where to Watch CIA
CBS and Paramount+ materials say CIA airs on CBS and streams on Paramount+ (live for Premium subscribers and on-demand after airing across plans). Paramount+’s guides also note the weekly Monday release pattern.
That release structure matters for cast conversations online. Weekly episodes keep character discussions active, especially for a new franchise spinoff. If you are following the cast, expect episode-by-episode reactions and crossover speculation as the season continues.
Final Take
The “CIA cast” question has a straightforward answer at the actor level and a slightly messy one at the character-name level.
The key lineup is Tom Ellis, Nick Gehlfuss, Necar Zadegan, and Natalee Linez, with Jeremy Sisto appearing as an FBI crossover in the premiere. Those are the names most viewers need to know, and they define the show’s early tone.
What makes this cast interesting is not just star recognition. It is the balance. The show pairs a charismatic intelligence operative with a procedural-minded FBI agent, then supports them with command and analyst roles that can scale the series beyond a two-person conflict. That gives CIA a strong foundation as a new franchise entry.
If you plan to write about CIA, review the latest official cast listings before publishing character names, because some sources still show conflicting versions. The actor lineup appears stable, but the naming details may continue to settle as more episodes roll out.
