The information available aboutFBI’s spinoffCIAmade the show particularly interesting, but one change dampens the excitement surrounding Tom Ellis’ new character inDick Wolf’s universe. Ellis was announced to lead theFBIspinoff in April 2025, playing Hart Hoxton, described as a “fast-talking, rule-breaking, loose-cannon CIA case officer"who couldn’t be more different from his FBI partner.
Choosing Ellis forCIA’s lead continues a casting trend for Wolf’s shows, as the star is incredibly familiar to many viewers for playingLucifer Morningstar inLucifer, a series so beloved that it managed to get a second life at Netflix after being canceled by Fox. However, this also raises the question about which accent Hoxton will have inCIA.
Tom Ellis' Hart Hoxton Is An American With No Accent In FBI: CIA
This Makes Hoxton Much Different From Ellis’s Previous Roles
Ellis’ update aboutFBI’s upcoming spinoffCIAgave new information about Hoxton, including how he “has to use guile and deceit and lies to get what he wants.” Hoxton’s grey morality highlights the similarities withLucifer’s titular character, but one thing will differ, asHoxton will inevitably be American, leading Ellis to put on an American accentfor the role.
While Lucifer’s accent was undoubtedly different from Ellis’, the actor played multiple roles with a British accent beyond the popular devilish character, including the more recent – and much more diabolical than Lucifer – Oliver inTell Me Liesseason 2. Hart Hoxton beingAmerican inevitably limits the possibility of Ellis donning a British accent, marking a difference from Ellis’ other roles.
Why Hoxton Being Another American Leading Character In The FBI Universe Is Less Exciting
It Potentially Doesn’t Differentiate Too Much From Other Characters In The Franchise
TheFBIuniverse focusing on characters in those law enforcement agencies makes it unlikely for a foreigner to leadFBI’s spinoffCIA, making it necessary for Hoxton to be American. At the same time,Hoxton’s backstory could have explained his British accentthrough his unusual past or a dual nationality had they decided to go in that direction forCIA.
[Tom Ellis adopting a] British accent could have made things interesting.
With little known about Hart Hoxton except for the balance he has to strike to work with an FBI agent whose work ethic is opposite to his own, his tendency to bend the rules to his favor and his Americanness, it would be unwise to assume Hoxton’s backstory to be simple. Still, a British accent could have made things interesting.
Ellis Shouldn’t Have A Problem Not Doing An Accent In FBI: CIA
Ellis Briefly Did An American Accent In Lucifer Too, When Playing Michael
Ellis’ British accent inLucifermade the character iconically stand out, but he also proved to be able to successfully put on an American accent. Indeed, besides playing the titular character,Ellis played his evil brother Michael fromLuciferseason 5, who had an American accentfrom which his origin couldn’t be picked up – understandably so, given their being angels.
CIAis set to followFBI’s new 9pm slot, airing at 10pm ET on Mondays on CBS, but a premiere date has yet to be announced.
Luciferviewers complained about Michael’s accent because of it being simultaneously too hard to place and only generally what non-Americans could perceive an American accent to be, butEllis proved a dedication to accents specifically when crafting his version of Lucifer Morningstar. This can only bode well forCIA, as Ellis can hopefully use the accent to serve Hoxton’s story.
