Tom Ellis has revealed that Pierce Brosnan told him he would make a good James Bond, as the Welsh actor prepares to take on a new spy role in the police drama CIA.
Ellis, best known for playing Lucifer Morningstar in the hit series Lucifer, stars as Colin Glass, a rebellious British spy in the new show. The role marks a return to long-form television for the 47-year-old, who previously admitted he was ready to finish Lucifer after six years and 93 episodes.
A ‘realistic’ take on spying
In CIA, Ellis plays Colin, a loose cannon whose rebellious streak contrasts with the straight-laced approach of FBI agent Bill Goodman, played by Nick Gehlfuss. Creator Dick Wolf decided Ellis should keep his British accent, despite the character originally being written as American.
“I wasn’t sure if that was the right call, to be honest. My question was, do they have British people in the CIA? And Dick actually said it doesn’t matter because it’s the perfect cover,” Ellis recalled.
The actor said the show aims to ground the espionage in reality, unlike the glamorous portrayal of spies in films like James Bond. “We do have a bit of that in the show, but we’re trying to ground it as much as possible in what the reality of working in the CIA is,” he explained.
Brosnan’s Bond endorsement
Ellis recently played Pierce Brosnan’s son in Richard Osman’s Netflix film The Thursday Murder Club. While Brosnan did not give him advice about playing a spy, he did offer a compliment about Ellis’s potential as 007.
“No, he didn’t. But he did tell me he thought I’d make a good Bond, and I was like, ‘Pierce, I think I’m probably too old now. But I’ll take it from you, mate. I’ll take it from you,’” Ellis said.
Ellis also reflected on the legacy of Lucifer, which ended five years ago. He said he would “never say never” to reprising the character, but that the timing wasn’t right. “I did Lucifer for six years. We did 93 episodes, and I was ready to finish,” he said.
Returning to long-form TV
Despite his initial desire for variety, Ellis said he now misses the continuity of working with the same people. “Five years later, I find myself going, ‘I miss working with the same people all the time, and I really miss the continuity of that aspect of life, leading a set and having a positive input.’ So when CIA came up, I thought maybe it’s time to do something for a long time again,” he said.
Ellis also discussed the possibility of reviving his character Gary Preston from the sitcom Miranda, which ended 11 years ago. He said he and Miranda Hart have discussed the idea, but that she “won’t do something for the sake of doing it.” He imagines Gary and Miranda “probably have a few children” and are dealing with the “insanity” of parenthood.
CIA is available to watch on Sky Witness and NOW.
