Tom Ellis Reveals Whether Wife Meaghan Oppenheimer Made Him Audition forTell Me LiesSeason 2 Role (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

Meaghan Oppenheimer and Tom Ellis attend the 8th annual Filming Italy Los Angeles Festival at Harmony Gold on March 03, 2023 in Los Angeles, California.Photo:Michael Tullberg/Getty

Michael Tullberg/Getty

Despite his close ties,Tom Ellisadmittedly never had his sights set on working onTell Me Lies.TheLuciferstar, 45, tells PEOPLE he’s “been very much there since the start of the show” given that his wifeMeaghan Oppenheimeris its creator and showrunner, but he “didn’t really ever envisage being in it."'“It wasn’t something that was ever discussed in our household, really,” Ellis says.It was only when Oppenheimer, 38, “started thinking about season two, and what she wanted to do and where she wanted to go with the characters, she had talked about [a certain] type of relationship being something that she wanted to explore. And then casually started saying, ‘Do you think you’d be interested in doing it?'“Ellis says he “wasn’t sure how serious she was to start with, but as it became more and more real, it was something that I quietly was getting excited about. And so when they officially asked me to do it, I was very much ready to jump on board.“His excitement to play Oliver — a sexy professor whose storyline he’s keen to stay mum on until later in the series — was building as his wife’s was, too. But was that excitement enough, or was he asked to formally audition to secure the role?“They didn’t [make me audition], thankfully,” he reveals. “I think Meaghan’s seen enough of my stuff to realize that I’m probably capable of doing it.“Tom Ellis as Oliver in ‘Tell Me Lies’ season 2.Disney/Josh StringerTell Me Liesisn’t the first time Ellis has worked with his wife, as he notes they worked together on 2018’sQueen America, albeit briefly, and it “was really a pleasant surprise for both of us that we were able to separate church and state quite easily.““It’s never been a problem for us, really. I think we have a huge amount of respect for each other creatively. And I think she’s really, really talented at what she does,” Ellis says of working with his wife, with whomhe shares an 8-month-old daughter, Dolly.“It was a no-brainer, really,” he continues. “I know a few people have gone, ‘What’s it like working with your wife? That must be strange.’ It’s like, well, actually, it’s strange that it isn’t strange.“Meaghan Oppenheimer and Tom Ellis arrive at the American Friends Of Covent Garden 50th Anniversary Celebration on July 10, 2019 in Beverly Hills, California.Gregg DeGuire/GettyHe still had some nerves, though, particularly about joining the show as one of only two new additions, the other beingGossip GirlalumThomas Doherty.“To come and join something always feels a little bit like a gamble, but with this one, I was just really keen to join it because I just felt it was so good,” he says. “And if I could join something and continue to be impactful — to be additive as opposed to just joining for just another character — I felt that it was a really good opportunity.“Playing Oliver was “a bit of [a] challenge” for the actor.“He’s very much a colder character than I’ve played in the past,” Ellis says. “And for me it was about working out how to desensitize myself a little bit and approach someone who really doesn’t give much away.“Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.The first two episodes ofTell Me Liesseason 2 are now streaming on Hulu. New episodes will be released weekly on Wednesdays through Oct. 16.

Despite his close ties,Tom Ellisadmittedly never had his sights set on working onTell Me Lies.

TheLuciferstar, 45, tells PEOPLE he’s “been very much there since the start of the show” given that his wifeMeaghan Oppenheimeris its creator and showrunner, but he “didn’t really ever envisage being in it."’

“It wasn’t something that was ever discussed in our household, really,” Ellis says.

It was only when Oppenheimer, 38, “started thinking about season two, and what she wanted to do and where she wanted to go with the characters, she had talked about [a certain] type of relationship being something that she wanted to explore. And then casually started saying, ‘Do you think you’d be interested in doing it?'”

Ellis says he “wasn’t sure how serious she was to start with, but as it became more and more real, it was something that I quietly was getting excited about. And so when they officially asked me to do it, I was very much ready to jump on board.”

His excitement to play Oliver — a sexy professor whose storyline he’s keen to stay mum on until later in the series — was building as his wife’s was, too. But was that excitement enough, or was he asked to formally audition to secure the role?

“They didn’t [make me audition], thankfully,” he reveals. “I think Meaghan’s seen enough of my stuff to realize that I’m probably capable of doing it.”

Tom Ellis as Oliver in ‘Tell Me Lies’ season 2.Disney/Josh Stringer

Disney/Josh Stringer

Tell Me Liesisn’t the first time Ellis has worked with his wife, as he notes they worked together on 2018’sQueen America, albeit briefly, and it “was really a pleasant surprise for both of us that we were able to separate church and state quite easily.”

“It’s never been a problem for us, really. I think we have a huge amount of respect for each other creatively. And I think she’s really, really talented at what she does,” Ellis says of working with his wife, with whomhe shares an 8-month-old daughter, Dolly.

“It was a no-brainer, really,” he continues. “I know a few people have gone, ‘What’s it like working with your wife? That must be strange.’ It’s like, well, actually, it’s strange that it isn’t strange.”

Meaghan Oppenheimer and Tom Ellis arrive at the American Friends Of Covent Garden 50th Anniversary Celebration on July 10, 2019 in Beverly Hills, California.Gregg DeGuire/Getty

Gregg DeGuire/Getty

He still had some nerves, though, particularly about joining the show as one of only two new additions, the other beingGossip GirlalumThomas Doherty.“To come and join something always feels a little bit like a gamble, but with this one, I was just really keen to join it because I just felt it was so good,” he says. “And if I could join something and continue to be impactful — to be additive as opposed to just joining for just another character — I felt that it was a really good opportunity.”

Playing Oliver was “a bit of [a] challenge” for the actor.

“He’s very much a colder character than I’ve played in the past,” Ellis says. “And for me it was about working out how to desensitize myself a little bit and approach someone who really doesn’t give much away.”

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

The first two episodes ofTell Me Liesseason 2 are now streaming on Hulu. New episodes will be released weekly on Wednesdays through Oct. 16.

source: people.com