Thomas John Ellis (born 17 November 1978) is a Welsh actor. He first became known for playing Gary Preston in the BBC One sitcom Miranda (2009–2015) before achieving wider recognition for his role as Lucifer Morningstar in the Fox urban fantasy series Lucifer (2016–2021), a role he reprised in the Arrowverse franchise's "Crisis on Infinite Earths" crossover (2019).

Thomas John Ellis was born in Cardiff on 17 November 1978, the son of Marilyn Jean (née Hooper) and Christopher John Ellis.^[1] He has three sisters, one of whom is his twin. His father, uncle, and one of his sisters are all Baptist ministers.^[2] Shortly after his birth, the family left Wales for England and settled in Sheffield,^[3] where he attended Sheffield's High Storrs School and played the French horn in the city's youth orchestra.^[4] He later earned a BA in Dramatic Studies from Glasgow's Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama.^[4]

Ellis' breakout role was that of Gary Preston on the BBC One sitcom Miranda (2010–2015). He also appeared as King Cenred on the BBC fantasy series Merlin (2008), Justyn in Channel 4's No Angels, and Thomas Milligan in the Doctor Who episode "Last of the Time Lords". He has appeared in the BBC One soap opera EastEnders, the BBC sketch comedy show The Catherine Tate Show, and the BBC medical drama Holby City. In July and August 2009, he starred in the ITV comedy drama Monday Monday.^[5][6] He was cast as Detective Inspector Bland in Agatha Christie's Poirot.

In February 2015, Ellis was cast as Lucifer Morningstar in the Fox series Lucifer, based on DC Comics' publication and character of the same name, which premiered on 25 January 2016.^[7] The show later moved to Netflix. On 23 June 2020, it was announced that Netflix had renewed the show for a sixth and final season.^[8] He reprised the role of Lucifer during The CW's The Flash episode of the Arrowverse crossover "Crisis on Infinite Earths".^[9]

In 2021, Ellis won the Tell-Tale TV Award for Favorite Actor in a Cable or Streaming Sci-fi/Fantasy/Horror Series.^[10] He starred as war correspondent Nick in the Netflix romantic comedy film Players (2024).

In 2006, Ellis married English actress Tamzin Outhwaite, to whom he was introduced by Scottish actor James McAvoy.^[11] They had two daughters together before she filed for divorced in September 2013, citing adultery after he admitted to having an affair with an unnamed co-star while filming Gothica.^[12][13][14] The divorce was finalised in April 2014.^[11] Ellis also has a third daughter from an earlier relationship.^[15][16]

Ellis married American screenwriter Meaghan Oppenheimer on 2 June 2019,^[15][17] and their daughter (her first and his fourth) was born via surrogate in November 2023.^[18]