CBS' CIA was originally set to join FBI in primetime in fall of the 2025 TV schedule, with FBI: Most Wanted's former executive producer on board as showrunner. The show has since been pushed back to a midseason release, so there are still months left before seeing Tom Ellis in action in his new role. Recently, Chicago Med's Nick Gehlfuss was confirmed as a cast member, and now another One Chicago actor has made the cut and will move from NBC to CBS. It's great news for the star, but perhaps not good for Kevin Atwater over on Chicago P.D.
CIA's Newest Cast Member
Natalee Linez has been cast for CBS' CIA, with Deadline reporting that she'll play a CIA analyst by the name of Gina Rojas. Tom Ellis, the first cast member announced after the show was initially titled FBI: CIA, plays a loose cannon CIA officer opposite Nick Gehlfuss as a by-the-book FBI agent. ER's Michael Michele is on board as the head of the CIA's New York Station, which sounds to me like she's the CIA counterpart FBI's Isobel.
Linez is also the latest actor following the grand tradition of a star leaving one show in the Dick Wolf TV universe and joining another one. Former Law & Order stars Jeremy Sisto and Alana De La Garza play new characters on FBI, Dylan McDermott definitely wasn't his villainous Law & Order: Organized Crime character on FBI: Most Wanted, and Jesse Lee Soffer left Chicago P.D. and landed the lead role on FBI: International's fourth and final season.
Chicago P.D.'s main cast won't be changed going into Season 13 this fall, but Linez did recur across a few episodes in the twelfth season (available streaming now with a Peacock subscription). Even if her absence won't make or break the Intelligence Unit, it could affect the always unlucky-in-love Kevin Atwater.
Is Chicago P.D. Losing Val?
While Chicago P.D. is usually procedural, there's often time for romance for the members of the Intelligence Unit... except for Atwater, that is. LaRoyce Hawkins hasn't gotten many romantic subplots over his twelve seasons and counting as Officer Kevin Atwater, but the future seemed fairly bright for Atwater and Val after Natalee Linez's three episodes. Sure, there was some murder involved in their relationship, but what relationship on Chicago P.D. doesn't have murder intruding on their love story at some point?
Technically, it's not confirmed that Linez landing her new CIA role means that Val has already made her last appearance on Chicago P.D. After all, Nick Gehlfuss is returning to Chicago Med this season while also co-leading CIA. Still, Linez will be filming in the Big Apple rather than the Windy City, with no indication that she'll be working back in One Chicago again in the foreseeable future. Her Instagram post about her casting even notes the big move. She wrote in the caption:
I AM SO EXCITED!!! I am so freaking happy to be joining everyone involved in this incredible show. What a whirlwind. I’m an NYC gal now baby.
It remains to be seen how Chicago P.D. will handle Atwater's relationship with Val in light of Natalee Linez joining the cast of CIA. It's possible that the romance could continue off-screen, or perhaps the cop drama won't even address her absence if she never turns up again. (No, I'm still not over never getting answers about Rojas.) For his part, LaRoyce Hawkins showed his support, posting this comment on her Instagram:
[T[here she go ✨✨
CIA has not yet received an official premiere date from CBS, but it's expected early in 2026. Watson was originally set to kick off Season 2 in midseason, then was swapped with CIA to arrive this fall. The new series will presumably be paired with FBI when it finally arrives in the new year, although there's no confirmation at this point about how closely connected the two will (or won't) be.
