Class of '09

Tom Rob Smith&nbsp;graduated from St. John’s College, Cambridge University in 2001, with a first in English Literature.&nbsp;Born in 1979 to a Swedish mother and an English father, he wrote his first novel Child 44 at the age of 26. Child 44 was an international publishing sensation, translated into over 35 languages and selling over two million copies. Among its many honors, Child 44 won the International Thriller Writer Award for Best First Novel, the Galaxy Book Award for Best New Writer and the CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger Award. The book was the first thriller to be longlisted for the Man Booker Prize as well as being shortlisted for both the Costa First Novel Award and the inaugural Desmond Elliot Prize.&nbsp;Child 44 was turned into a movie starring Tom Hardy and Gary Oldman, produced by Scott Free.&nbsp;&nbsp;His most recent novel The Farm is a number one international bestseller and the first crime thriller to be&nbsp;longlisted for the Dylan Thomas Prize.&nbsp;It is currently being adapted for television.&nbsp;In addition to writing novels, his first original&nbsp;television show London Spy (BBC2 &amp; BBC America) with Ben Whishaw and Charlotte Rampling has been nominated for numerous awards, including both BAFTA and an RTS nomination for Best Mini-Series. Charlotte Rampling was nominated for a Golden Globe® for her performance.&nbsp;For his second piece of television, he wrote all the scripts for FX’s The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story, which earned him a Writers Guild Award for Best Adapted Series, an Emmy® for Outstanding Limited Series and a Golden Globe for Best Limited Series, Anthology Series or Television Motion Picture. His new novel Cold People was released in 2023, published by Simon &amp; Schuster.

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Tom Rob Smith graduated from St John’s College, Cambridge University in 2001, with a first in English Literature.

Headshot of Tom Rob Smith in a white striped button down for FX's Class of 09

Tom Rob Smith | Class of '09 on FX

Tom Rob Smith | Executive Producer, Showrunner, Creator, Writer | Class of '09 on FX

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"Tayo Michaels," portrayed by Brian Tyree Henry, refuses the easy path from the beginning. A former insurance executive, he abandoned a comfortable high paying career, joining the FBI with the hope of implementing radical change within the system. After graduating Quantico, he accepted some of the most dangerous and far-flung field assignments to prove himself. The only person to correctly identify and track down a deadly villain, his career takes him to the very top of the Bureau where he seizes his chance to change it for good.&nbsp;

Brian Tyree Henry wearing a suit in red lighting for FX's Class of '09

"Ashley Poet," portrayed by Kate Mara, worked for many years as a psychiatric nurse in one of the country’s toughest hospitals, trying to pay back the debt she owes to her mother, an extraordinary woman who devoted her life looking after Poet, hiding a sickness of her own. But when Poet doesn’t feel close to the spirit of her mother in the hospital, she decides to accept an unexpected invitation to apply to the FBI. Can someone with no experience of law enforcement bring what is special about her character to the profession, or will the rigors of the profession demand that she relinquish some of her empathy and compassion in order to survive?&nbsp;&nbsp;

Kate Mara wearing a black suit in green lighting for FX's Class of '09

"Hour," portrayed by Sepideh Moafi, is a socially awkward but brilliant FBI trainee who becomes an agent specializing in data, believing that there must be a fairer way of solving crime. Underneath her brusque exterior are crushing doubts about her sexual identity. Fearful of being shamed by her family, she embarks on a lifelong struggle to come to terms with who she is, channeling that anxiety into her work as she grapples with some of the most intractable problems in law enforcement.&nbsp;

Sepideh Moafi with captured in a red light for FX's Class of '09

In a class of outsiders, "Lennix," portrayed by Brian J. Smith, appears to be the quintessential insider, born to a family of old money with powerful connections. Yet, in spirit, he is as much an outsider as the others, and is determined to find his own path through life, rather than following the one laid down for him. A romantic, he falls in love with Poet from almost the first time they meet. It takes her 20 years to realize what he knew from the first day.&nbsp;

Brian J Smith in a suit and tie for FX's Class of '09

"Gabriel," portrayed by Jon Jon Briones, is one of the Class of ’09 mentors at Quantico. An extraordinarily wise teacher, he accepted early that he could make more of a difference teaching trainees rather than being a field Agent. Someone who has never sought plaudits, or recognition, he’s a man who weighs every decision and who wants to share with his trainees a sense not only of their responsibilities, but the faint possibility that they can make a radical difference to this institution.&nbsp;

Jon Jon Briones sitting with his hands clasped together for FX's Class of '09

"Drew," portrayed by Brooke Smith, is the brightest and best in her class. She was set to be one of the greatest field Agents in the Bureau until she was shot by her own team of Agents while on duty, cutting short what could’ve been a dazzling career. Rather than be defined by bitterness, she became a teacher, hoping to guide the future agents to avoid the mistakes that cost her so dearly. Working with Gabriel, they’re two of the best teachers Quantico has ever seen.&nbsp;

Brooke Smith with blonde curly hair captured in green lighting for FX's Class of '09

"Murphy," portrayed by Jake McDorman, is a sturdy former cop from Salt Lake City. He’s seen as a natural for the FBI, but the truth is that he’s a quirky, sensitive soul, someone who found the chaos and unpredictability of being a cop too much, and who joined the Bureau with the hope of working in an environment that valued thoughtfulness and caution, only to find out that the ride was far more unpredictable than even a life patrolling the streets.&nbsp;

Jake McDorman wearing a sweater and collared shirt captured in red lighting for FX's Class of '09

"Vivienne," portrayed by Rosalind Eleazar, is a civil rights lawyer. Motivated to make a change to law enforcement from both external pressure and working with the people on the inside, she recognizes Tayo’s passion and brilliance almost as quickly as he recognizes hers. They form an unbreakable team, or at least, so they believed.&nbsp;

Rosalind Eleazar wearing a white top and blue jacket for FX's Class of '09

Nina Jacobson portrait against an orange background for FX's Class of 09

Brad Simpson portrait against an orange background for FX's Class of 09

Headshot of Joe Robert Cole wearing a suit for FX's Class of 09