Cal Lightman

Grew up… in England, although he was born in Australia. His mother was mentally ill, and had been in a hospital until she convinced the doctors that she was well enough to leave. Two weeks later, she committed suicide. Cal started hanging with a bad crowd, getting involved in crime, but continued to be haunted by his mother’s death.

Living… in the United States, sharing custody of his daughter Emily with his ex-wife. He spends most of his time at his job, though.

Profession… human lie detector. Together with his friend Gillian, he started the Lightman Group, which hires out his expertise in microexpressions to solve crimes. Cal can tell when people are lying, because he can see their emotions even when they try to hide them. Together with his team, he’s worked with everyone from politicians to the FBI.

Interests… lying to people, the science of expressions, and gambling. Cal gets a real kick out of both lying to people about things that he’s done, and making fun of them using his insight into their emotions. For example, you’ll never be to do anything even remotely embarassing around Cal without him calling you out on it. He’s also a bit of a card shark, a leftover from his days as a juvenile criminal.

Relationship Status… divorced. Cal’s constant “reading” of the people around him puts quite a strain on any close relationships. Right now, he’s closest to Gillian, his business partner and best friend.

Challenge… solving crimes while not getting arrested. Cal has some unorthodox methods of solving crimes, some of which are quasi-illegal, and some of which are not easily believed by law enforcement agents. It’s also true that while Cal can read the emotions on someone’s face, he doesn’t always know why they’re lying. His team is there to help him make the case into something a lawyer can actually prosecute.

Personality… sarcastic and abrasive. Cal can be difficult to be around. His lightning-quick intelligence will inevitably be used to make fun of you. But his colorful stories and jokes are entertaining, and if you stick around you might see a different side of him. Not softer – never soft – but more caring.