FBI Agent Lauren Cruz

Lauren Cruz is an FBI agent assigned to the white-collar crimes division, stepping into the orbit of Peter Burke's unconventional unit. Sharp and by-the-book, she treats the job with a seriousness that doesn't always mesh with Neal Caffrey's charm offensive. She wants to do good work and be taken seriously, not to be anyone's straight man.

Natalie Morales plays her with a dry, watchful skepticism that gives the show a useful counterweight to Neal's schmoozing — she's the one person in the room who isn't quite buying it. That refusal to be charmed, played completely straight rather than as comic stiffness, makes her scenes land with a welcome friction.