‘Power Book II: Ghost’: Luna Lauren Velez on Evelyn’s Castillo’s Death and How Monet’s Actions Results in the Tejada’s Family Turmoil (Exclusive)

It’s over for Evelyn Castillo (Luna Lauren Valez) and her sons, at least in the physical form on Power Book II: Ghost. After Monet Tejada plots and schemes to save herself yet again, the Castillo family met their fate in Season 3, Ep. 9. Evelyn was introduced in Season 2 as the wife of the late Frank Tejada — and the sister-in-law of Monet’s now-deceased husband, Lorenzo Tejada. Keeping a family secret close to her heart, Monet gives Evelyn cash to try to make her family whole again, then she warns Lorenzo to be careful upon learning Evelyn is back in town seeking answers about her husband’s death. But their dealings remain intertwined.

Evelyn’s son Gordo becomes involved with Dru Tejada, despite their family’s objections. But things get messy when Monet learns Lorenzo was accidentally behind her son Zeke’s death, and leaks the information to Gordo, who in turn enacts revenge. She initially spills the secret to Evelyn, who refuses to get involved for fear of losing another family member. Still, it’s not enough for Monet. She devises a plot to expose Gordo’s involvement, leaving Dru to pull the trigger, but Monet’s hands are kept clean… temporarily. As a result, the Tejada boys take out the entire Castillo family. But the season proves that due to Monet’s ongoing deceit, her family is falling apart.

PopCulture spoke with Velez about the ups and downs of the seasons. She dished on the gruesome murders of her on-screen family, how it impacts the Tejada family, Evelyn, and Monet’s dynamic, and what’s next for the series. 

PC: I’m so excited to speak to you, although I am very disappointed about your character’s end.

LLV: I have to tell you that I just thought, and my mouth is still hanging open, I was like, “I did this.” And I knew it was going to happen, but it’s always shocking when you see it. And not only seeing it, but the lengths that the guys went through to just pipe in gas into the restaurant. It’s shocking and disturbing to watch.

Yeah, it absolutely is. I mean, creative too. I’d never seen that on Power, let alone on a crime television series. You mentioned watching it back was very difficult. But were you disappointed in, not just your character, but your family’s ending? Obviously, it was considered a necessary death in order to protect the Tejada family. But many fans wanted to see more of you and the Tejadas versus the Castillos, or you guys even seemingly working together.

I wasn’t disappointed because I sort of knew that ultimately they weren’t going to be such a central part of the show. But I would have loved for the Castillos to continue on, and just keep working with the Tejadas, or becoming worthy adversaries and whatever that brings up. I thought that would’ve been a really interesting dynamic to continue the play. It was a little disappointing.

With everything that was solved toward the end of Season 3 with the revelations in regards to your character’s husband, your son, and how Monet was really at the center of a lot of this, how do you foresee the continued turmoil within the Tejada family playing out?

I really can’t imagine, honestly. They really don’t even know if they can trust one another anymore. And it’s such a wonderful place to be in, not only for the characters, but as an actor. You just don’t know what’s going to happen. You don’t know what the scripts are going to contain for you to play and do all these different things. So truthfully, I don’t know what’s going to happen with them, but I’ll be watching.

Now, as I mentioned, Monet really remains at the center of deceit. You mentioned that the family, they really probably can’t trust each other. You have a divide between the Tejada siblings at this point, between Monet and the kids. Do you feel as if Monet has any true loyalty to anyone but herself?

I used to think so. But now, I don’t know. She’s such a survivalist. It’s really an interesting thing to see. She’s more heartless and ruthless than I would’ve thought. And then, there are moments where she’s so human. So it’s a really wonderfully complex character to play. But it feels to me that she’s becoming even harder and even more ruthless than she was than I remember her being in previous seasons.

When Monet’s character leaks the information to you about her family’s involvement in your husband’s death, what was your take on the way in which the writers had Evelyn take the high road because she didn’t want a bloodbath?

For me, what it shows is her complete devotion and dedication to her sons. And she’ll protect them at any cost. So it speaks volumes to who she is as a mother. It really does. And that’s the most important thing. And that’s what you see in that last scene where she confronts Monet and says, “I’m asking you as a mother. Where’s my son? You must know something.” And she keeps trying to relate to Monet in all these different ways. But ultimately, it’s mother to mother. “Tell me where my son is.” And they’re everything to her. Her children are the most important thing in the world to her. And I think that decision to take the high road was a really great one, because it also really shows the distinction between Monet and Evelyn.

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We saw Dru on an emotional rollercoaster this season. I feel like Gordo really centered him. But obviously, that was taken away from him. And we saw how that all ended. How do you think that his actions in Season 3 will emotionally impact him in Season 4? Because he did truly have a connection with Gordo, and he had to make that impulsive decision.

Again, I don’t know. It feels like this whole family could potentially just try to tear each other apart because there’s so much that’s going on and there’s so much loss. I think that something’s that Dru, he’s so distraught over the loss of Gordo. And I think that he might do something to a family member that is going to surprise everybody.

Now, there are a lot of people who were killed off the show, off the Power Universe franchise as a whole, but they always seem to pop back up, whether it’s a flashback referring to them, or appearing as actual ghost. Do you think they were really done with Evelyn and the Castillos?

Well, the Castillos might come back in some other, I don’t know, form or ghost. I have no idea, but I feel like it’s not the last of them.

Now, you’ve done a few crime dramas. Obviously, we know you from New York Undercover. And then, you were on this show and a few others. So do you have a specific attraction to that genre?

To a crime drama?

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Right. Crime, cop, drugs…that whole world.

No. I mean, I don’t think I have a specific attraction. My first movie was about a woman trying to make it in The Bronx with her family. When I did New York Undercover, that was such a groundbreaking show. It was more about being part of that whole moment, that whole movement than seeking out a crime show. And then, sometimes it’s just coincidental. There are so many other things. I’ve played a doctor. I’ve played a nurse, a police lieutenant. There are so many other varied things. But what I think is that, for some reason, this particular type of thing resonates with audiences more. And sometimes that happens. People just get more attached to an actor doing a certain thing. And that’s OK.

Now, in terms of where Power Book II: Ghost goes, as you mentioned, you were shocked by your ending. And I always feel as if I can’t be any more surprised. And then, the next episode airs, and I’m even more stunned, or there’s another twist or turn. They do a really good job of keeping us on the edge of our seats. What is your hope for Season 4?

That everybody makes it alive.

Where do you see the story going?

It could go anywhere. I, like you, am continuously shocked by the twists and turns. It could go anywhere. And I would be shocked and not shocked at the same time. There are wonderful actors. And I just hope they continue to take them to these really interesting, dark places. Everyone is wonderful on the show. And I’d love to just keep seeing them do their thing.