‘The Equalizer’ Star Liza Lapira Teases the Introduction for Mel’s Family in Season 3 (Exclusive)

The Equalizer is in the middle of its winter break, but when the action-packed drama returns, audiences will finally learn more about Melody “Mel” Bayani’s family. During the mid-season finale, “Paradise Lost,” Mel, played by Liza Lapira, tracked down a stranger who she thinks knows where her brother Edison is. The introduction of her family is a “pretty significant” change for The Equalizer, Lapira teased in a recent exclusive interview with PopCulture.com.

Trevor Salter (She-Hulk: Attorney at Law) was cast as Edison, while Camille Mana will star as Ruby. Their introduction is “huge” and will help flesh out the character, Lapira said. Audiences will understand that Mel is not just a “floating head,” and has a “history and a past.” The Must Love Christmas star was also excited to show fans a diverse family in a major broadcast network show.

“The writers and showrunners are building this character, as they build all the characters on the show, around Robyn McCall,” Lapira said, referring to Queen Latifah’s lead character. “She obviously is the center and grounds us all, but they’re so great at giving us our own backstory and our own moments.”

The funny irony of the family is that Edison is the youngest, but he is by far the tallest. Salter is “this giant great actor,” Lapira joked, adding that he is six-foot, two inches tall. Mel also has an older brother who is serving in the military overseas. Lapira hopes that this brother and Mel’s parents are introduced in the future. “We’re opening the door and who knows what’s going to happen when we walk through it,” Lapira teased.

The Equalizer fans were introduced to Donal Logue’s Colton Fisk during the first half of Season 3, and he will also play a major role going forward. “I don’t know where it’s going to go, but I know it’s a significant role for sure,” Lapira said of Fisk. “And then as far as Mel and Fisk, they haven’t met yet, but I’m looking forward to how all that’s going to go because she did not have a good relationship with [Chris Noth’s character] Bishop. I wonder if it’s going to be more of the same or if they’re going to have a good working relationship.”

“I think it’s going to just matter on how we meet,” Lapira said. “If [Fisk is] nice when we meet, it’s very easy, guys. If he’s nice when we meet, it’s going to be fine. But if he punches her and knocks her out and puts her in the back of his car [as] Bishop did, it’s not going to go well. That’s not a good start to a friendship.”

Lapira also gushed about working with Latifah, joking that she runs to work every day. “I love working with her. I just do,” Lapira said. “I loved her before. I loved her persona, I should say, before meeting with her and working with her.”

“I can attest to what you see and what you assume it is with her,” Lapira continued. “It is true. All of the best of the assumptions are true. It’s a delight. And yeah, it’s a delight to know her and to work with her. And it’s a delight to know and work [with] all of the cast. And I’ve got to say the writers, this show, in particular, does such a great job at breaking down the wall between the writers and the actors. It just feels like one big team.”

The Equalizer will return for the second half of its third season in spring 2023. CBS has not announced a specific date yet. In the meantime, fans can catch up with the show on Paramount+. Lapira also stars in the new CBS movie Must Love Christmas, which is also available on Paramount+.