Finding a cast that actually clicks is hard. It’s like trying to catch lightning in a bottle. Most reboots fail because they just swap out faces and hope for the best, but The Equalizer TV show 2020 cast somehow managed to take a decades-old concept and make it feel like something you’d actually want to watch on a Sunday night in 2026.
Queen Latifah isn’t just some actor they hired to carry a gun. She's the anchor. Honestly, when the show first got announced, people were skeptical. Could "The Flava Unit" herself step into the shoes of Edward Woodward or Denzel Washington?
She didn't just step into them. She bought new shoes.
The Core Team: Beyond the Legend
If you're looking for the heart of the show, you have to look at the chemistry between Robyn McCall and her "underground" family. It’s not just about flashy fights. It’s about the fact that they actually feel like they've known each other for twenty years.
Queen Latifah as Robyn McCall She’s a divorced mom. She’s an ex-CIA operative. She’s a vigilante. But mostly, she’s someone who is tired of seeing the little guy get stepped on. Latifah brings this "don't mess with me" energy that feels earned, not scripted.
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Liza Lapira as Melody "Mel" Bayani Mel is basically the person you want in your corner if things go sideways. She’s a former Air Force sniper, but she also owns a bar that doubles as their secret base. Lapira plays her with this sharp, dry wit that balances out the heavier moments of the show. She isn't just the "sidekick"—she’s the tactical brains.
Adam Goldberg as Harry Keshegian Every show needs a hacker, but Harry isn't your typical "guy in a chair" trope. He’s paranoid. He’s brilliant. He technically "died" years ago to stay off the grid. Goldberg plays him with this nervous, high-strung energy that makes every scene he’s in a bit more alive. Plus, his relationship with Mel is actually one of the more grounded marriages on TV right now.
The People Who Keep Her Human
The show would be pretty boring if it was just shooting and hacking. What makes it stick is the home life. This is where the The Equalizer TV show 2020 cast really shines because they handle the "secret identity" drama without it feeling like a soap opera.
- Lorraine Toussaint (Aunt Vi): She’s the matriarch. Toussaint is a powerhouse who provides the moral compass for the whole house.
- Laya DeLeon Hayes (Delilah): Playing the daughter of a vigilante is a thankless job in most scripts, but Hayes makes Delilah feel like a real teenager—rebellious, smart, and eventually, a part of the mission.
- Tory Kittles (Detective Marcus Dante): His dynamic with McCall started as a cat-and-mouse game. Now? They’re basically partners in justice. Kittles plays Dante with a quiet intensity that reminds you that even the "good guys" in the system have it rough.
The Elephant in the Room: What Happened to William Bishop?
You can't talk about the cast without mentioning Chris Noth. He played William Bishop, the guy who basically connected McCall to the higher-ups.
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Then everything changed.
Following sexual assault allegations in late 2021, Noth was fired. The show didn't just ignore it; they killed off his character in a plane crash during season two. It was a massive shift. Donal Logue eventually stepped in as Colton Fisk to fill that "CIA connection" void, but the vibe definitely changed after Bishop’s exit.
Why the Casting Matters in 2026
We’ve seen five seasons of this crew now. In May 2025, CBS officially pulled the plug, ending the series after its fifth season. It’s a bit of a bummer, but honestly, five seasons is a hell of a run for a procedural reboot.
What made it work was the diversity—not just in race, but in experience. You had Juilliard-trained veterans like Toussaint working alongside younger talent like Hayes. It felt like a New York show because the cast looked and talked like New York.
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The "Equalizer" isn't just one person anymore. It's a collective.
Looking for more?
If you're just starting a rewatch or diving in for the first time, pay attention to the guest stars. The show has a weirdly great track record of bringing in legends like Kelly Rowland, Jada Pinkett Smith, and even Gloria Reuben.
Next Steps for Fans:
- Check out Queen Latifah’s earlier work in Set It Off to see where those action chops came from.
- Track down the original 1985 series to see how much the role of Harry has evolved from the original "contact" characters.
- Look for the season 5 finale, which aired in mid-2025, to see how they wrapped up the character arcs for the whole team.
The legacy of this specific cast is how they proved that a "reimagining" doesn't have to be a cheap copy. It can be its own thing entirely.