Queen Latifah is speaking out following her co-star Chris Noth's removal from The Equalizer. The crime drama series premiered on CBS in February of 2021 and serves as the second reboot in the franchise, established with the 1980 series of the same name and followed by the 2014 film and its sequel starring Denzel Washington. The series follows Robyn McCall, a covert figure in New York City with a mysterious background, who uses her extensive skills to help those with nowhere else to turn. In addition to Latifah, who also acts as an executive producer, and Noth, the show's cast includes Tory Kittles, Adam Goldberg, Liza Lapira, and Lorraine Toussaint.
Noth starred in The Equalizer as William Bishop, an ex-CIA director and longtime friend of Robyn's, but his role in the series was affected by sexual assault allegations that came out following the premiere of And Just Like That..., in which he made an appearance. On December 16, two women came forward and revealed that the release of the Sex and the City revival brought back memories of their own individual experiences and traumas and that they felt prompted to speak out. The actor denied the accusations, but it was subsequently announced later that month that Noth had been fired from The Equalizer and would not appear in any future seasons.
Now, in speaking with People (The TV Show!), Latifah reacts to the news of Noth's firing from the series. She says that it is "surreal" and notes the delicacy of the situation, adding that it "requires a great deal of respect." She also alludes to how the actor will be written off of The Equalizer, stating that the show is figuring out how to deal with his character. Read Latifah's quote regarding Noth being fired and how the show plans to move forward below:
"We are figuring out what we want to do creatively on the show and how we're going to deal with that character. Chris's character's obviously a big part of the show and it was amazing chemistry, amazing chemistry. And my feeling is justice has to prevail regardless. I just want the right things to be done, you know?"
In addition to Noth's removal from The Equalizer, a Peloton advertisement he was featured in got pulled, and the actor was released by A3 Artists, the agency representing him. Noth's cameo in the finale of And Just Like That... was cut as well, with the HBO series claiming that his inclusion was not essential to a particular scene. He has remained adamant that the allegations are false and has questioned the timing of their surfacing, but as other women have come forward, Noth continues to be detached from any and all projects featuring his involvement.
The Equalizer's second season is currently on a hiatus, but it will be interesting to see how the series handles the absence of Noth and how that affects its story when it returns. Latifah's comments suggest that the show will look to explore scenarios that make sense for his character when it comes to writing him off. Fans of The Equalizer can expect it to come back soon and will likely find out how Noth's character is dealt with when it does.
Source: People (The TV Show!)