Liza Lapira (born December 3, 1981)[1][2] is an American actress. She played Kianna in the 2008 film 21, Special Agent Michelle Lee in the CBS police procedural series NCIS, and Ivy, Topher Brink's assistant, in Dollhouse. Lapira has also co-starred in the short-lived sitcoms Traffic Light, Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23, Super Fun Night, and 9JKL. As of 2021, she currently stars in CBS's The Equalizer. She also voiced Disgust in the Pixar animated film Inside Out 2, replacing Mindy Kaling from the first film.

Liza Lapira
Lapira in 2024
Born (1981-12-03) December 3, 1981 (age 42)
OccupationActress
Years active1999–present

Early life

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Lapira was born on December 3, 1981, in Queens, New York. She is of Filipino descent.[3]

Career

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Stage

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Lapira's New York stage credits include As You Like It, The School for Wives, The Odyssey, and Alexandra Cunningham's No. 11 Blue and White. Most recently, she played Suzanne in Steve Martin’s Picasso at the Lapin Agile at the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego.[4][5]

Film

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Early film credits include director Tony Scott's Domino and independent feature The Big Bad Swim, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2006. Lapira appeared in J. J. Abrams' 2008 film Cloverfield as Heather and also appeared in Table for Three and 21. In 2009, she played Agent Sophie Trinh in the film Fast & Furious opposite Paul Walker, and in 2010, she played Alva in Repo Men. She portrayed Liz, the sharp-tongued friend of Hannah (Emma Stone) in the 2011 film Crazy, Stupid, Love. In 2021, she played Teresa in Dante Basco's directorial debut The Fabulous Filipino Brothers. She voiced Disgust in Pixar's Inside Out 2, replacing Mindy Kaling, who voiced the character in the first film.

Television

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Lapira's first major role was a series regular spot on the Showtime TV series Huff. Lapira played neuroscientist Ivy in both seasons of Joss Whedon's series Dollhouse, appearing predominantly with Fran Kranz and Dichen Lachman.

Her TV credits include recurring roles in Dexter, ER, Monk, Grey's Anatomy, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, The Parkers as Shaquan, Sex and the City, and The Sopranos.

Lapira had regular roles as: Agent Michelle Lee in NCIS, Lisa in Traffic Light, Robin in Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23, Detective Jacocks in Battle Creek, Leslie Barrett in Cooper Barrett's Guide to Surviving Life, and Eve in the CBS comedy 9JKL.[6]

In August 2018, Lapira joined the recurring cast of the Netflix limited-series Unbelievable.[7]

In 2020, Lapira was cast as a lead on CBS' The Equalizer reboot opposite Queen Latifah and Chris Noth.[8]

Personal life

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In New York, she acted on stage and in independent films. She moved to Los Angeles in 2004 to work in television.[9] Lapira is an avid supporter of LA's Best, which provides after school services to 28,000 children in 189 schools in the neighborhoods with the highest needs around Los Angeles. Also, she participates in the Children's Hospital Los Angeles Charity Triathlon each fall in Malibu. Currently, she is working with The Impact Theatre in Harlem, while living on the east coast.[10]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
2000 Autumn in New York Charlotte's Friend
2002 Brown Sugar Receptionist
2005 Domino Chinegro Woman
2006 The Big Bad Swim Paula
2007 LA Blues Sandra
2008 Cloverfield Heather
21 Kianna
2009 Fast & Furious Sophie Trinh
Table for Three Nerissa Direct-to-video film
2010 Repo Men Alva
See You in September Monica
Marmaduke Party Dog #1 (voice)
2011 Crazy, Stupid, Love Liz
2012 The Happiest Person in America Lara Short film; also associate producer
2014 Someone Marry Barry Single Mom at Wedding
2017 All I Wish Darla
2018 The Samuel Project Nadia Akiyama
2021 The Fabulous Filipino Brothers Teresa
2024 Inside Out 2 Disgust (voice) Replaced Mindy Kaling

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1999–2007 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1) Waitress
(2) Rebecca Chang
(3) (4) (5) (6) Forensics Technician Lu
(1) Season 1 Episode 5: "Wanderlust" (1999)
(2) Season 2 Episode 21: "Scourge" (2001)
(3) Season 8 Episode 11: "Burned" (2007)
(4) Season 8 Episode 14: "Dependent" (2007)
(5) Season 9 Episode 2: "Avatar" (2007)
(6) Season 9 Episode 10: "Snitch" (2007)
2001 Law & Order Cheryl Treadwell Season 11 Episode 14: "A Losing Season"
2001–2002 The Education of Max Bickford (1) Nia Sheppard
(2) Student Volunteer
(1) Season 1 Episode 8: "A Very Great Man" (2001)
(2) Season 1 Episode 14: "Money Changes Everything" (2002)
2003 Sex and the City Pam Season 6 Episode 4: "Pick-A-Little, Talk-A-Little"
Queens Supreme N/A Season 1 Episode 5: "Mad About You"
2004 Without a Trace Layla Season 2 Episode 18: "Legacy"
The Sopranos Amanda Kim Season 5 Episode 6: "Sentimental Education"
The Parkers Shaquan Season 5 Episode 19: "At Last"
2004–2006 Huff Maggie Del Rosario Main role (21 episodes)
2006 Grey's Anatomy Noelle Lavatte Season 3 Episode 6: "Let the Angels Commit"
2006–2008 NCIS Michelle Lee Recurring role (Season 4, 6) (12 episodes)
2007 Monk Dr. Souter Season 5 Episode 16: "Mr. Monk Goes to the Hospital"
2008 ER Christine (1) Season 14 Episode 19: "The Chicago Way"
(2) Season 15 Episode 4: "Parental Guidance"
Dexter Detective Yuki Amado (Season 3)
(1) Season 3 Episode 1: "Our Father"
(2) Season 3 Episode 2: "Finding Freebo"
(3) Season 3 Episode 4: "All in the Family"
(4) Season 3 Episode 6: "Sí Se Puede"
(5) Season 3 Episode 7: "Easy As Pie"
2009–2010 Dollhouse Ivy Recurring role (10 episodes)
2011 Traffic Light Lisa Reilly Main role (13 episodes)
2012 Psych Tina Season 6 Episode 13: "Let's Doo-Wop It Again"
Drop Dead Diva Abby Halstead Season 4 Episode 4: "Winning Ugly"
2012–2013 Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23 Robin Main role (Season 1); Guest (Season 2) (14 episodes)
2013 Royal Pains Erika Seelig Season 5 Episode 1: "HankWatch"
2013–2014 Super Fun Night Helen-Alice Main role (17 episodes)
2014 Blue Bloods Skye Bishop Season 4 Episode 16: "Insult to Injury"
Power Grace Pak Season 1 Episode 6: "Who You With?"
2015 Battle Creek Detective Erin "E" Jacocks Recurring role (12 episodes)
2015–2017 Con Man Brenda White (1) Season 1 Episode 11: "Full Release" (2015)
(2) Season 1 Episode 12: "Found and Lost" (2015)
(3) Season 1 Episode 13: "Too Much Closure for Comfort" (2015)
(4) Season 2 Episode 11: "A Shot with Finley" (2016)
(5) Season 2 Episode 12: "Shock to the System" (2016)
(6) Season 2 Episode 9: "Back to the Past" (2017)
(7) Season 2 Episode 10: "Dawn of Girth" (2017)
2016 Cooper Barrett's Guide to Surviving Life Leslie Barrett Main role (13 episodes)
Angel from Hell Jill Season 1 Episode 1: "Pilot"
2017–2018 9JKL Eve Roberts Main role (16 episodes)
2018 Animal Kingdom District Attorney Representative Season 3 Episode 4: "Wolves"
The Good Doctor Nurse Ann Flores Season 2 Episode 3: "36 Hours"
2019 NCIS: New Orleans Araminta Jax Season 5 Episode 15: "Crab Mentality"
Unbelievable Mia Recurring role (Season 1 Episodes 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
2019-2021 Nancy Drew Victoria Fan (1) Season 1 Episode 4: "The Haunted Ring" (2019)
(2) Season 1 Episode 5: "The Case of the Wayward Spirit" (2019)
(3) Season 1 Episode 7: "The Tale of the Fallen Sea Queen" (2019)
(4) Season 1 Episode 17: "The Girl in the Locket" (2020)
(5) Season 2 Episode 15: "The Celestial Visitor" (2021)
2021–present The Equalizer Melody "Mel" Bayani Main role
2024 Dream Productions Disgust (voice) 4 episodes

References

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  1. ^ "Liza Lapira". TVGuide.com. Archived from the original on 4 January 2019. Retrieved 29 September 2017.
  2. ^ Staff, Hollywood.com (8 February 2015). "Liza Lapira - Biography and Filmography - 1981". Archived from the original on 29 September 2017. Retrieved 29 September 2017.
  3. ^ Torre, Nestor (May 16, 2008). "Exciting comers topbill new productions". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Archived from the original on October 12, 2012. Retrieved March 31, 2013.
  4. ^ Hebert, James (10 February 2017). "Steve Martin's 'Picasso' is artful comedy at Old Globe". Archived from the original on 29 September 2017. Retrieved 29 September 2017.
  5. ^ "Press Release: Picasso at the Lapin Agile Cast Announcement - The Old Globe". www.theoldglobe.org. Archived from the original on 29 September 2017. Retrieved 29 September 2017.
  6. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (16 February 2017). "Liza Lapira Cast In Mark Feuerstein CBS Comedy Pilot '9J, 9K & 9L'". Deadline. Archived from the original on 29 September 2017. Retrieved 29 September 2017.
  7. ^ Petski, Denise (August 14, 2018). "'Unbelievable': Elizabeth Marvel & Liza Lapira To Recur In Netflix Drama Series". Deadline. Archived from the original on 2018-08-15. Retrieved 2018-08-19.
  8. ^ Petski, Denise (February 25, 2020). "Liza Lapira Joins Queen Latifah In 'The Equalizer' Reboot Pilot On CBS". Deadline. Archived from the original on June 10, 2020. Retrieved June 23, 2020.
  9. ^ "TV.com Bio". Archived from the original on November 9, 2019. Retrieved February 19, 2014.
  10. ^ Liza Lapira - The Equalizer Cast Member, archived from the original on 2022-01-28, retrieved 2022-03-13
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