CBS’s The Equalizer, a modern take on the 1980’s crime drama television series is set to premiere after the Super Bowl LV. The cult favorite from the 1980’s starred Edward Woodward as former intelligence agent Robert McCall, but the reboot will star Queen Latifah taking on the character ‘Robyn McCall’.
Critics see the reboot and casting as a significant cultural moment. In the past five decades, black actresses haven’t been cast in action roles outside the genres of fantasy or science fiction (think Halle Berry’s ‘Storm’ in the X-Men series). Queen Latifah taking on this action role, follows Hollywood’s Blaxploitation-era in the 1970s, where Black artists finally took on the role of heroes in films.
Queen Latifah is a self-proclaimed fan of both the original television series and the subsequent films. When she was asked about the absence of black women in lead action roles after the ’70s, she was quick to call out Hollywood’s inherent racism. “The playing field has never been level,” she said in an interview, “Black women are not regarded the way we should be. We’re not held as the high standard of beauty, capability, wisdom, intelligence, and strength that we actually are. Whenever we have an opportunity to show ourselves as we should be seen … we should have that opportunity.”
The Equalizer will go some way into contributing to what seems to be an ongoing national conversation on race, power, and representation. Queen Latifah is expected to break the mold with her portrayal of Robyn McCall by bringing the complicated spectrum of things black women can be to life. Her casting seems to move alongside the consciousness-raising movement “Say her name” and the long history of police brutality against black women that has only recently gained mainstream attention.
With a diverse career in entertainment under her belt, the Oscar-nominated actress, rapper, musical artist, talk show host, and producer says of her role “I’m here to change things. That’s my job. That’s what I want to do.”