Liza Lapira
Liza Lapira | |
---|---|
Born | New York City, U.S. | December 3, 1981
Occupation | Actress |
Years active | 1999–present |
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.
Personal life
Lapira was born in Queens, New York. She is of Filipino,[3] Spanish, and Chinese ancestry.[4] In New York, she acted on stage and in independent films. She moved to Los Angeles in 2004 to work in television.[5] 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.[6]
Career
Stage
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.[7][8]
Film
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.
Television
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.[9]
In August 2018, Lapira joined the recurring cast of the Netflix limited-series Unbelievable.[10]
In 2020, Lapira was cast as a lead on CBS' The Equalizer reboot opposite Queen Latifah and Chris Noth.[11]
Filmography
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2000 | Autumn in New York | Charlotte's birthday friend | |
2002 | Brown Sugar | Hot 97 receptionist | |
2005 | Domino | Chinegro woman | |
2006 | The Big Bad Swim | Paula | |
2007 | LA Blues | Sandra | |
2008 | Cloverfield | Heather | |
2008 | 21 | Kianna | |
2009 | Fast & Furious | Sophie Trinh | |
2009 | Table for Three | Nerissa | Direct-to-video |
2010 | Repo Men | Alva | |
2010 | See You in September | Monica | |
2010 | 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 |
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1999 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Waitress | Episode: "Wanderlust" |
2001 | Law & Order | Cheryl Treadwell | Episode: "A Losing Season" |
2001 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Rebecca Chang | Episode: "Scourge" |
2001 | The Education of Max Bickford | Nia Sheppard | Episode: "A Very Great Man" |
2002 | The Education of Max Bickford | Student volunteer | Episode: "Money Changes Everything" |
2003 | Sex and the City | Pam | Episode: "Pick-A-Little, Talk-A-Little" |
2004 | Without a Trace | Layla | Episode: "Legacy" |
2004 | The Sopranos | Amanda Kim | Episode: "Sentimental Education" |
2004 | The Parkers | Shaquan | Episode: "At Last" |
2004–2006 | Huff | Maggie Del Rosario | Main role; 21 episodes |
2006–2008 | NCIS | Michelle Lee | Recurring role; 12 episodes |
2006 | Grey's Anatomy | Noelle Lavatte | Episode: "Let the Angels Commit" |
2007 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Forensics technician | 4 episodes |
2007 | Monk | Dr. Souter | Episode: "Mr. Monk Goes to the Hospital" |
2007 | Queens Supreme | N/A | Episode: "Mad About You" (unaired) |
2008 | ER | Christine | 2 episodes |
2008 | Dexter | Yuki Amado | Recurring role; 5 episodes |
2009–2010 | Dollhouse | Ivy | Recurring role; 10 episodes |
2011 | Traffic Light | Lisa Reilly | Main role; 13 episodes |
2012 | Psych | Tina | Episode: "Let's Doo-Wop It Again" |
2012–2013 | Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23 | Robin | Main role; 13 episodes |
2012 | Drop Dead Diva | Abby Halstead | Episode: "Winning Ugly" |
2013 | Royal Pains | Erika Seelig | Episode: "HankWatch" |
2013–2014 | Super Fun Night | Helen-Alice | Main role; 17 episodes |
2014 | Blue Bloods | Skye Bishop | Episode: "Insult to Injury" |
2014 | Power | Grace Pak | Episode: "Who You With?" |
2015 | Battle Creek | Detective Jacocks | Recurring role; 12 episodes |
2015, 2017 | Con Man | Brenda White | Web series; 5 episodes |
2016 | Cooper Barrett's Guide to Surviving Life | Leslie Barrett | Main role; 13 episodes |
2016 | Angel from Hell | Jill | Episode: Pilot |
2017–2018 | 9JKL | Eve Roberts | Main role; 16 episodes |
2018 | Animal Kingdom | Episode: Wolves | |
2018 | The Good Doctor | Nurse Ann Flores | Episode: "36 Hours" |
2019 | NCIS: New Orleans | Araminta Jax | Episode: Crab Mentality |
2019 | Unbelievable | Mia | Recurring role; 8 episodes |
2019 | Nancy Drew | Victoria Fan | 3 episodes |
2021–present | The Equalizer | Melody "Mel" Bayani | Main role |
References
- ^ "Liza Lapira". TVGuide.com. Retrieved 29 September 2017.
- ^ Staff, Hollywood.com (8 February 2015). "Liza Lapira - Biography and Filmography - 1981". Retrieved 29 September 2017.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "IMDb Bio". IMDb. Retrieved July 19, 2018.
- ^ "TV.com Bio". Archived from the original on November 9, 2019. Retrieved February 19, 2014.
- ^ Liza Lapira - The Equalizer Cast Member, retrieved 2022-03-13
- ^ Hebert, James (10 February 2017). "Steve Martin's 'Picasso' is artful comedy at Old Globe". Retrieved 29 September 2017.
- ^ "Press Release: Picasso at the Lapin Agile Cast Announcement - The Old Globe". www.theoldglobe.org. Retrieved 29 September 2017.
- ^ Andreeva, Nellie (16 February 2017). "Liza Lapira Cast In Mark Feuerstein CBS Comedy Pilot '9J, 9K & 9L'". Deadline. Retrieved 29 September 2017.
- ^ Petski, Denise (August 14, 2018). "'Unbelievable': Elizabeth Marvel & Liza Lapira To Recur In Netflix Drama Series". Deadline. Retrieved 2018-08-19.
- ^ Petski, Denise (February 25, 2020). "Liza Lapira Joins Queen Latifah In 'The Equalizer' Reboot Pilot On CBS". Deadline. Retrieved June 23, 2020.
External links
- Liza Lapira on Twitter
- Liza Lapira at IMDb