Liza Lapira

Early life

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

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.

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. She voiced Disgust in Pixar's Inside Out 2, replacing Mindy Kaling, who voiced the character in the first film.

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.

In August 2018, Lapira joined the recurring cast of the Netflix limited-series Unbelievable.{{cite web |access-date=2018-08-19 |archive-date=2018-08-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180815024622/https://deadline.com/2018/08/unbelievable-elizabeth-marvel-liza-lapira-to-recur-in-netflix-drama-series-1202445539/ |url-status=live

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

Personal life

In New York, she acted on stage and in independent films. She moved to Los Angeles in 2004 to work in television. 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.

Filmography

Film

Television

References

References

1. "Liza Lapira".
2. Staff, Hollywood.com. (8 February 2015). "Liza Lapira - Biography and Filmography - 1981".
3. Torre, Nestor. (May 16, 2008). "Exciting comers topbill new productions". [[Philippine Daily Inquirer]].
4. Hebert, James. (10 February 2017). "Steve Martin's 'Picasso' is artful comedy at Old Globe".
5. "Press Release: Picasso at the Lapin Agile Cast Announcement - The Old Globe".
6. Andreeva, Nellie. (16 February 2017). "Liza Lapira Cast In Mark Feuerstein CBS Comedy Pilot '9J, 9K & 9L'". Deadline.
7. Petski, Denise. (February 25, 2020). "Liza Lapira Joins Queen Latifah In 'The Equalizer' Reboot Pilot On CBS". [[Deadline Hollywood.
8. "TV.com Bio".
9. "Liza Lapira - The Equalizer Cast Member".