The Equalizer Casts Mike Epps to Offer a Crucial Assist in McCall’s Investigation (Exclusive)

An upcoming episode of The Equalizer will reunite star Queen Latifah with her Bessie co-star Mike Epps, TVLine has learned exclusively.

Epps, who appeared in HBO’s 2015 biopic with Latifah, will appear in the Sunday, March 17, Equalizer (CBS, 8/7c). He’ll play J.J. Cranson, a former gambling addict whom McCall hires to help when Dante’s old training partner is taken hostage while working undercover in an illegal casino.

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Scroll down to see more photo of McCall and J.J. in action during the episode.

Elsewhere in the hour, Dee joins a peer counseling group and — gasp! — learns that a bunch of students have been bullying her on social media.

Latifah played legendary blues singer Bessie Smith in Bessie, a role for which she was nominated for an Emmy. Epps played Richard Morgan, Smith’s longtime love and companion. He currently stars as Bennie Upshaw in Netflix’s The Upshaws, which was renewed in December 2023. His other TV work includes The Upshaws, Survivor’s Remorse, Winning Time, #BlackAF, Stumptown, Uncle Buck and The Sopranos.

Have you seen Bessie? Are you looking forward to seeing Latifah and Epps mix it up together again on screen? Hit the comments and let us know what you think!

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