Lorraine Toussaint On CBS' 'The Equalizer: 'I've Always Admired Queen Latifah'

(CBS Local)-- Lorraine Toussaint has been acting in Hollywood for decades, but the actor says she has never been busier than she is now. Toussaint plays a prominent role on Showtime's "Your Honor" with Bryan Cranston and is also one of the stars of "The Equalizer" with Queen Latifah on CBS.

"The Equalizer" premieres right after Super Bowl LV on CBS Sunday, February 7 and Toussaint was honored to work with Latifah after years of bumping into her at social events.

"I've always admired Queen [Latifah] and we've always circled each other socially, but never got a chance to work together," said Toussaint, in an interview with CBS Local's DJ Sixsmith. "When the opportunity came up, I jumped at it. Also, I love that old franchise. Those films with Denzel Washington and those great scenes in the diner. He was this dark, slightly off, slightly crazy lone wolf. We're very different. Latifah's character McCall is ex-CIA and she is just retired. She's done all the dark stuff that you'd think people in the CIA black-ops would do. She's left behind a life with this daughter who is 15 and since her divorce, I've been taking care of her daughter."

Toussaint plays Aunt Vy on the show and her character spends a lot of time refereeing the battles between Robyn McCall and her daughter Delilah, who is played by Laya DeLeon Hayes. The actor knows a thing or two about managing that tenuous relationship because she has a teenager of her own. Toussaint enjoyed having the runway to explore all of the emotional layers involved in this show.

"I grew up in an era in Trinidad where the only Black woman I ever saw on television was Diahann Carroll," said Toussaint. "To come this far and we have a ways to go still, but to be on a network show starring with another strong, powerful Black woman... these are thing that make dreams come true. They are great role models for young girls still coming up after us."

While Toussaint has worked with some of the biggest stars in Hollywood, the actor was blown away by how Latifah led the whole cast on and off the set.

"She is as cool as you think she would be. I feel kind of geeky around Queen. I discovered that she is kind of geeky too," said Toussaint. "That was really nice. We discovered that of all the things we have in common, we have a love for tea. We're these rabid tea drinkers with the different cups and saucers and tea pots."

Watch "The Equalizer" on CBS and stream it on CBS All Access.