The cast and crew of CBS show Equalizer are mourning the loss of Kristina Jones, a beloved crew member who passed away on May 23, 2023, at the age of 53, according to her obituary.
A reboot of the 1980’s drama series, Equalizer, starring Queen Latifah as Robyn McCall, kicked off its fourth season on Sunday, February 18, 2024. At the end of the episode, titled Truth for a Truth, the show paid homage to a late crew member, Kristina Jones, in a title card tribute which read:
"In Memory of Kristina Jones."
In the wake of the tribute, fans have questioned Kristina’s role in the series, which was not disclosed by production. Jones, who worked as an on-set assistant for Queen Latifah for two seasons reportedly passed away from cancer last year, as per The Sun.
Jones only worked behind the scenes of the crime drama series as Laitifah’s assistant. In an exclusive interview with The Sun, Jones' uncle, Lancelot Owens, said his niece, who was adored by Latifah, was available for wherever the actress required on and off-set.
"She was on call for whatever Latifah wanted. Sometimes she had to do different runs for her off-set.”
Kristina Jones and Queen Latifah had formed a close friendship during their time on Equalizer
According to her obituary, Kristina Jones or “Tina, as she was affectionately called" by family and friends, was from Newark, New Jersey. Jones is survived by her mother, Cinetta Owens-Feliciano, stepfather, David Feliciano, brother, Joseph Jones, and uncle Lancelot Owens. She was described as a “beautiful soul who cared deeply and brought happiness to the many lives she touched.”
Jones' uncle Lancelot Owens told The Sun his niece was beloved on the set of the Equalizer and had formed a close bond with Queen Latifah, who treated her like family.
Lancelot, who also works on the show as an advisor, said his niece loved her job working as an assistant to Latifah and was close with the cast and the crew.
"Tina affected everybody [on set] with her approach and how she did everything. Her daily slogan was "She loved everybody, even if I don't shake hands."
A funeral service to celebrate Kristian’s life was held on June 7, 2023, at noon, at Metropolitan Baptist Church, in Newark, New Jersey, one of several cities in the northern state where the show is filmed.
Owens said that everybody, including Latifah, came together and assisted as much as they could following Kristian’s tragic demise.