Even the Actors in Peacock's M.I.A. Were Shocked by That Etta/Caroline Finale Encounter
A crazy twist in the finale of Peacock's M.I.A. sees Etta come face-to-face with Caroline in an unexpected moment. Learn more about the scene!
*** SPOILER WARNING: Major plot twist details are revealed in this story for Peacock's M.I.A. ***
Key Takeaways
- The M.I.A. finale reveals that Etta’s boyfriend, Matt, is the son of Caroline, from the family responsible for Etta's family’s murders.
- The cast was largely unaware of the twist durRead More
- The M.I.A. finale reveals that Etta’s boyfriend, Matt, is the son of Caroline, from the family responsible for Etta's family’s murders.
- The cast was largely unaware of the twist during filming, with several actors expressing genuine shock at the reveal.
- Producers intentionally hid the front of Caroline’s house during earlier scenes to preserve the surprise.
Peacock’s M.I.A. delivered a finale twist so unexpected that even the cast was surprised by the turn of events.
The crime drama series — featuring nine episodes now streaming on Peacock — follows Etta Tiger Jonze (Shannon Gisela) as she seeks justice against the cartel members who slaughtered her family. After making it from the Florida Keys to Miami, she tries to track down the killers with the help of her new friends, Lovely (Brittany Adebumola) and Stanley (Dylan T. Jackson).
RELATED: Who's in the Cast of Peacock's New Crime Drama Series M.I.A.?
While Etta is trying to find members of the cartel tied to the Rojas family, who are responsible for her family's murders, she finds a distraction in Miami in the form of Matt (Tyler Tomás Perez), an unassuming love interest. But a jaw-dropping reveal in the finale can change everything.
Keep reading to learn more about the shocker and what the actors thought about it!
*** WARNING: Major spoilers ahead for the M.I.A. finale! ***
Etta met Matt at her Aunt Carmen's Miami club, and prior to the finale, brought him to social events with her friends and at her aunt's house. In the finale, Matt convinces her it’s time to meet his mom. But the innocent gesture led Etta straight to the front door of one of the members of the family who had Etta's parents and siblings killed.
The final moments of the episode show Matt’s mother opening the door, revealing that she's Caroline (Marta Milans), a member of the Rojas family who has been trying to find Etta (who's been using a fake name as she hides out). Etta also has it out for Caroline since she suspects that Caroline killed the woman who's been letting her stay on her property in Miami.
When the door swings open, Etta looks shocked, then forces a smile as Caroline hugs her.
Shannon Gisela was "not expecting" shocking M.I.A. finale moment
"I remember reading that in the script and being like, 'What?' I was not expecting this," Gisela told Peacock Blog. "Like this is not where I thought this was going. So, to see it kind of come to life and have that same effect on other people is so thrilling."
As for Marta Milans, who plays Caroline, she had a bit more info going into filming. And she was also told by creatives that Caroline doesn't know that the woman his son brought home is Etta.
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“I found out a little bit before filming, but... not from the beginning,” Milans told Peacock Blog. “It was also like a big surprise for me, and I kept saying to [M.I.A. showrunner Karen Campbell], 'But Caroline, nothing gets past her. She must know.' And she said, ‘No, no. no. She doesn’t know.'"
The shocking twist caught some of M.I.A.'s other actors by surprise too, including Gerardo Celasco, who plays Caroline’s half-brother Samuel.
“I had no idea until they sent us that episode that that was even a thing," Celasco told Peacock Blog. "We had absolutely no clue.”
RELATED: Why Working with Edward James Olmos Was "Really Awesome" for Peacock's M.I.A. Cast
How M.I.A. kept the front of Caroline's house hidden until the finale
While several earlier scenes in M.I.A. were shot at Caroline’s house, viewers won't recognize it when Etta and Matt approach it in the finale, since they go through the front entrance. There was a strict rule on set that Caroline's house couldn't be filmed in a certain direction, Celasco explained.
“You couldn’t see the front door of the house,” Celasco said. “We couldn’t cover it and we were like, ‘Why can’t I just stand here?'"
Caroline’s brothers always had to come in through the back door. Campbell would tell the actors that she had her reasons, but didn’t reveal why at the time.
Campbell said that she and series creator Bill Dubuque hope fans can see the outcome of Etta and Caroline's meeting, which cuts off just after they hug in the finale.
RELATED: Peacock's M.I.A.: A Guide to All the Episodes
"There’s so much story to tell,” Campbell told Peacock Blog. “Bill [Dubuque] and I love subverting expectations and building in twists and turns. It always starts with investing in the characters, but taking the audience on a ride, having them be entertained, having them be moved, leaving them wanting to see more.”
All nine episodes of M.I.A. are available to stream on Peacock now.
