Kadia Saraf says a Season 1 moment in the Dexter sequel moved everyone on set to tears.
With Dexter back on our screens with brand-new episodes, it was only natural for the new series to bring familiar faces into the game. Their presence helps the story feel rooted, and at the same time, the series’ fresh setting opened the door for new characters to step in, giving the show a different energy.
One of the strongest additions is Kadia Saraf as Detective Claudette Wallace. Introduced right from the premiere, Wallace gradually becomes a key part of the story, interacting with several legacy characters as the season unfolds. Her moments with Dexter, Batista and even Quinn (though his involvement comes via a phone call) actually help bridge the old and the new in a way that feels natural.
Saraf recently spoke with Love It Film about the experience of joining Dexter: Resurrection as a long-time fan of the original series. During the conversation, she opened up about one scene in particular, and a certain moment that resonated deeply with both viewers and everyone on set. It takes place in the season one finale, “And Justice for All…,” and revovles around a character we have cherished since the beginning: Angel Batista.
Fans had been hoping for a faceoff ever since Dexter: New Blood, and the latest revival finally delivers it. Batista approaches Dex multiple times with full certainty that he is the Bay Harbor Butcher, refusing to accept anything less than the truth. That determination blinded him and led him straight into danger, and when he’s killed by Leon Prater just minutes after he confirms his suspicions, the moment hits with a devastating finality.
The season finale had htat emotional weight into a scene filled with symbolism, one that Kadia Saraf says left the entire set in tears. After Wallace discovers Batista’s body in Prater’s vault and his remains are moved, she gently places his fedora on him. According to Saraf, “She gave him his title back after stripping it away,” confirming that this gesture was to fix what she did earlier, by taking the Miami Metro badge from him.
Saraf explained that the moment wasn’t only something written on the page, and in fact it genuinely affected everyone involved.
“We cried on set just so you know. We all cried on set. That was not easy. It wasn't just, “oh, it's just written in the script.” That wasn't easy. It was just, it was a very important moment and we all felt that.”
She also revealed that she was present when Batista’s death scene for Episode 9 was shot, and the quiet on set spoke volumes.
Her longtime friendship with David Zayas actually intensified the emotional impact. Having known each other for years, filming such a moment felt kind of personal. She described it as a kind of symbolic passing of the baton, as though Wallace is now the one who must carry forward Batista’s legacy. Saraf hinted that Claudette may indeed be the person who seeks justice for Batista in the aftermath of his death, suggesting a storyline that could shape the future of our favorite antihero.
Moments like these are here to remind us how powerful things can be behind the scenes. While viewers often imagine bloopers or lighthearted interactions when thinking about on-set life, some scenes are so emotioanlly charged that even the people making them are affected. Batista’s death stands out as one of those rare moments where the the story has an impact everyone involved, on screen and off.