A recent fan-captured video from the set shows an original series actor filming Season 2.
Three weeks have passed since Dexter: Resurrection Season 2 started filming in New York City, and the cast keeps growing. A significant number of new actors have joined, both as series regulars and guest stars. We also recently got confirmation that Desmond Harrington will return as Joey Quinn in a series regular role.
But now, it looks like Harrington is not the only familiar face making a comeback, and we actually have proof.
During the third week of filming in New York, a fan happened to be near one of the outdoor locations and recorded a short video on her phone before sharing it on TikTok. The clip shows members of the cast and crew between takes, but one detail stood out immediately.
Among them was a fan-favorite actor who played his character for almost as long as Michael C. Hall, someone whose character actually became a core part of Miami Metro P.D. and a familiar presence in every previous Dexter season.
That character is sadly no longer alive. And yet, there he was on set. That actor is... David Zayas.
Yes, it appears that Angel Batista is returning in Dexter: Resurrection Season 2. And no, this doesn’t mean his shocking death in the penultimate episode of Season 1 is being undone. The most likely scenario right now is that the beloved character will appear in some form of cameo.
What makes this even more interesting is that Zayas who is a New Yorker, doesn’t seem to be on set just for a visit. In the footage, he’s clearly in costume, wearing the classic Batista outfit we’ve seen throughout the original series. That alone is more than enough to suggest that he’s filming scenes for the new season.
There’s another detail that actually stands out. His outfit doesn’t match the winter clothing Batista wore in New York while tracking Dexter in Season 1. Instead, it closely resembles his Miami-era style, which points even more toward a proper... return in Season 2.
In side-by-side images taken from a TikTok shared by fan klarissa.hr and sent to us by Dexter Daily reader Justin, David Zayas can be seen talking with showrunner Clyde Phillips and executive producer Scott Reynolds between takes.
Even though the images are a bit blurry, it’s actually obvious that Zayas is wearing a light brown fedora, black sunglasses, a short-sleeved Hawaiian-style shirt, brown trousers, and reddish leather shoes. The coolest detail of all is the brown leather shoulder holster, which became part of Batista’s style during his good-old Miami days.
The footage of David Zayas on the Dexter: Resurrection Season 2 set likely comes from April 28 or 29. Based on that timing, it looks like the show may actually bring Batista back as early as the first episode of the new season, which would definitely be a welcome surprise for fans.
As for how exactly he returns, it’s still unknown, but Dexter has used many ways to bring back characters over the years. A flashback scene set in Miami seems like the most likely option right now, but a hallucination is also possible, especially given what we saw Resurrection’s series premiere.
Either way, after Desmond Harrington’s return as Quinn, David Zayas coming back as Batista is another exciting addition. Even after what happened in Season 1, the door is definitely open, and it’s absolutely amazing to see him back!