In Shades of Blue, NBC’s new series offering with stars Ray Liotta and Jennifer Lopez, we get up close with New York police detectives who have more going on than may first seem apparent. Get ready to dive deep.
Lopez plays single mom Harlee Santos in her first dramatic TV role. The first episode’s opening flashback scene of her confessing on home video is not the glamorous “JLo” we’ve come to expect, and it makes us take note.
On with her show
In real life, JLo, 46, juggles just a few career balls, judging on American Idol, and her new show in Las Vegas, All I Have, at Planet Hollywood’s AXIS Theater. There, fans of the powerhouse performer can soak up the sounds of pop and R&B with Latin influences as well as her high-voltage dancing and as she says, some surprises.
Liotta, 61, is Lt. “Woz” Wozniak, who as the Los Angeles Times says, “runs his precinct with the familial loyalty and constant OCD paranoia of every cinematic mobster.” It’s clear he cares deeply for Harlee and her daughter, played by Sarah Jeffrey. As the Times made clear: “He’s been in the business for a while now; it’s about time he played a TV cop, good, bad or otherwise.”
He’s certainly played his share of cops, and fans like to see him behind a badge. It’s ironic that someone so incredibly talented fell into acting by avoiding math and history during college registration.
Just do it
Lopez remains a pillar of good health and fitness, never wavering from her commitment to stay in “training” for her career and life. It takes incredible discipline and she has it. Reports say she avoids sugar, salt, alcohol and caffeine, eats unprocessed foods and plenty of vegetables. She also values enough sleep. About her regimen, she says, “It’s a job.”
She’s all about “no excuses” and has lessons for all of us. She told the audience at NBCUniversal’s Winter 2016 TCA Press Tour that for Shades of Blue, she could ease up—slightly.
“Honestly, I didn’t work out as much,” she said. “I felt like this character was a little different than maybe who I am in my real life where I’m always kind of having to stay fit and worried about my appearance, and Harlee is not like that. So it was a little bit of a different thing. I did do the boxing.”
Watch Shades of Blue Thursday nights on NBC at 10 p.m. ET.
(Since this story was originally posted, the show has been renewed for a second season!)