Jennifer Esposito off of "Blue Bloods"
By echomonster
@echomonster (2226)
Greenwood, Mississippi
October 20, 2012 11:22pm CST
I was quite surprised to read an article tonight about Jennifer Esposito taking a leave of absence from the CBS show Blue Bloods, where she plays the role of Detective Curatola (Danny's partner). Upon reading Jennifer's Twitter stream (she's jenniferswayJE there), I realized that this arrangement was anything but voluntary. Evidently what happened is that JE wanted to cut back her hours on set due to illness -- she has Celiac disease. Instead of accommodating her request, CBS forced her to take this leave of absence, even though her doctor evidently cleared her to go back to work.
I guess I can see it from CBS' side -- they're saying Jennifer couldn't put the time on set needed to fulfill her role on the show. However, they certainly aren't being very understanding of the unique challenges that JE is facing, and I wonder if they're not underrating what she brings to the show. It would've been nice if they could have at least tried to work with her for a while instead of forcing her out so quickly (I doubt very much she'll ever come back now that all this dirty laundry has been aired out in public).
All this makes me wonder about the future of Blue Bloods on CBS. I've always felt its best asset was its excellent and deep cast, but I wonder how the rest of the cast feels about how JE is being treated (granted, she's a much smaller name than Selleck, Wahlberg, Moynahan, etc so they may not be worried about being treated the same way). This year, the show's ratings have declined somewhat though I think it's still been good quality-wise. I think it's starting a feel a little repetitive (though pretty much all crime procedural shows tend to give me that feeling after they've been on for a while) so it wouldn't shock me to see more cast exits.
3 responses
@burrito88 (2774)
• United States
21 Oct 12
I can't help but think of Bitty Schramm, who was on Monk. She was nominated for a best supporting actress Emmy award and then asked for a raise. She was then replaced.
@Fishmomma (11377)
• United States
21 Oct 12
The 3 supporting cast members wanted a raise and she was lost her job, but I don't remember if the two men did get a raise. Personally, she didn't have a lot of roles before Monk and the two men had many roles before and after, so sources that have stated she was hard to work with might be right. I looked at all three actors roles and clearly she didn't work much after Monk and both men have been very busy.
@echomonster (2226)
• Greenwood, Mississippi
21 Oct 12
Yeah, pay disputes are probably the number one reason actors and actresses leave TV shows. Jennifer has tweeted that CBS thought she was exaggerating her illness in order to get a raise -- sounds like a pretty bizarre scenario to me, but who knows.
@Fishmomma (11377)
• United States
22 Oct 12
We have watched actors stand together to try getting a raise and some do it smartly like the cast of Friends, which there would not have been a show, as no way would the network be able to replace everyone.
I remember Michael Dorn uttering the words on a talk show and really like him as an actor. Its smart to do other roles as few people can do one role and know they are going to have a job like Larry Hagman. He even has stated that he invested his people wisely so doesn't need to work. I do like how Hagman, Duffy and Gray are good friends in real life and have made smart moves bringing back Dallas.
I agree about Ted Levine and Jason Gray-Standford, which sure helped them stay on Monk.
@Fishmomma (11377)
• United States
21 Oct 12
Its not a leave of absence, as the show has let her go and this happens to many actresses and actors. I'll miss her on the show, but I do understand the network needs somebody that they feel can work long hours to be available on the set. I hope she is able to get another job; however, its not going to be easy, if she wants to work short hours. I understand her health problems, but we have seen more than a few shows change casts for many different reasons.
One of the other members mentioned Monk and that show ran for many years after that cast member wanted a raise and the actresses was out of work for a long time. She couldn't get another role and in my opinion should have been happy that she had a job.
I hear about so many people out of work now and there are many actresses lining up to try getting on Blue Bloods, which is a hit on Friday Nights for CBS. I would be thrilled to work on the show.
@echomonster (2226)
• Greenwood, Mississippi
21 Oct 12
I agree that she's probably not going to be back, but technically it is being described as a leave of absence versus a firing. This is for contract reasons I expect -- Esposito is saying that CBS is keeping her from working anywhere else so she's obviously still bound to her contract even though she's not actually working on "Blue Bloods" anymore. And she's not getting paid either so it sounds like a sucky deal all around for her. As glamorous and as well-paid a profession as acting is, sometimes the set conditions and contracts sound surprisingly brutal.
@stealthy (8181)
• United States
21 Oct 12
That is a shame, she is one of the better parts of the show. I feel for her with her illness. The show should be more understanding and I think it will hurt the show both from her being gone and from them treating her that way.
