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EXCLUSIVE: CBS and CBS TV Studios have recruited another actress to fill the void left by co-star Jennifer Esposito being sidelined with Celiac disease. Law & Order: LA alumna Megan Boone has been tapped to play a new temporary partner for Detective Danny Reagan (Donnie Wahlberg). Her deal is for three episodes with a series option behind it.
In a move that has stirred controversy, Esposito was put on medical leave recently after her doctor advised her to reduce her work load from full- to part-time, a request the studio said it could not accommodate given the demands of the role. CBS left the door for Esposito to return but in the interim, it is bringing in actresses to play revolving partners for Danny, starting with Megan Ketch, who is filming four episodes. She will be followed by Boone. Coincidentally, Esposito was among several actresses tried out as temporary partners for Danny in guest arcs at the beginning of Season 1 before she got the gig full-time. Boone’s option also allows her to become a regular should a need arise. UPDATE: Jennifer Esposito took to Twitter to react to Boone’s casting. “There it is. CBS got rid of the only minority cast member so they can have an ALL WHITE CAST like CSI,” she wrote.
Also on Twitter, Esposito last weekend called the move to sideline her “shameful behavior.” She has expressed her desire to return to Blue Bloods, and there are several online petitions by fans launched in her support. Boone, recently seen in Step Up Revolution, is repped by Gersh and Circle Of Confusion.
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Jennifer Esposito is a minority? That is one strange tweet/reaction. Can’t help but wondering if CBS is using her illness as an excuse to get rid of a difficult actor.
Wikipedia refers to her as Italian-American. Is she reverting to 1920s bigotry accusations?
She isnt a difficult actor, thats not the problem here. Its CBS. They seem to have an issue with female cast members. If you recall, they fired 2 female actresses off of Criminal Minds for absolutely no reason, but kept them locked into their contract so they couldnt work elsewhere. Then after a year of falling ratings, fan outcrys etc, they forced the two actresses to return, even though one didnt want to.
in the end, both returned, with one leaving the second her contract said she could. she continually complain about her treatment by producers, seems to be the same case here. or something very similar. Its a money/cost saving exercise to see if they can spike ratings and save money at the same time. Didnt work with criminal minds, cant see it working here
Try getting your facts straight before you post.
1. Yes, AJ Cook was fired from Criminal Minds. Paget Brewster was cut down to a number of episodes as opposed to the entire season, HOWEVER she got a part in her contact stating she had the freedom to go film a pilot. This is clearly what she wanted to do and is a pretty good deal – do some episodes, get paid, and then be able to go out and try to find a new job. In the real world, this is akin to having a current job and looking for a new one which is always the idea scenario.
2. Paget films a pilot. It doesn’t get picked up by any network.
3. A clause in her contract allows the network to bring her back to complete a full season. As to whether it was in a full time (all episodes) or part time (number of episodes) capacity, I am uncertain. Regardless, the network exercises this clause. Yes, Paget did not want to come back, but she’s not an idiot – she knew what the contract said when she signed it and knew there was a possibility this would happen.
4. The network also pulls their heads from their asses and brings back AJ Cook after fans rightly screamed about it all season and sends Rachel Nichols (or whatever her name is) on her way.
5. Paget completes the remainder of her contract and leaves.
I JUST THOUGHT SHE WAS SO GOOD ON THE SHOW ITS LIKE HER AND DAN HAD A CHEMISTRY, TO ME THE SHOW IS NOT THE SAME WITHOUT HER IF SHE IS SICK I HOPE SHE IS WELL SOON TO GET BACK ON THE SHOW. BLACK,WHITE,BROWN,OR WHATEVER SHE JUSST MADE THE SHOW SO MUCH BETTER TO ME AND I LOVED THE SHOW ITS ONE OF THE FEW GOOD FAMILY SHOWS ON TV.
Exactly which minority is Jennifer Esposito a member of?
I love Megan Boone and look forward to seeing her in these episodes. I have enjoyed her in all her other shows and movies and believe she will be an asset to Blue Bloods. I will actually probably watch it now.
Boone has an edge to her that the previous Esposito replcement lacked. I like her and I hope she gets the gig.
It would be great if they played nice and let Jennifer go back to work. Being ill with any disease is no picnic.
this is the point: Celiac’s is a disability, with which it is difficult to deal, I recognize the profit motive of TV, and the immediate reaction of “race” card, but the problem is what to do with those folks whose circumstance with which they had little if anything to do, and over which they have little control, preclude their working? question: was she good? I think so. could accomodations be made?> I think so. sorry for the rest of the cast – I really enjoyed this show, and the relationships developed. but as a matter of principle, I will take my one tv out of the census.
Seriously? The “race” card? I don’t see a heck of a whole lot of incentive for CBS to even attempt to work this out with reactions like that.
It’s very disappointing, I liked her character, and it won’t be the same. Hope CBS wisens up. Possible?
Hmmmm I didn’t realize Jennifer Esposito was an ethnic minority? It says online that she is Italian American. *shrug* I wonder if she is looking for a reason to complain and not let this go. It sucks what happened, but tweets and media blasts aren’t helping anyone.
As much as I like the show, she has turned into nothing but a part time actress regulated to being told to be “back up”. How about exploring her character’s past more? Unfortunately the show should be retitled “The Donnie Wahlberg Show” since he is in almost every scene with his crinkled brow and constant look of anger or disgust. I thought I read somewhere the emphasis this year was being put on the family? Havent see it yet. Minor stories involving other members but otherwise, nothing. I enjoy the younger brother Jamie’s character and would like to see more stories centering on him with Donnie playing second banana for a while. As well as Tom Selleck, always been a fan and I dont think he has enough to do.
Megan was really great in Leave Me Like You Found Me. That was great!
It is sad that the writers feel they need to replace Jennifer only because she suffers from an illness that many of us suffer from. Will our families give up on us only because we’re different?? What kind of message are we sending. To throw each other under the bus, because we are no longer able to do our best??? If that’s how it will be, I’m sure true bloods will not survive another season. In a nut shell…bring back JENNIFER ESPOSITO!!!
Are they idiots? Make it part of the show. Understand? Write it into the show. Give the character celiac disease and see how the New York City Police Department handles her. It seems to me that diseases such as that ebb and flow, have almost disease-free times and then times when it flares up, depending on a lot of factors like what you eat and how much stress you are under. Seems like an interesting plot point to incorporate into each episode. I think she’s cute. And holds her own against Mr. Perfect. Bring her back.
I thought Blue Bloods was cancelled. Tom Selleck must have lots of dirt on those exes.
Megan is a great actress I love her on Law and Order- I can’t wait to see her on this show
I loved Jen in this role & thought the chemistry between her & Donnie was amazing. Wrong move letting her go like that. I like Megan Boone & she will probably do a good job but that is not the point. CBS needs to do better with there treatment of fe-males & ppl of color.
So sad to see Jennifer go. It sure seems there could have been other and better choices. I’m sure they will get some good replacements while she is gone but it will be difficult if not impossible to find someone with the chemistry she had with Donnie. Really sad when these things happen. There should have been much more thought put into this before they pulled the plug on her. Blue Bloods fans are crazy about Jennifer Esposito. I hope they work it out. It would be in everyone’s best interest.
I loved Jennifer on the show and I think it would be great to write her disease and health issues into the show. As far as a minority, I think Jennifer is stretching a bit. There is an African American police officer that is Jamie and his new side kicks supervisor, the mayor is an African American who I think does a great job. Much better than the mayor in the first season. So playing the race card is making her look bad. I love her though. As long as Tom Selleck is on the show, I’ll watch it, record it and buy the series on dvd. LOVE HIM! But I agree he isn’t in enough scenes and neither is Will
Sorry that Jennifer is no longer on the show an also sorry she is sick…. will miss her…but the race card pisses me off ..from one woman to another you had a great part an great show you were involved with but I will learn to like the new partners. People should really appreciate great good things like she had
Jennifer is a delight to watch as a partner of Danny’s and she looks and sounds like a Jersey Italian. They should give $ rewards to the Casting people for all the originals in Blue Bloods.
PARTICULARLY JENNIFER
CBS please REINSTATE Jennifer E …..Right away!!!!!
P.S. Even if she is on a shorter schedule because of Celiac.
I was hoping that Jennifer Esposito would resume her role as Danny’s partner, with Megan Ketch leaving the role. Sad as it is, it appears that her illness was just not convenient for producing the show. (I think that every effort should have been made for Jennifer to stay on the show). Being ill is not something you choose!
When you watch a show from the beginning you get to know the characters, and if you especially like them you never like to see your favorite characters leave. Hopefully, Megan Boone will do well in the role and stick around long enough to build some history.
You will actually probably watch it now? So you weren’t and didn’t watch it before? Why are you chiming in in this conversation?
I too miss Jennifer on the show. She was great. The latest person who replaced her was a real dud. Also, love to see MORE of Tom Selleck AND Will Estes in the series. Great show!!
They need to bring her back. She was a great partner with Danny are you kidding they can’t use her part time ?? Why not. I would rather see a little I’d her than not at all
I love Jennifer as much as anyone but TV is business, plain and simple. We are all feeling sorry for an actress who as wonderful as she was in the part was unable to meet the requirements of her role. She had to move on and surely will get more work. Besides all that I for one have grown weary of this perfect Regan bubble of a show. It’s not that good a show and Ms. Esposito is way better off finding something else.
Nice mix of opinions on this subject. I will happily admit that the role of Jackie Curatola, played by Jennifer Esposito, provided the Danny Reagan character some exciting chemistry between them as partners in the NYPD. I am very sorry that the lady became ill and could not continue to work the necessary hours the role demanded. Jackie will be missed.
But that is NOT to say that Jennifer is a victim of racism. She is — what? — Italian-American? In what universe is Italian-American considered a racial minority? Don’t buy it, Jennifer.
Here’s hoping that Danny’s new partner, to be played by Megan Boone, will bring with her some sparks to liven up their relationship.
Cheers,
Dan