Big roles come fast and furious for Brewster
What’s more exciting for a performer than having one new series role? Having two ... just ask Jordana Brewster.
The “Fast and the Furious” movie-franchise staple has been quite active in television lately, thanks to her work on TNT’s now-finished “Dallas” revival and as Denise Brown in FX’s much-acclaimed “The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story.” She’s carrying that momentum into the fall season, co-starring in both Fox’s Wednesday series version of “Lethal Weapon” and ABC’s “Secrets and Lies,” which starts its second round tonight at 9 on WCVB (Ch. 5).
“I’ve always loved doing television,” the pleasant Brewster said. “I love going to the set every day and seeing the same crew and the same cast, that sense of normalcy. Especially being a mom of two now (the younger son just born in June), I just think that’s so important. I feel very blessed to be working in television right now ... and there’s so much good material.”
While Juliette Lewis returns as Detective Andrea Cornell, “Secrets and Lies” resumes with a fresh case revolving around the murder of Brewster’s character, whose well-to-do husband (Michael Ealy) needs the cops’ help in getting to the bottom of the crime. Terry O’Quinn (“Lost”) and Charlie Barnett (“Chicago Fire”) also are in season two of the show, which was inspired by an Australian series.
Since her alter ego becomes the tale’s victim early on, Brewster noted, “What’s fun about that is that it sort of goes backward. I knew what the end result was, but she unravels before my eyes and the audience’s eyes, episode by episode.”
On “Lethal Weapon,” Brewster plays Maureen “Mo” Cahill, a police therapist whose concerns include troubled maverick cop Martin Riggs (Clayne Crawford).
“Interesting issues come up in her job,” Brewster said. “Like, is she on the patient’s side or the force’s side? Those are the things I want to talk about with someone who actually has to grapple with them.”
Months later, Brewster continues to bask in the reception, both inside and outside the entertainment industry, to “The People v. O.J. Simpson.” She said, “I knew with (executive producer) Ryan Murphy at the helm that it would do quite well, but it was amazing. For me, the most poignant part was getting the role, because I wanted to be in it so badly. I felt drawn to Denise Brown, and I live in Brentwood (Calif.), so I knew all the landmarks. I loved working on something where there was so much research to be done, and it was just a rich experience.”
Brewster also is looking forward to her latest return to the “Fast and the Furious” world in “Fast 8,” scheduled for theatrical release next April, and she marvels as much as anyone at the series’ ever-bigger car stunts.
“Short of going into space, you kind of wonder what else they can do,” she mused. “It is incredible.”