Claiming that the studio prevents her from working anywhere else, the Jackie Curatola depicter accuses it of 'absolutely shameful behavior.'
- Oct 22, 2012
AceShowbiz - There's apparently a beef going on between "Blue Bloods" cast member Jennifer Esposito and CBS TV Studios. After the studio announced that the actress would depart the police procedural series for the foreseeable future, she took to her Twitter to share her side of the story.
"CBS knows PUT me on unpaid leave an has blocked me from working anywhere else after my doc said u needed a reduced schedule due to celiac," so the actress, who has been battling celiac disease, wrote in a post. She added, "CBS didn't listen to my doc and I collapsed on set. Which everyone saw! After a week off my doc said I could return to work..."
The 39-year-old went on claiming that the statement released by CBS "implied that I was NOT truly ill and this was a scheme to get a raise!" She additionally said that she hadn't been asked to return to work for two months and wasn't allowed to work anywhere else, an act which she saw as an "absolutely shameful behavior."
Previously, CBS TV Studios stated, "Jennifer has informed us that she is only available to work on a very limited part-time schedule. As a result, she's unable to perform the demands of her role and we regretfully had to put her character on a leave of absence."
The studio added, "She is a wonderfully talented actress and we hope that she will be able to return at some point in the future," but didn't mention the reason behind her request for the workload reduction.
The last episode that Esposito filmed will air November 2. To fill the void, the drama series will feature a series of guest stars, including Megan Ketch who has been booked to appear in four episodes.
Esposito first joined "Blue Bloods" in season 1 as a guest star before she was upped to a series regular. She portrays the partner of Detective Danny Reagan, played by Donnie Wahlberg.
