On the exuberantly over-the-top Florida crime noir “Claws,” now in its third season on TNT, Judy Reyes plays Quiet Ann, a character who hasn’t been quiet enough this year, ironically: Her loose lips have unleashed some major complications for her and her sisterhood of nail technicians led by Niecy Nash.
According to Reyes, producers originally envisioned the role a little differently.
“Physically she was nothing like I am. She was about twice my size. Definitely quieter. And I was actually concerned that I wouldn’t do justice to her. But I was really intrigued by the fact that she was such an intrinsic part of this tight, powerful circle of women and yet saying so little. So I started with an authentic appearance based on women I grew up with and around. I pulled my hair back, I wore no makeup, baggy pants, I pushed my (breasts) in.”
Before “Claws,” Reyes first gained wide notice as part of the main cast on “Scrubs.” The role was a milestone, and it was front of mind when Reyes was asked to share a worst moment from her career. In hindsight, she said, the experience made her realize she had been too modest about her accomplishments.
My worst moment …
“It was the second season of ‘Scrubs’ and there was one of these Latino organizations that had nominated me or selected me for a lifetime achievement award for all of my accomplishments in television. I thought it was really weird because I just felt really lucky to be on a hit TV show, you know what I mean?
“I had never gone to anything like this before. I was given the night off — it was very last minute — and Donald Faison, who played my boyfriend-slash-husband on the show, was asked to come with me. And my now-husband in real life also came as my date.
“I wasn’t really sure what the event was, or what the organization was for, except that it honored Latinos for their all their achievements in the business. And I thought I was going to walk up to the stage and they would just hand me this plaque. I didn’t realize that I was supposed to make a speech — it only dawned on me when I got there. I didn’t know that it was a big deal. And I didn’t know that other celebrities like Andy Garcia and Jimmy Smits — people I grew up worshipping and wanting to be like — were going to be there in the audience.
“So (laughs), I’m sitting there really nervous, trying to figure out exactly what I was going to say. I was like, I better stop drinking and start thinking! In my youth, with my excellent memory back in the day, I thought I could just put something together in my head real quick and wing it. I was young, OK (laughs)? So they’re going on and on about my resume, things that I had done that I had completely forgotten. And while this is happening I had maybe one drink too many because when I got up there, I said, ‘Thank you’ — and then went completely blank.
“I was like: ‘Uh, uh’ — and I’m looking at Donald and he’s looking at me like: She’s high! She must have smoked weed, she’s high! And I was looking at George, my husband, and he was just nodding at me like: You can do it!
“And I’m sweating and my ears are ringing and (ugh) I just flipped out and found myself completely mute and just said thank you and there was that sparse pity applause (laughs) and I just walked away and wanted to disappear.
“Afterward Donald came up to me: ‘Are you high? Did you smoke?’ I was like, ‘No! I just didn’t know I would have to make a speech.”
“I didn’t take the award or myself seriously enough — or what I was doing seriously enough, or what I had accomplished seriously enough — until after that moment. I didn’t understand or know that you prepare for these kind of events.”
Sometimes things that seem embarrassing aren’t as noticeable to people around you.
“Oh, they noticed.
“I mean, I don’t think anybody remembers. I’ve been here in LA now for 15 years and there have been a lot of Latino and Hispanic events where we proudly come together to celebrate each other — the veterans and the new people — and I get to see Andy Garcia and Jimmy Smits and interact with them and no, they’ve never mentioned it (laughs).
“But Donald gave me (grief) about it for years, which is humbling and a good way to get over something like that. And a great way to remind yourself to better prepare.”
The takeaway …
“That I am talented — that’s the reason I got the job — and that people do watch and appreciate what I do.
“And also: People’s time is precious and valuable and you should treat it as such. If you’re accepting an invitation or accepting an award, it’s important to receive it with gratitude and prepare words of kindness — at the very least for your own self but also for the people who have taken time to attend and celebrate you.
“But not only that, it was about working through my over sense of humility. It’s OK to celebrate myself and say, ‘This is great, I feel really proud of myself,’ instead of saying, ‘I don’t deserve to be here.’ I felt completely unworthy at the time because I was just so new. A hundred percent it felt like imposter syndrome, that’s the first place my mind goes. I was like, ‘What the … am I doing here?’ I just didn’t understand and I didn’t feel like I belonged there. And that wasn’t true. And it wasn’t fair to the people who gave me the award or to myself.
“And looking back, that was a disservice to me. Since then I got the ALMA (American Latino Media Arts) award, so I had a little joke prepared and my thank-yous prepared. I was very ready to be brief and grateful should I win, and I was. And I was funny! And I was quick! And it was great.”
