More than 'Jordan' in store for Jill Hennessy
By Marilyn Beck and Stacy Jenel Smith
 

ARTICLE

It doesn't take a crystal ball to see that 2007 is going to be a year of expanding horizons for "Crossing Jordan" star Jill Hennessy. With the series poised to launch its sixth season Jan. 14, she's putting fresh energy into the music side of her career with a CD in the works. She's directed a tough episode of the series for spring airing. And she has a big-screen comedy on the way, "Wild Hogs," in which she plays wife to Tim Allen.

"It's been hard finding anything that fits into my hiatus — and hard to fight the stereotype of drama attached to me after doing 'Law & Order' and 'Crossing Jordan,'" admits Jill. "I auditioned along with other actresses — young, good-looking, hilarious actresses. I was honored to get it, and it was one of the best experiences I've ever had.

"Tim loves improvising. He's so quick on his feet, and his breadth of knowledge, articulateness and the fact he's very outspoken make him just so impressive and fun to work with. I missed doing improv comedy myself. People forget I started off at Second City," she adds.

The March 2 release — in which Allen, John Travolta, Martin Lawrence and William H. Macy play guys whose middle-age crazy biker excursion gets them into trouble — was made in New Mexico last summer. "My third day was a scene where they all show up on their Harleys, and I run out and say, 'Honey, you forgot your prescription for Lipitor.' "

It was 105-degree weather, and all of them hung out in their leathers to act with me, off camera. I never would have expected that. John said, 'No, this is the best. Jill, I want to be there for you.'

MEANWHILE: There's a bright side to having had to await a midseason, post-football return for "Crossing Jordan" this year, as Hennessy sees it. The extra time has led to the new season being "one of our best, if not the best. The show is more cutting edge this year. We have a lot of new writers with different kinds of backgrounds, and I find the story lines compelling, verging on controversial," she says.

"One mirrors the police shooting here in New York — it's a contagious fire incident where one cop starts shooting and others join in, and a 7-year-old ends up getting mowed down. It's very powerful. Another one is about a boy of about 12 who's trying figure out a way to ask for help after being molested. These are gritty, real story lines."