Judy Reyes Says Oscar Nominee Jennifer Jason Leigh Is Just As “Mysterious” As Her ‘High Potential’ Guest Role: “You’re Not Sure What To Expect”

New York native Judy Reyes is booked and very, very busy. As the reigning queen of ABC, she has prominent roles on two hit series: Selena Soto on High Potential, and Carla Espinosa on Scrubs. “It’s been an honor to work on both shows,” said Reyes. For a TV veteran like Reyes—who has starred in other popular shows like Claws and Devious Maids—this recognition feels long overdue. She vows to “use the platform” to pursue other creative passions that are important to her, like producing the musical theatre experience Freestyle: A Love Story in the Bronx. “I’m living in this moment for as long as it lasts,” said Reyes.

As a Major Crimes Lieutenant, Reyes’ Soto experienced some disappointment this season when she was passed over for a promotion to Captain in favor of Steve Howey’s Nick Wagner. Instead of wallowing, Soto rededicated herself to her squad: Detectives Adam Karadec (Daniel Sunjata), Lev “Oz” Ozdil (Deniz Akdeniz), Lead Investigator Daphne Forrester (Javicia Leslie) and consultant Morgan Gillory (Kaitlin Olson). “Now, she has the opportunity to embrace that role that she’s probably meant to be in,” said Reyes. “[Her reaction] reminded everybody of that mentor role that she has with that team.”

To protect Morgan and her family, Soto takes it upon herself to fly to the East Coast by herself to question the powerful fixer, Willa Quinn (Jennifer Jason Leigh), who was responsible for orchestrating the disappearance of Morgan’s missing boyfriend, Roman Sinquerra, 16 years ago. “It’s really important to Soto that [she] confront the looming threat that she provoked,” said Reyes. Reyes also got to go toe-to-toe with Oscar nominee Jennifer Jason Leigh. “She’s just a giving, generous, open and present actor,” said Reyes. “I learned from her every second that I worked with her.”

Reyes stopped by the Decider studio to talk about last night’s episode, to imagine what a High Potential/ Scrubs crossover might look like, and to share her latest theatrical endeavor.

DECIDER: As the reigning queen of ABC, what’s it like to bounce back and forth between these two very different roles on High Potential and Scrubs?

JUDY REYES: Busy, but it is an honor to work on both shows. The fact that I am on two shows makes me feel a certain responsibility to use the platform that I have to do other stuff. I’m living in this moment for as long as it lasts.

And High Potential just got renewed for a Season 3! How did the cast and crew celebrate?

On our text thread with a lot of emojis and a lot of exclamation points. We haven’t seen each other in a while, so we’re excited. Javicia [Leslie], who plays Daphne, is going to be getting married next month. That’s how she’ll be celebrating. We’ll all go to her wedding and get ready for whatever the new season holds.

Brian Zak/ NY Post

I’m loving Soto’s journey this season. She’s mentoring Daphne, she’s helping Oz’s family out, she’s meddling in Karadec’s love life, and she’s helping Morgan find the truth about Roman. Did getting passed over for that promotion help her to dedicate herself to her team?

It reminded everybody of that mentor role that she has with that team. She has been able to focus on those individual relationships instead of worrying about that promotion that she didn’t end up getting. Now, she can embrace the role that she’s probably meant to be in. She’s not leaving her team behind.

We’ve heard mention of Soto’s ex, Hector, and her children. Do you wonder what home looks like for Soto?

Soto’s job is her life. I think her kids are in college. I think he’s an ex-husband, and I think that she spends most of her time making a difference at work.

Willa Quinn is played by the incomparable Jennifer Jason Leigh. What makes her so perfect to play this mysterious fixer?

Besides being a screen icon, Jennifer Jason Leigh herself is just as mysterious as the character of Willa. She kind of breezes in, and you’re not necessarily sure what to expect. Suddenly, you’re face to face with this talented person that you grew up loving. She’s a giving, generous, open and present actor. I learned something every second that I worked with her.

You and Jennifer Jason Leigh have great, combative chemistry. What was your favorite part about working with her?

It was wonderful and interesting, but television works quickly. We got to run lines, but we didn’t get to craft anything until we were on camera. She’s always giving something. So, when she gives you something, you’ve got to give it back. It felt we were constantly pursuing a balance of power. It was rewarding to see what she gave and what I gave and then what we came up with together.

Soto doesn’t get rattled easily, but she’s rattled when she sees Willa get off the plane at LAX. How will her presence on the West Coast affect the team?

Willa will continue to shock and rattle people. She’s in LA to unnerve the team and to push them away from the answers they seek. Maybe that backfires and she ends up pushing them a little closer to the truth. Who’s to say?

I have to ask: is your Scrubs family watching High Potential?

I don’t know. When I got there to film the first episode of the new Scrubs, they were like: “your show’s #1 on ABC! You’re going to have 2 hit shows!” They may have started watching High Potential, but they’re busy making a hit TV show, so it’s kind of hard to keep up [laughs].

Disney/ Jessica Perez

Sacred Heart has always been broadly located in California somewhere. ABC has been known to do a crossover. Could High Potential and Scrubs potentially collide? What would that look like for you?

I could see Detective Karadec going into Sacred Heart with a broken arm or something. A hypochondriac who must deal with someone like Dr. Elliot or any of the interns? That would be really funny.

You’re in two hit TV shows, but you’re also producing a musical theatre experience called Freestyle: A Love Story with the Queen of Freestyle herself, Judy Torres. Was it nice to get back to your theatrical roots and work on this project?

It has been amazing. I’m such a huge fan of freestyle. The show is about 2 19-year-old kids who meet and fall in love doing a freestyle show. The audience gets to celebrate the music and its impact on the characters’ lives with the dancing, the singing, the DJ, and the party afterwards. People will get to relive that cultural moment and embrace the fact that freestyle was born in the Bronx and pioneered by Latino people from there. It became huge up and down the East Coast before it was gentrified and absorbed into pop music. We want to remind people where the music came from and how fun it was while it was there.

I noticed that you have special guests for each performance including Lauren Luna Velez, Jon Seda, Justina Machado, and Felix Solis. Are they as passionate about this project as you are?

They really are. They are passionate about it because it was also their era. We’re all about the same age, and we grew up with the same music. The reason freestyle means so much to us is that we saw each other. It was people like us singing love songs during our most emotional and horny and sentimental times. I remember seeing Judy Torres at Roseland. She had my name. She was my age. She was up there singing to hundreds and hundreds of people. She felt like my hero. Freestyle marked such a huge creative and artistic moment for me. To be able to work with her now is just such a gift.

You’ve very busy with your on-screen work, but do you aspire to get back on stage soon?

I would love that. I saw myLAByrinth Theater Company’s Dog Day Afternoon yesterday. It was wonderful. I would love the opportunity to come back to the stage. It has been a long time.

High Potential airs Tuesdays at 9/8c on ABC