Jennifer Love Hewitt will go to great lengths to, uh, extract some real emotion.
Before filming her more emotional scenes, "I like to watch pimple popping videos," the 9-1-1star admitted to E! News in an exclusive interview, "because it's really enjoyable A, and B, it doesn't mess with my headspace. It doesn't take me out of the drama headspace and into a happier headspace."
In other words, she doesn't want images of her and husband Brian Hallisay 's three kids—Autumn, 10, Atticus, 8, and Aidan, 2—to pop into her mind.
"I find it hard to look at pictures of my kids while I'm doing crying scenes because then I get really happy," the 45-year-old explained. "So, I tend to watch pimple popping videos."
But that's not the only way she prepares. "I listen to a lot of music to kind of get in the mood," Jennifer noted. "And then I just try to keep it light for myself in between."
For the Heartbreakers actress, being in a darker headspace for a scene never lasts long—and for that she credits her three little ones.
"Honestly, the drama stuff has gotten easier for me since having kids," she shared, "because I have such a better balance now of going to work and kind of being dramatic and doing all that and then the second that I walk in the door, it's like you just have to be silly. So, it lightens my mood up right away."
But these days, Jennifer has filmed fewer devastating moments on 9-1-1 . After all, her character on the hit ABC (formerly Fox) series Maddie Buckley—whose storyline has seen her overcome an abusive relationship and experience postpartum depression—recently tied the knot with longtime love Howard "Chimney" Han (Kenneth Choi).
And while there was plenty of the drama leading up to nuptials—the groom goes missing and is diagnosed with a dangerous case of brain inflammation leading to a hospital wedding—Jennifer was grateful for the opportunity to finally shed happy tears.
"I think that Maddie and Chimney getting married is where the audience has always wanted it to go," she noted, adding that it's a sentiment she and Kenneth share. "I think they deserve their happy ending and Lord knows they've been through it. So, it was nice to have that, and it was nice to spend a season where, for all intents and purposes, Maddie was pretty happy and not struggling with a major thing."
As for what 9-1-1 has in store for Jennifer's character? Well, that remains to be seen with the final episodes of season seven on the way and season eight set to air in the fall.
Tune in to 9-1-1 Thursdays at 8 p.m. on ABC. And keep reading to see when all your favorite shows are airing in 2024.
Diane von Furstenberg: Woman in Charge (Hulu) - June 25
An unprecedented look at the non-stop life of a cultural luminary. At a time when gender equality and women’s issues are at the forefront, Diane von Furstenberg’s life exemplifies empowerment, resilience, entrepreneurship, and style. She is an inspiration to women with her unapologetic demeanor. Diane never saw herself as a victim of sexism; rather, she embraced her femininity in a strong and profound way, forging a path for her daughter and the next generation of women to follow.
I Am: Celine Dion (Prime VIdeo) - June 25
Directed by Academy Award nominee Irene Taylor, I Am: Celine Dion gives us a raw and honest behind-the-scenes look at the iconic superstar’s struggle with a life-altering illness. Serving as a love letter to her fans, this inspirational documentary highlights the music that has guided her life while also showcasing the resilience of the human spirit.
The Bear (FX & Hulu) - June 26
Season three of The Bear returns in June, with all the episodes dropping on Hulu at the same time.
Outrageous Love With NeNe Leakes (Lifetime) - July 1
Outrageous Love With NeNe Leakes captures the trials, triumphs and tribulations of real couples. The new series showcases wild clips of real people caught up in love as NeNe reacts and gives her personal insight alongside the action.
Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles (Bravo) - July 10
After a couple of significantly groundbreaking years in Los Angeles luxury real estate, the housing market has taken a turn for the worse. Between high interest rates, the “Mansion Tax” and a low inventory of homes, the city’s hottest agents Josh Altman, Josh Flagg and Tracy Tutor are back and feeling a new kind of heat. Stuck in the middle of a shaky market, deals are dragging out, taking much longer to close than before. The agents find themselves accepting deals they never would have previously and getting more innovative with their strategies, employing any means necessary to close the deal.
Claim to Fame (ABC) - July 10
The reality competition series is back for season three with 11 new celebrity relatives.
The Real Housewives of Orange County (Bravo) - July 11
Familiar face Alexis Bellino (seasons 5-8) rejoins the franchise for season 18 as a friend, bringing her fiery personality and a heightened level of drama as she revels in her controversial new relationship with Shannon Beador’s ex-boyfriend, John Janssen.
The Hungry Games: Alaska’s Big Bear Challenge (Peacock) - July 11
The Hungry Games: Alaska’s Big Bear Challenge is a playful competition spin on the bears of Alaska’s Katmai National Park as they gear up for winter hibernation. Audiences will get a glimpse into the bears using brains and brawn to consume three million calories and gain up to 200 pounds in over 150 days.
Welcome to Plathville (TLC) - July 16
Kim and Barry’s divorce proceedings are still in limbo while each attempts to figure out what’s next in their lives. Kim makes a big move that leaves everyone wondering if she can stay afloat.Moriah moves in with Barry in Cairo, GA after experiencing a difficult breakup in Tampa. To everyone's surprise, Micah leaves his social single life in Los Angeles for south Florida to live with his mysterious new girlfriend.Olivia is living in Los Angeles to try life as a single woman, while Ethan is still in Minnesota and reeling from their decision to divorce. Ethan visits his family more often in Cairo now that Olivia is gone, and he realizes he can maintain and build his own relationships without any hesitation. For the first time in over a year, Moriah reaches out to Olivia to talk in hopes of letting the past be the past, but Olivia isn't so sure she’s ready to move on so easily. Despite the family going through so much change, the Plaths strive to pull it together and return to the stage for the first time in years to create an unforgettable performance.
The Ark (SYFY) - July 17
The Ark takes place 100 years in the future when planetary colonization missions have begun as a necessity to help secure the survival of the human race. In season two, after the brave crew of Ark One reaches their destination and finds it uninhabitable, they must survive long enough to locate a new home for themselves and all the ships that follow.
Unprisoned (Hulu) - July 17
The Alexander family is still a mess. Paige’s therapy practice is in trouble, Finn’s anxiety is through the roof, Edwin is still figuring out how to get his life together outside of prison and their relationships are more complicated than ever. The family needs help, and it’s time to call in a professional.
Those About to Die (Peacock) - July 18
Those About to Die is an epic drama set in the corrupt world of the spectacle-driven gladiatorial competition, exploring a side of ancient Rome never before told—the dirty business of entertaining the masses, giving the mob what they want most…blood and sport. The series introduces an ensemble of characters from all corners of the Roman Empire who collide at the explosive intersection of sports, politics and dynasties.
The West Coast Hustle (MTV) - July 18
The West Coast Hustle chronicles Chanel West Coast's life, capturing all its exciting and memorable moments. Fans get an intimate look at her journey as she navigates the challenges of her new favorite full-time gig—motherhood—while simultaneously pursuing her music career. Juggling a personal life with her boyfriend Dom, a high-pressure career and maintaining friendships—Chanel is determined to hustle and have it all!
Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta (MTV) - July 23
The cast of Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta get back to their roots by focusing on their craft and collaborating to create the first ever Love & Hip Hop album. New music is on the way from Spice, Rasheeda, Amy Luciani, Renni Rucci, Scrappy and more as they work together to produce a group album, all while juggling their personal endeavors with family, career and relationships.
2024 Summer Olympics (NBC & Peacock) - July 26
The Paris games kick off with the 2024 Opening Ceremony Friday, July 26.
The Umbrella Acadmey (Netflix) - Aug. 8
The Hargreeves siblings have scattered after the climactic showdown at the Hotel Oblivion led to a complete reset of their timeline. Stripped of their powers, each is left to fend for themselves and find a new normal—with wildly varying degrees of success. Yet the trappings of their uncanny new world prove too hard to ignore for very long. Their father Reginald, alive and well, has stepped out of the shadows and into the public eye, overseeing a powerful and nefarious business empire. A mysterious association known as The Keepers holds clandestine meetings believing the reality they’re living in is a lie and a great reckoning is coming. As these strange new forces conspire around them, the Umbrella Academy must come together one last time—and risk upsetting the shaky peace they’ve all endured so much to secure—to finally set things right.
The Challenge 40: Battle of the Eras (MTV) - Aug. 14
The Challenge 40: Battle of the Eras will feature a cast of 40 fan-favorite Challengers from different eras competing for their share of the one million dollar prize.
Bel-Air (Peacock) - Aug. 15
Season three is summer season of Bel-Air! No school. No uniforms. Just summer sizzle. Pools, beach parties, bonfires, fireworks, Juneteenth celebrations and lots of summer lovin’.
Season three explores questions like, how do you prove yourself in a world that views you in limited ways? How do you reach beyond your comfort zone to create new opportunities for yourself? How does a family rebuild broken trust?
Emily in Paris (Netflix) - Aug. 15
After the dramatic events of Camille and Gabriel’s misbegotten wedding, Emily is reeling: She has strong feelings for two men, but now Gabriel’s expecting a baby with his ex, and Alfie’s worst fears about her and Gabriel have been confirmed. At work, Sylvie is forced to confront a thorny dilemma from her past for the sake of her marriage, and the Agence Grateau team navigates personnel shakeups. Mindy and the band prepare for Eurovision, but when funds run dry, they’re forced to get thrifty. Emily and Gabriel’s chemistry is undeniable as they work together towards a Michelin star, but two big secrets threaten to undo everything they’ve dreamed of.
Only Murders in the Building (Hulu) - Aug. 27
In season four of Only Murders in the Building, Charles, Oliver and Mabel wrestle with the shocking events at the end of season three surrounding Charles’ stunt double & friend Sazz Pataki. Questioning whether Sazz or Charles was the intended victim, our trio’s investigation leads them all the way to Los Angeles where a Hollywood studio is readying a film about the Only Murders podcast. As our amateur sleuths race back to New York, they embark on an even more epic journey — traversing their building’s courtyard to delve into the twisted lives of the Arconia’s West Tower residents.
Love Island USA (Peacock) - Summer 2024
Season six of the hit dating competitionshow will premiere summer 2024 on Peacock.
American Ninja Warrior (NBC) - Summer 2024
Season 16 of American Ninja Warrior returns with the most elite athletes in the country competing on the world’s most difficult obstacle courses. Hosts Matt Iseman and Akbar Gbajabiamila, along with co-host Zuri Hall, are back to call the action as the ninjas make their way through the qualifying and semifinal rounds in Los Angeles before moving to the national finals in Las Vegas.
Password (NBC) - Summer 2024
New episodes of the iconic game show Password will continue throughout the summer with Emmy Award-winning host Keke Palmer and Jimmy Fallon. The hour-long episodes will include two back-to-back games with recurring player Fallon paired with a contestant competing against a celebrity guest/contestant duo for cash prizes by guessing a secret password using only one-word clues.
The Wall (NBC) - Summer 2024
Hosted by Emmy Award winner Chris Hardwick, The Wall is an action-packed game with more than $12 million on the line each night and up to $3 million on a single heart-stopping drop, as teammates work together to answer questions to build a huge cash prize. The rules are simple: Get a question correct and a green ball will fall down the four-story wall and add the value of the slot to the players’ winning total. Miss a question and an ominous red ball will fall and deduct the value from the team’s total.
Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist (Peacock) - Sept. 5
Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist, based on the acclaimed iHeart true-crime podcast, follows the infamous story of how an armed robbery on the night of Muhammad Ali’s historic 1970 comeback fight changed not only one man’s life but ultimately transformed Atlanta into the “Black Mecca.” When a hustler named Chicken Man (Kevin Hart) hosts an afterparty to celebrate the fight with a guest list of the country’s wealthiest, the night ends with the most brazen criminal underworld heist in Atlanta’s history. Suspected of masterminding the crime, Chicken Man is hellbent on clearing his name but must convince his old adversary, J.D. Hudson (Don Cheadle), one of the first Black detectives in the city’s desegregated police force, who is tasked with bringing those responsible to justice.
Heartstopper (Netflix) - Oct. 3
During season three, Charlie would like to tell Nick that he loves him. Nick also has something important to say to Charlie. As the summer holiday ends and the months race on, the friends begin to realise that the school year will come with both its joys and its challenges. As they learn more about each other and their relationships, plan social events and parties and start thinking about university choices, everyone must learn to lean on those they love when life doesn't go to plan.
Disclaimer (Apple TV+) - Oct. 11
Acclaimed journalist Catherine Ravenscroft (Cate Blanchett) built her reputation revealing the misdeeds and transgressions of others. When she receives a novel from an unknown author, she is horrified to realize she is now the main character in a story that exposes her darkest secrets.
As Catherine races to uncover the writer’s true identity, she is forced to confront her past before it destroys both her own life and her relationships with her husband, Robert (Sacha Baron Cohen), and their son, Nicholas (Kodi Smit-McPhee).
Yellowstone (Paramount Network) - Nov. 10
The drama returns with more drama in store for the fictional Dutton family, who controls the largest contiguous cattle ranch in the United States.
Brilliant Minds (NBC) - Fall 2024
Drama Brilliant Minds, starring Zachary Quinto and inspired by the true story of a revolutionary, larger-than-life neurologist, Oliver Wolf, and his team of interns as they explore the last great frontier—the human mind—while also grappling with their own relationships and mental health
Happy's Place (NBC) - Fall 2024
Reba McEntire returns to comedy with multi-camera Happy’s Place, in which her character inherits her father’s bar and is less than thrilled to discover that she has a new business partner in the half-sister she never knew she had.