Saying goodbye isn’t easy — just ask actress Judy Reyes.
The TV veteran, 54, previously parted ways with longtime roles on Scrubs and Devious Maids. Now, she will be saying farewell again when the fourth and final season of Claws airs its remaining episodes.
Claws, which first premiered on TNT in 2017, follows five Florida-based manicurists as they get entangled in the world of organized crime. Reyes stars as Annalise “Quiet Ann” Zayas alongside Niecy Nash (Desna Simms), Karrueche Tran (Virginia Loc), Carrie Preston (Polly Marks) and Jenn Lyon (Jennifer Husser).
As the series prepares to wrap next year, Reyes tells PEOPLE what she’ll miss about portraying Quiet Ann: “For sure, the baggy clothes and wearing no makeup.”
“I can’t even tell you what both a relief that is and how inspiring it was to further creating the character — to create something completely different and break the way I’ve been seen as an actor and just really collapsed into being a character actor with all these other talented people who actually do the same and embrace the same,” she continues. “So the freedom of being, visually, a completely different person, just kind of really inspired me. That’s what I’ll miss.”
Reyes adds, “It’s not often you get that opportunity. I was so skeptical of even getting a chance to realize this. So, when I actually got the job, I was both nervous and completely excited.”
Playing Quiet Ann has even inspired Reyes’ life offscreen. While her character’s baggy clothes and makeup-free approach are “definitely” a big part of that, she says the influence ultimately goes much deeper.
“I think that with Quiet Ann, less is more,” the actress says. “She really doesn’t give a f—. So, I got the less is more thing. I’m working on not giving a f—.”
Claws’ ending comes amid an unprecedented time in the world’s history as the ongoing coronavirus pandemic surges on, resulting in what Reyes calls a “quite anti-climactic” conclusion as filming wrapped. (People)