Jason Lee moves to ‘Memphis Beat’

June 22, 2010 at 12:00a.m.

McClatchy Newspapers

Earl Hickey of “My Name Is Earl” lived by a simple code of karma: “Do good things,” he’d say, “and good things happen.” Actor Jason Lee is a beneficiary of good karma, too.

After four seasons of doing good work — no, make that great work — in one of the best and most uplifting comedies of the past decade, Lee has landed another juicy role on another promising TV series.

It’s a crime drama for TNT called “Memphis Beat,” premiering at 10 tonight. Lee plays Dwight Hendricks, a dedicated Memphis police detective who loves his city, his mama and Elvis Presley.

It’s a top-to-bottom makeover for Lee. Earl’s trademark big mustache, his unruly hair and his redneck wardrobe are all gone, replaced by a clean face, a slick haircut and a sharp suit.

But perhaps even more remarkable about Lee’s transformation is the ease with which he inhabits this new character. He’s one of those lucky actors who can make his work on-screen look effortless.

Oh, and did we mention that Dwight moonlights as an Elvis impersonator?

“It’s fun to kind of stop and think, ‘Wow, who knew after “Earl” got canceled that I would go from that to playing a detective and singing Elvis songs on a stage in Memphis,’” Lee says. “But that’s the beauty of acting. You never know what’s going to come next.”

We chatted with Lee about starting a new show, playing a detective and performing as Elvis.

Q. What most attracted you to this show?

A. We’re kind of making an old-school cop show. I think “Memphis Beat” feels like it could have been a cop show from the ’70s, like “The Rockford Files” or “The Streets of San Francisco,” which is cool.

Q. How much of “Memphis Beat” is filmed in Memphis?

A. We’re going to Memphis every couple of weeks to get some key stuff. But most of it is done in New Orleans. Both places are heavy in music and food and culture. The sense of overwhelming pride is so infectious. Then you add the heat and the humidity to each day, and it gives us a lot to work with.

Q. Hypothetically, if the word “karma” were in a script, would you be leery about referencing it, given that your previous character was so closely associated with the word and the concept?

A. No, I’d power through it, man. I might even look at it as a good thing, a sign of sorts. The beauty of that show, it was a silly sitcom, but it had a genuine heart to it. And you couldn’t help but think about how important it is at the end of the day just to try to do the right thing and love your fellow man.

Q. That said, are you happy that you don’t have to wear the Earl Hickey mustache anymore?

A. I’m very happy to have lost the mustache. It was one of the best choices I’ve ever made as an actor, deciding to have that thing, because I knew it would just make that character, and absolutely it did. But with the death of Earl came the death of the ’stache.