'Shades of Blue' NBC TV Show Premiere Date & News: Jennifer Lopez's BF Casper Smart to Play a Bad Guy in Cop Drama

Casper Smart is set to join his girlfriend, Jennifer Lopez, in the songstress' upcoming NBC cop drama.

A source from the production of "Shades of Blue" told ET that the 28-year-old choreographer will play a bad guy in the series, but would not be sharing scenes with Lopez. Smart will appear in scenes with Ray Liotta instead.

Liotta plays Lt. Matt Wozniak, who "often leads the team to step outside the limitations of the law in order to effectively protect their precinct and their own," while attempting to work out the identity of the informant, Entertainment Weekly reported.

According to ET, "Smart auditioned for a different role a month ago, but wasn't picked for the part. He auditioned again for this role, and was finally cast."

This was not the first time that Smart will be displaying his acting chops, the news outlet noted. He also had roles in TV shows such as "The Big Bang Theory" and "Benched," and in the films "Step Up 3D," "Leave it on the Floor," and "Honey 2."

The 13-episode series will premiere on Thursday, Jan. 14, with a two-hour premiere episode at 9:00 PM, according to The Hollywood Reporter. "Shades of Blue" marks Lopez's first regular scripted TV project. Also starring in the project are Drea de Matteo, Dayo Okeniyi, Vincent Laresca, Hampton Fluker, and Sarah Jeffery.

In April, Variety reported that Gino Pesi will have a recurring role on the drama as the Assistant District Attorney James Nava.

Barry Levinson is directing and executive producing. Jack Orman, Adi Hasak, Lopez, Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas, Benny Medina, Ryan Seacrest, and Nina Wass also serve as executive producers. Universal Television, Nuyorican Productions, EGTV, Ryan Seacrest Productions, and Jack Orman Productions are producing, Deadline listed.

Lopez stars as Harlee Santos, a captivating single mother in Brooklyn and a corrupt detective who becomes a federal informant, People reported. The character has a daughter who "doesn't let her get so lost in the world that she can't ever find her way back to something real and good," the news outlet noted. As a new informant, she must find ways to guard her on-the-job family and steer clear of arrest in order to stay with her child, Deadline noted.

In its entirety, "Shades of Blue" is a show that tackles what is right and wrong, and what lengths do people go to for their loved ones, People added.

Check out the official poster for "Shades of Blue" here.