Lori Loughlin Praises Police Five Years After Her College Admissions Scandal Arrest

It’s been five years since Lori Loughlin of Full House fame was embroiled in a college admissions scandal. She ultimately served two months in prison on charges related to her allegedly paying $500,000 in bribe money to have their two daughters admitted to the University of Southern California as members of the crew team, even though neither girl had ever rowed before.

Loughlin’s ‘New Appreciation’ For Law Enforcement

Ironically, Loughlin is playing a police officer, Lt. Bishop, on the Prime Video television show On Call. Loughlin is now opening up about the “new appreciation” for law enforcement that this role has given her.

“It was really exciting and gave me a whole new appreciation for law enforcement,” Loughlin, 60, told Entertainment Tonight. 

Loughlin prepared for the role by “ride-a-longs” with real police officers. She also had to undergo a physical transformation herself.

“I was game for anything,” Loughlin explained. “Like when I first showed up, they were like, ‘Your highlights are going to go,’ and I was like, ‘Fine.’ No makeup, dark hair pulled back, uniform and just [a] very raw [look] and I jumped at the chance. I was so excited.”

“I didn’t know I had it in me,” she added.

Related: Lori Loughlin To Play Police Officer In First Recurring Role Since She Got Out Of Prison

On Call

On Call is produced by the Law & Order creator Dick Wolf, and it will begin airing on Prime Video in January.

“The idea for this show is over four years old and it originated with thinking about how to make something that’s old new again,” co-creator and executive producer Elliot Wolf told Entertainment Weekly back in October. “Looking at the visual language of this show and the use of found footage, we really wanted to take a format, in the half-hour procedural, that you don’t really see today and make it completely new again. That was the basic idea.”

“We never set out to reinvent the wheel. I don’t think we ever felt we could reinvent the wheel,” added co-creator and executive producer Tim Walsh. “There’s so many procedurals and cop shows out there, so we just said, ‘Let’s just make this our version.’ The North Star for us was, ‘Let’s make it incredibly entertaining’ and we just went from there.”

Wolf chimed back in to praise Loughlin for her performance.

“As soon as she signed onto the role, she was totally game,” he said of her. “She wanted to do the research, she wanted to embody the character. She was honestly a joy to work with.”

Check out a trailer for On Call in the video below.

Related: Lori Loughlin Speaks Out After College Admissions Scandal – ‘No One Is Perfect’

Loughlin Talks About ‘Forgiveness’

This is Loughlin’s first major role since her college admissions scandal, which unfolded in 2019. These days, however, she’s trying to put that behind her.

“Every day, we’re met with different obstacles. But, for me, it’s like that song says, ‘I get knocked down, but I get up again,’” she told First For Women earlier this year. “Nobody said life was going to be a breeze; we all make mistakes, but the important thing is to persevere.”

“For me, it’s just persevering and, as an actress, I hear ‘no’ a lot, so I just have to be myself and persevere and try not to let in negativity,” she continued. “My advice is to just keep moving forward. Everyone has good times and bad times. That’s life. I think you just have to pick yourself up. Nobody said life was going to be a breeze. There’s beauty in life, but there’s also hardship in life.”

Loughlin never addressed the scandal directly in this interview. However, she touched on the importance of forgiveness.

“Actually, I try to be a forgiving person,” she said. “I’m not one to hold onto stuff. Stuff happens to everyone. We’ve all been in positions to ask for forgiveness but to ask for it, you have to learn and know how to give forgiveness, too.”

While some will be annoyed that Loughlin is returning to Hollywood, it should be noted that she’s done her time for the crime she committed. In the end, maybe it’s time for the public to forgive Loughlin and allow her to move on with her career in peace!