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Housewives' star embraces semi-nude TV scene

She's famously sparred with Bethenny Frankel on The Real Housewives of New York and stepped into the recording booth to debut her first single, "Money Can't Buy You Class," but Countess LuAnn de Lesseps says nothing compares to her upcoming role on NBC's Law and Order: SVU.
/ Source: Us Weekly

She's famously sparred with Bethenny Frankel on "The Real Housewives of New York" and stepped into the recording booth to debut her first single, "Money Can't Buy You Class," but Countess LuAnn de Lesseps says nothing compares to her upcoming role on NBC's "Law and Order: SVU."

"It was a fun, challenging experience for me," de Lesseps, 45, tells of her stint on the series. Taking on the role of an art patron who poses semi-nude for a painter, the Bravo reality star says she had no qualms about doffing her duds in front of the camera.

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"[I appear] semi-nude, so I felt comfortable because I was covered and it was tasteful. I didn't have a problem with that," she tells Us. "The problem is, you know, saying the lines and keeping yourself covered and being in the right place at the right time."

To prepare for her scenes -- which were shot in January at New York City's Chelsea Piers — de Lesseps enlisted the help of her new boyfriend, Jacques Azoulay.

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"My boyfriend helped me prepare for the role. He read lines with me," de Lesseps says of Azoulay, a French wine distributor. "[The cast and crew] were a great group of people and very supportive of me being there. The director is the one who said, you know, 'We think the Countess is perfect for this role' and I think that they really saw me in that role, embodying that role. It happened very fast. I basically got my lines two days before I shot."

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And now that her first scripted primetime appearance is in the can, de Lesseps says she's ready for more.

"I've already been called to do another appearance on another pilot on I think USA Network," she says. "I would love to go on '30 Rock' for example. Tina Fey, call me!"

"Law and Order: Special Victims Unit" airs Wednesday at 10 p.m. (EST) on NBC.