SUPERSTAR JENNIFER LOPEZ RETURNS TO NBC'S "WILL & GRACE" TO GUEST-STAR AS HERSELF IN SEPTEMBER 16 SEASON PREMIERE

BURBANK, Calif. -- August 16, 2004 -- Jennifer Lopez returns to NBC's "Will & Grace" in the season premiere on Thursday, September 16 (8:30-9p.m. ET) to reprise her role as herself after she returns from her summer performance tour -- complete with her pal Jack (Sean Hayes) who accompanied Lopez as a backup dancer.

The episode, "FYI: I Hurt, Too," continues a storyline originated last May as the season concluded in which Lopez bumped into Karen (Megan Mullally) in Las Vegas while the superstar was on vacation. Lopez agreed to sing at Karen's wedding (an event which was quickly derailed) and now returns to her hometown New York at the conclusion of her tour to relax. But a pushy Karen recruits Jack to help her get "J-Lo's" attention for her newly written song, "I Hurt, Too."

Meanwhile, Grace (Debra Messing) takes out her frustrations over her cheating husband Leo (Harry Connick Jr.) on a beat-up Will (Eric McCormack).

Lopez made history in January 2001, when she became the first woman to have the number-one movie and the number-one album in the same week. The romantic comedy "The Wedding Planner" co-starring Matthew McConaughey, was the nation's top-grossing film while her sophomore recording release "J.Lo" debuted at the top of the Billboard Top 200 Chart. Lopez burst onto the scene with widespread acclaim for her work in the title role of "Selena" which garnered her a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress. Shortly thereafter, she was showered with extensive praise for her role opposite George Clooney in Steven Soderbergh's "Out of Sight."

Lopez will appear later this fall opposite Richard Gere and Susan Sarandon in "Shall We Dance?" -- a remake of the critically acclaimed Japanese film of the same title. Later this year, she stars with Robert Redford and Morgan Freeman in Lasse Hallstr�m's "An Unfinished Life." Last spring, she began shooting the romantic comedy "Monster-in-Law" with Jane Fonda for director Robert Luketic.

Last week, NBC announced that legendary Janet Jackson also would guest-star as herself in the season's second episode on September 23.

Emmy winners David Kohan and Max Mutchnick are the creators and executive producers. Alex Herschlag and Dave Flebotte serve as executive producers and showrunners. Multi-Emmy winner James Burrows (NBC's "Frasier," "Friends") is director and executive producer. "Will & Grace" is from KoMut Entertainment in association with NBC Universal Television Studio and Three Sisters Entertainment.