The distinctive new police drama THE CHICAGO CODE follows the Windy City's most powerful and respected cops as they navigate the city's underbelly to fight crime and expose corruption. Pictured L-R: Jason Clarke, Jennifer Beals and Matt Lauria. ©2010 Fox Broadcasting Co. CR: Justin Stephens/FOX

Jennifer Beals stars as a no-nonsense police superintendent in the new drama Chicago Code (9:00 p.m. ET/PT, FOX).

Beals knew it would be a challenge making her character of Teresa Colvin believable barking orders to a force of 10,000 officers. Still, the actress also knew that Colvin’s strength would be unrealistic without a bit of vulnerability to round her personality out.

“She’s in a tenuous position,” Beals offers. “To be a woman with that kind of responsibility and especially to be in the police force for a comparably short amount of time as a lot of prior superintendents. That balance that you have to strike between what is feminine and what is masculine and I think we were constantly playing with that.”

Click onto the media bar to hear the entire method Jennifer Beals used to balance out her Chicago Code character.