With Law & Order back on the air, showrunner Rick Eid has promised that season 21 of the revival will feature many familiar faces in addition to returning stars Anthony Anderson and Sam Waterston, who are reprising their respective roles as Det. Kevin Bernard and DA Jack McCoy. “There’s so many great actors who have been involved in the show, and the opportunity for them to come back in some capacity is really exciting,” he teased. “So, I think we definitely want to find ways to bring back several of our alumni.”
Ahead of season 21’s premiere, the new cast members couldn’t contain their excitement. “There’s gonna be a lot of surprises and a lot of recurring guest stars that people have kind of grown to love in the last two decades,” said Jeffrey Donovan, who joins the series as Det. Frank Cosgrove.
Meanwhile, Camryn Manheim, who made brief appearances in earlier seasons before joining full time as Lt. Kate Dixon, said, “I have been surprised and excited already several times. And I think the viewers will be, too.” Odelya Halevi, who plays ADA Samantha Maroun, echoed her co-star’s sentiment. “We have guest stars that I would only dream about working with,” she said, teasing that some of them are “mind-blowing.”
That said, here’s a list (that will be continuously updated after each new episode) of all the familiar faces and returning cast members to appear on Law & Order season 21.
Returning Cast Members
Carey Lowell as ADA Jamie Ross
Appearance: Episode 1, “The Right Thing”
In the season 21 premiere, “there’s a very famous actor that you’ll notice right away,” Donovan teased.
And that person turned out to be Lowell, who reprised her role as Jamie Ross, an ADA whose personal and professional life overlap when she gets drawn into a messy custody battle with her ex-husband over their daughter. The character first appeared in season 7 and lasted for only two seasons before briefly appearing on the short-lived spinoff Law & Order: Trial by Jury where she had been promoted to a trial judge.
In her latest appearance on Law & Order, it’s revealed that Ross has rejoined the DA’s office and that she helped prosecute a popular singer named Henry King for rape. After he’s released and murdered by one of his victims, Ross is briefly considered a suspect before it’s discovered she may have potentially assisted in the crime. When forced to testify, she evokes the Fifth Amendment.
Familiar Faces
Marcel Simoneau
Appearance: Episode 1, “The Right Thing”
The Canadian-born New York theater actor has appeared on a total of three Law & Order episodes, 2002’s “True Crime” as Shane, 2003’s “Mother’s Day” as Danny Payton and the season 21 premiere as Ryan Bell.
Mark Lotito
Appearance: Episode 1, “The Right Thing”
After brief appearances in four episodes between 1993 and 1996, Lotito had a recurring role as Det. Mallory for three episodes in season 8 before returning as a bartender in the 2002 episode, “Open Season.” In season 21, he appears as Alan Conner.
Brian Keane
Appearance: Episode 2, “Impossible Dream”
After first appearing as McAlary in the 1999 episode, “Refuge: Part 2,” Keane had a two-episode recurring role as Dr. Murphy in seasons 10 and 11. In season 21, he appears as Brian Morrison, the father of a dead victim.
George Sheffey
Appearance: Episode 2, “Impossible Dream”
The actor first appeared on the series as FBI agent Peter Blum in the 2002 episode, “Oxymoron,” and then again in 2010 as Tim Munn in “Crashers.” His latest appearance is as Jack Morley in season 21.
Zabryna Guevara
Appearance: Episode 2, “Impossible Dream”
The New York theater actress first appeared on the original series as Lucita in 1997 before returning as Salma in the 2003 episode, “B*tch.” In season 21, she plays defense attorney Amanda Stanley.
Law & Order airs at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Thursdays, the same night as Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and Law & Order: Organized Crime, on NBC.
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