For many American actors, Law & Order: SVU is somewhat a rite of passage as far as early-career roles go.
Law & Order is one of those television phenomenons that has existed for so long and spawned so many sequels and spin-offs that it is virtually impossible for anyone owning a TV not to have encountered it in some form. Beginning with the original Law and Order in 1990, these procedural crime stories about the world of law enforcement and the justice department have been the basis for a staggering number of episodes across seven shows and more than three decades. Their impeccable pace and comforting reinforcement of the public’s desire to see the good overcoming evil in a recognizable world has ensured that this is a franchise that will continue to exist for years and years to come.
Any television series to exist for this long is going to require the work of a mind-boggling amount of talented actors to help keep the whole enterprise afloat. This means that for many up-and-coming actors, working on such a highly regarded series could be just the break they were looking for. As it happens, one of the longest-running series (per USA Today) in the canon Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (aka SVU) not only featured early appearances from future stars, but also guest spots from big names looking to join the Law & Order universe.
With that in mind, we’re taking a look at seven major stars who popped up in SVU that you may have forgotten about.Before Zoe Saldaña found massive success in three of the biggest sci-fi franchises of all time (Star Trek, Avatar, and the MCU via Guardians of the Galaxy), she was paying her dues as a working actor doing her rounds in small roles in various television shows and movies. She’s actually been featured in the Law & Order universe twice, but we will be focusing on her second appearance since the role is more significant. In the 2004 SVU episode "Criminal," Saldaña plays the protective daughter of a criminology professor with a criminal past. The episode tackles police bias in a striking way by making one of the main cast (Captain Cragen, played by Don Florek) so blinded by his hatred of this former criminal that he ignores the evidence right in front of his face.
Although her scenes are few, Saldaña stands out by establishing her character’s justifiable attitude toward law enforcement with every facial expression and word she says. Likewise, we sense how difficult it is for her to turn to them for help when her father goes off the deep end following the wrongful conviction of murdering the woman he loved. It is a relatively minor role that she imbues with real power.
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