Major Stars Who Left ‘Law & Order: Special Victims Unit’: Where Are They Now? Christopher Meloni, BD Wong and More

Credit: Virginia Sherwood/NBC

Major Stars Who Left ‘Law & Order: Special Victims Unit’: Where Are They Now? Christopher Meloni, BD Wong and More

Dun-dun! Law & Order: Special Victims Unit has been going strong since 1999, but not all of its major characters have stayed throughout its long run. In fact, the only remaining original cast member from season 1 of the series is Mariska Hargitay who started as detective Olivia Benson and has since become the captain of the Special Victims Unit. She replaced Donald Cragen (Dann Florek) in 2014 as the SVU leader — becoming sergeant then lieutenant before making her way to captain. The cast is rounded out by Ice-T (Odafin “Fin” Tutuola) who joined the show in 2000, Kelli Giddish (Amanda Rollins), Peter Scanavino (Sonny Carisi) and Jamie Gray Hyder (Katriona Tamin). Its history-making run, however, is in part thanks to all of the actors that came before the current roster of detectives. One of the most memorable stars to walk away from the hit drama was Benson’s original partner, detective Elliot Stabler (Christopher Meloni), who after 12 seasons left the show in 2011. However, since his departure, Meloni and Hargitay’s off-screen friendship has remained strong. In March 2020, Deadline reported that Meloni’s beloved character would be getting his own spinoff series from the show’s creator Dick Wolf. The show will revolve around the NYPD organized crime unite, which Stabler will lead. “Happy birthday @Chris_Meloni #It’sBeenAWhile #WelcomeHome,” Hargitay wrote via Twitter days after the news broke to give her longtime friend a warm welcome back and celebrate his birthday on April 2. The actor’s new show will begin after Meloni’s character makes his return to SVU during the season 22 premiere, according to showrunner Warren Leight. [jwplayer UZuY8GPR-l3ahXupL] “It’s pretty clear that Elliot will be in the SVU season opener,” Leight revealed during an April 2020 episode of the “Law & Order: SVU” podcast. “I think that much I know.” Ahead of his return announcement, Scanavino told Us Weekly exclusively that he’d love to see Meloni back on the NBC drama for the fans’ sake. “You know, it would be really great if he did,” the actor told Us in September 2019. “I think that was kind of a story line that a lot of fans don’t have closure on.” Meloni is one of many stars who walked through the fictional New York City precinct over the past two decades — a lot of whom reprised their roles for an episode here and there following their initial departure. Scroll below to see what some of your favorite Law & Order: SVU alumni — including detectives, medical examiners and ADAs — have been up to since their departures. [podcast_block]

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Demore Barnes

After playing Christian Garland on Law & Order: SVU from 2019 to 2021, Barnes departed the series. His character quit after voicing concerns about police misconduct during a case. The actor reprised the role on Law & Order: Organized Crime that same year.

In March 2022, it was confirmed that Barnes would appear in an upcoming episode of the procedural series.

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Michelle Hurd

Hurd was an OG member of the SVU team as detective Monique Jeffries. She was Det. Jon Munch’s (Richard Belzer) partner for two seasons before leaving the show in 2001. The New York native has had a long TV career with a role on Leap Years, ER, Gossip Girl and 90210. From 2010 to 2013 she played Colleen Manus on The Glades. In 2016, she had a recurring role on both Daredevil and Ash vs Evil Dead, before playing Shepherd on Blindspot from 2016 to 2019. As of 2020, she was a part of the Star Trek: Picard series. Hurd has been married to Garret Dillahunt since 2007.

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Adam Beach

From season 8 to season 9 (2007 to 2008), the Canada native portrayed detective Chester Lake, who came from Brooklyn SVU to Manhattan SVU, where he was partnered with Fin. The actor went on to star on Big Love in 2010 and Arctic Air from 2012 to 2014. The star’s film credits include Diablo, Suicide Squad, Hostiles and Juanita. In 2019, Beach began playing Chief E.O. McGinnis on The CW’s Nancy Drew. In 2015, Beach married Summer Tiger. He was married twice before.

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Michaela McManus

In 2008, the Rhode Island native not only joined the series as the third ADA assigned to SVU, Kim Greylek, but she also portrayed Lindsey Strauss on One Tree Hill. In 2009, the actress left SVU after one season. She later had a recurring role on The Vampire Diaries beginning in 2010 and played Tara on Awake in 2012. From 2015 to 2016, the actress was seen on Aquarius, and a year later she landed the role of Alana Hayes on SEAL Team. She was also a part of the short-lived series The Village in 2019. The actress has been married to Mike Daniels since 2011 and they have two sons.

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Christopher Meloni

Meloni played Benson’s original partner and longtime friend, Elliot Stabler, for 12 seasons, leaving the show in 2011. In March 2020, Deadline reported that Meloni was getting a Dick Wolf spinoff series in which the actor will reprise his detective role — and it will be kickstarted by a return to his old stomping ground. Since his departure, Meloni has appeared on True Blood and starred on Surviving Jack and Underground. He appeared in two TV reboots of Wet Hot American Summer for Netflix, First Day of Camp in 2015 and Ten Years Later in 2017, as Gene. From 2017 to 2019 Meloni starred on Happy! before appearing on The Handmaid’s Tale and Maxxx. The Washington, D.C., native has been married to Sherman Williams since 1995. They share daughter Sophia and son Dante.

Meloni reprised his role and returned to SVU in 2021 before launching his new spinoff, Law & Order: Organized Crime.

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Stephanie March

As ADA Alexandra Cabot, March’s character was the first assistant district attorney assigned to the SVU team — and she appeared in 13 seasons. The Texas native was a staple on the show from 2000 to 2012, before returning in 2018 for one episode. In 2013, March was in Innocence before landing a recurring role on Neon Joe, Werewolf Hunter in 2015. In 2017, the actress played Emma in Who We Are Now and two years later star starred in The Social Ones, which she also co executive produced. In 2015, after 10 years of marriage she and celebrity chef Bobby Flay divorced. Two years later she wed tech investor Dan Benton at their home in Katonah, New York.

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Diane Neal

The Virginia native is one of many memorable actresses to portray an assistant district attorney of the Sex Crimes Bureau on the show. Neal starred on the NBC series from 2003 to 2012, after playing a one-off character in 2001. She has since been seen on Power and had a recurring role on both NCIS and NCIS: New Orleans. In 2015, Neal appeared on The Following and one episode of Blue Bloods. The following year, she made her directorial debut with Alphabet Boys.

In November 2019, Neal got herself into hot water when she reportedly called her former costar Hargitay a “total bitch” in court documents obtained by Page Six. Based on the docs, she reportedly told her former campaign manager, Rachel Himsel, that the only SVU castmember that she got along with was Ice-T and the others were “awful people.” The comments were shared in an email that is part of her ex-boyfriend JB Benn’s lawsuit against her following her suit against him for “sexually and physically abusing her.” Neal told Us in December that the remarks were “the funniest thing I’ve ever heard,” and Hargitay “just laughed” when the two spoke about the incident.

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Richard Belzer

The Connecticut native portrayed Detective John Munch for 15 seasons, most of them alongside Detective Fin Tutuola (Ice-T) as his partner. He played the same character on the original Law & Order from 1996 to 2000. In 2013, he appeared in Santorini Blue, which he also produced, and in 2015, he was on an episode of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. In 2016, he came back for an episode of SVU, after leaving the show in 2014, and also starred in The Comedian. Throughout his career, Belzer has released 10 books, including Hit List: An In-Depth Investigation into the Mysterious Deaths of Witnesses to the JFK Assassination. He’s been married to Harlee McBride since 1985 and was married two times prior.

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Dean Winters

Winters’ Brian Cassidy was a recurring character on the cop drama from 1999 to 2019. His character was Det. Brian Cassidy, started as Munch’s partner and left after season 1 before returning for an undercover assignment in season 13. He had a big break from the show after 2014 until his return in 2017 for a few episodes on later seasons. In between his SVU appearances, Winters was on Brooklyn Nine-Nine for nine episodes. He was also a recurring character on Divorce and in 2019 he played Daddy on Wayne. In 2020 he played Dean Bostick in Lost Girls. He is set to star in Palmer, Street Justice and Rites & Wrongs. Beginning in 2010, Winters has played Mayhem, a recurring character in both TV and radio ads for Allstate Insurance.

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Dann Florek

Fans said farewell to OG character Captain Cragen in 2015 after 16 seasons. Since walking away from SVU, Florek has been relatively quiet on the acting front, appearing in one episode of Under the Dome in 2015 and starring in 2018’s Disillusioned. He was also a part of The Front Page Broadway cast. The Michigan native wed Karen Florek in 1983.

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BD Wong

Wong’s Dr. George Huang — a psychiatrist and criminal profiler — joined SVU in 2001 and was seen in 230 episodes, making up 17 seasons on and off. He left the show for good in 2015. Since then, the California native hasn’t wasted any time expanding his TV portfolio. He starred on Gotham from 2016 to 2019 as Hugo Strange before playing Whiterose on Mr. Robot and Wally on 2020’s Awkwafina Is Nora From Queens. In 2018, he played Dr. Wu in Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom and is set to reprise the role in the 2021 follow-up. In 2018, Wong married Richert Schnorr. The actor has two children from a previous relationship.

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Tamara Tunie

Beginning in 2000, Tunie played Dr. Melinda Warner, the medical examiner, on the show. She wasn’t afraid to fight back and often times ruffled the detectives’ feathers. In 2015, she walked away from the show, but reappeared in 2018 and 2019 for one-off episodes. The Pennsylvania native jumped from SVU to Blue Bloods with a recurring role from 2016 to 2018. She appeared on Dietland, Better Call Saul and Black Earth Rising before playing Genevieve on Almost Family beginning in 2019. In 2015, E! News confirmed that Tunie and her husband of 20 years, Gregory Generet, had separated, but had yet to file divorce papers.

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Danny Pino

After a long run on Cold Case (from 2003 to 2010), Pino made his way to the NBC series as detective Nick Amaro in 2011 and was partnered with Benson. After four seasons, the actor left the show in 2015. He didn’t wait long before getting a recurring role on Scandal in 2016 and appearing on BrainDead the same year. He starred on Gone from 2017 to 2018 and played Miguel Galindo from 2018 to 2019 on Mayans M.C. The Florida native has been married to Lily Pino since 2002. The couple share two sons, Luca and Julian.

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Andy Karl

The Maryland native played Sergeant Mike Dodds for 15 episodes beginning in 2015. He was second in command of the Special Victims Unit when Benson was promoted to lieutenant. Following his 2016 departure from the show, the Tony-nominated star focused back on Broadway with Groundhog Day, which ran from July to September 2016 in London and from April to September 2017 in New York City. Ahead of its U.S. debut, Karl was injured during the second act of a press performance on April 14, which led to the opening day being pushed from April 15 to April 17. In 2018, he starred as Edward Lewis in the Broadway production of Pretty Woman: The Musical, in which his wife, Orfeh, played his love interest’s BFF. In 2019, he returned to TV with a guest role on Hooked before appearing in Faraway Eyes and an episode of Prodigal Son in 2020.

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Robert John Burke

The New York native made his SVU debut in 2002 as Captain Ed Tucker, a member of the Internal Affairs Bureau. As a recurring character until 2017, he was focused on bringing down dirty cops. Later, he romantically linked to Benson and popped back up in a 2020 episode in which his character died. In 2018, Burke played Chief Bridges in BlacKkKlansman and appeared in Boarding School and We Only Know So Much among other films. In 2019, the actor played William Fairchild on Project Blue Book. Burke is married with two children and is a volunteer firefighter when he’s not acting.

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Raúl Esparza

After playing ADA Rafael Barba from 2012 to 2018, Esparza returned for one episode of the crime drama in 2020. Toward the end of his time on the series, the Delaware native also starred on The Path and voiced Ralph Stilton on BoJack Horseman. He also appeared on one episode of The Good Fight in 2020 after starring in Off-Broadway productions of Roadshow and Seared.

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Philip Winchester

Fans were introduced to ADA Peter Stone in 2018, when he replaced Rafael Barba, and after two seasons on the drama, he departed the show in 2019. Winchester was previously on Chicago Justice in 2017 and appeared on two episodes of Strike Back in 2018 (he was a part of the show beginning in 2010) while on SVU. He is set to play Joey Kasinski in the upcoming film, Rogue. The Montana native and Megan Coughlin tied the knot in 2008 and in 2015 they welcomed their first child.