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EXCLUSIVE UPDATE 6:30 PM: And then there were five. I’ve just learned that a fifth actor, Rhys Coiro (Entourage) is also on a plane to New York to test tomorrow for the Law & Order: SVU male lead.
PREVIOUS EXCLUSIVE 5 PM: Law & Order: SVU is going younger with its new male lead. I hear that Dick Wolf and NBC have narrowed the search for an 
actor to replace departing Chris Meloni to four actors – Danny Pino (Cold Case), Kevin Alejandro (True Blood, Southland), David Conrad (Ghost Whisperer) and Michael Raymond-James (Terriers). The four are being flown to New York where 
they will test tomorrow opposite returning SVU star Mariska Hargitay. Of the four, Alejandro and Raymond-James recently did guest spots on SVU. New NBC boss Bob Greenblatt said in May that the network “wants to keep refreshing an old franchise” with its changes to the veteran crime procedural. Hargitay, who recently adopted a baby, had asked for a lighter work schedule, so her character Det. Olivia Benson will be less prominent in the second half of next season, prompting the network and creator/executive producer Wolf to also look for a possible new female lead. From their early choice, Jennifer Love Hewitt, who is not happening, it looks like NBC and Wolf will be going younger on both the male and female side as they try to extend the series’ lifespan by several more years.
TV Editor Nellie Andreeva - tip her here.
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All good choices, but Kevin Alejandro is a great actor and would be perfect for that show!
I would have preferred a quirkier and more intense final four. My dream list: Callum Keith Rennie, Roy Depuis, David Lee Smith and Carlo Rota.
Callum Keith Rennie would be fantastic.
holy schlamoly, carlo rota would be awesome.
Danny Pino-one of the nicest people and would be a perfect fit
Michael Raymond-James is a damn fine actor
Kevin Alejandro- a fine choice
You’re right IMO, Michael Raymond-James is an amazing actor. The screener of his performance in that Darnell Dawkins biopic has been passed around more times than I shake a stick at, and he’s still the best character ever to be on Trueblood. Bring him back Alan Ball! We want Rene!
Agreed. Michael Raymond James is one hell of an actor.
Michael Raymond-James also in True Blood….just not really currently.
Oh cool, fake tough guys for the girls to get all googly eyed at. Please give us back Meloni, who is old, but still awesome. This show is heading for turbulent waters in the next season…
Yes! I go with rosemarie!
But it is Roy Dupuis, not Depuis…
Those 4 make me want to say “Cancel it”.
love Danny Pino, love the show, i hope it goes forever………and keep the NYC feel. It’s really a shame they cancelled the original series.
Mine would be a L&O veteran instead of a fresh face, like Anthony Anderson, or Jeremy Sisto. I wish NBC could’ve came to some sort of agreement with Meloni though. Sadly, the show is gonna fail now, I wish it weren’t so, but it’s the truth of the matter.
Agreed. Bring back Jeremy Sisto, Anthony Anderson or Corey Stoll (From Law and Order: LA). Watching Stoll’s character acclimate to NYC with the help of Belzer and Ice-T could be hysterical. Bring Rubirosa back to NY ASAP.
Yes, COREY STOLL! He’s already in the same universe as Mariska Hargitay guested on the first L&O: L.A. episode.
Even better: bring back Law & Order: L.A. which was just hitting its stride — Stoll and Alfred Molina were really kicking ass, Terrence Howard had finally stopped crying and Rachel Ticotin was being fleshed out.
It’s not too late, NBC — DO THE RIGHT THING AND BRING BACK LAW & ORDER: L.A.!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Speaking of, since they’re still airing “new” episodes of L&O: L.A., does anyone know when they will end and if they’ll go to the end of the first season? Did they already shoot the finale before NBC pulled the plug in their infinite stupidity?
Hargitay was never on LOLA. Skeet Ulrich did a guest role in his LOLA character in Behave.
But truthfully, NBC was right to cancel LOLA. It just never worked.
David Conrad. Then they can hire Jennifer Love Hewitt as the new female lead, as was rumored earlier (Mariska Hargitay will be playing a supporting – not lead – role after the first half of the season). And they can investigate supernatural cases.
David Conrad perfect, perfect these other gentleman I’m sure there good in the roles that they play but,they are too young gun looking consider these are hard shoes to fill and the chemistry has to fit with Mariska that’s what makes this show story line and chemistry between these two partners. Don’t put her with a younger partner it’s not going to be as compelling. I personally won’t be that interested to watch
I hope they will pick David Conrad he is a very mature actor and he would be good opposide Mariska and I could not see a younger person being Meloni and I am a senior citizens and I now watch all the reruns on USA so please NBC, Wolf and the writers pick a more mature person for that part
I hope that NBC and the producer and writers will pick david conrad he is a fantacis actor and stage actor he would be perfect to replace Meloni
Hewitt is no longer under consideration for a regular role on SVU.
great idea. david conrad the best by far. throw in jennifer love hewitt and you’ve got magic!!!!!!!
Why do they even need a new lead – bump Ice-T from Supporting to Lead – would it hurt NBC to have a show with an African American as a Star?
Yup, bump Ice-T to lead.
Having a new younger guy with Benson will give a strange cougar vibe.
Having two new younger leads wastes Finn and Munch.
Agreed. And move over Eames if they are doing away with CI.
Law and Order Franchise is close to death door. Dick wolf failed to bring authentic and organic crime drama into the 21st century. I think a backlash has started and people don’t want silly contrived cop shows anymore. They want authenticity and deep ambition in their crime drama.
Seriously why has broadcast television in the last decade stopped making crime dramas with ambition and authenticity. What happened to the legacy that show like Hillstreet Blues, Crime Story, NYPD Blue, Brooklyn South, Robbery Homicide division, Boomtown and The District left behind.
Check out Southland.
Ditto.
Kevin was great on Southland…
Because your ass was watching season 17 of Law and Order.
RHD was oh-so-sadly short lived. Although if it had been a success, i don’t know what they would have done when Sizemore started having issues again. but maybe he wouldn’t have if he had had that gig.
The majority of television has a problem with diversity. They that if they put a token minority character in supporting role. That enough diversity on television.
Last year NBC took a risk with a show called Undercovers. which had to minorities in the two lead roles Like all their other new shows by November had lost half their viewing audience. Instead of getting a second chance like The Event, Chase, and Outsourced. It was discarded like the black sheep in the line up.
Outsourced had respectable numbers during the first half of the season. It didn’t collapse until later in the viewing year. Chase was pulled around when Undercovers was and simply aired its final episodes as a burn-off. The Event did get a retooling and relaunch. However, Undercovers failed miserably in a much less competitive timeslot. It was discarded because it stank up the ratings against a mediocre level of competition. The Event went against much tougher competition, overall.
I feel that with the lack of success of “Undercovers”, NBC isn’t willing to take a chance on us black folk as leads in anything.
How do you know that isn’t part of the plan? Maybe that’s why they’re casting a younger actor.
Because Ice T isn’t lead actor material. It has nothing to do with his race.
Oh, man, will we get a Ghost Whisperer reunion? Hilarious!
Love the replacement choices. Great actors each one of them. And to the person that said “fake tough guys for girls to make googly eyes at” What do you think Meloni was?
An authentic on-screen tough guy and great actor?
I’ll give you great actor, but he was pretty much playing a tough guy. I don’t know him personally, so I can’t say if he is tough or isn’t. Same with the list of replacements.
Also, I can guarantee girls were making “googly eyes” at Chris as well.;)
If it means he leaves True Blood then, no.
Raymond-James and Alejandro are both great choices.
Danny Pino is brilliant, amazing to work with, an absolute star.
Danny’s my choice as well.
Kevin Alejandro is my choice!!!!
My vote is for Kevin Alejandro !!! He is very hot !!! WOW !! I would watch the show just to see him !!!!
Oh looks like we got another contender. I liked him in Entourage, but I don’t know if he could pull off a detective.
I like Ice-T, but he just does not have the acting props to be the lead of this show. Though I would love some more Munch.
Ice-T needs to take an acting class or two before taking over a series lead. His line delivery is about as believable as Sharktopus.
As a Terriers (RIP) fan I hope Raymond-James nails this.
As a Terriers fan, I think Raymond-James will need to be available when FX orders a second season… sigh…
David Conrad would be an excellent choice….don’t judge him by his Ghost Whisperer stint. I’ve seen him in theatrical work and he’s capable of FAR more.
I’d be OK with Danny Pino too. Maybe they could bring Kathryn Morris on to replace Hargitay and have a “Cold Case” redux…although Morris is rumored to not be the easiest person to work with.
Rhys Coiro would be fantastic. He’s a really great, underrated actor. Plus, he’s a pleasure to work with. I would love to see him as the lead on this show.
Michael Raymond James. Terriers was great I hear, so I’d like to see him get another chance. And sorry Rhys Coiro, but it would just be like watching Billy Walsh be a cop.
They are all too young for SVU. Mariska needs another strong woman as a partner. Holly Hunter would kill in this role. Then when Mariska gets promoted add one of these guys.
I think Danny Pino is the best choice. He was great on Cold Case and is not stranger to a procedural show. I hope NBC makes the right decision on this.