35 actors you didn’t know guest-starred on “Law & Order ”(including future Oscar winners)

As demonstrated by an inspired montage that aired during the 2025 Screen Actors Guild Awards, a guest spot on Law & Order (and its various spinoffs) is practically a rite of passage for any working actor. And, considering the shooting location of the franchise, this is especially true of New York thespians, who can get their foot in the door with just a single episode.

Many A-list stars such as Robin Williams have appeared on the series after hitting it big, but, more often than not, binging old seasons of Law & Order is like watching the stars of tomorrow in some of their first roles, from Timothée Chalamet to Sarah Paulson to Kerry Washington. Here’s just a small selection of the most notable names to guest-star on Law & Order and its spinoffs over the years.

Sarah Paulson

Emmy winner Sarah Paulson earned her very first onscreen credit thanks to one 1994 episode of Law & Order. She played a 14-year-old girl named Maggie Conner, who is being investigated for the murder of her mother.

Ginnifer Goodwin

After appearing in a short film in 2000, Ginnifer Goodwin joined Law & Order for one 2001 episode. Then a relatively unknown actress, Goodwin played a young woman named Erica.

Laverne Cox

Years before she had her four-time Emmy-nominated breakthrough as Orange Is the New Black‘s Sophia Burset, Laverne Cox picked up an early role as Minnie on Law & Order.

Sarah Hyland

Sarah Hyland was just 13 when she appeared on Law & Order. The future Modern Family actress played Kristine McLean in a 2004 episode.

Timothée Chalamet

Nearly a decade before his Oscar-nominated breakthrough in 2017’s Call Me by Your Name, Timothée Chalamet made his TV debut as Eric Foley in a 2009 episode of Law & Order.

Related: Timothée Chalamet declares his goal to be ‘one of the greats’ in SAG Awards speech

Idris Elba

Before he was starring on Luther and earning critical acclaim for his big-screen work, Idris Elba was filling his résumé with smaller roles, such as an appearance in a 2001 episode of Law & Order.

Elle Fanning

The Great star Elle Fanning was only 8 years old when she guest-starred on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit in 2006, playing a foster child named Eden.

Philip Seymour Hoffman

Oscar winner Philip Seymour Hoffman landed his first credited acting gig with a 1991 episode of Law & Order. The late star played Steven Hanauer, a man facing trial in a rape case.

Kerry Washington

Before Scandal, Django Unchained, or even Ray, there was Law & Order. Early in her career, Emmy winner Kerry Washington guest-starred in one 2001 episode of the crime show, playing Allie Lawrence.

Related: Kerry Washington reacts to ‘terrible’ early acting clip of her eating raw eggs: ‘I blacked out’

Leighton Meester

Joining the list of newbies who debuted on Law & Order, Gossip Girl star Leighton Meester picked up her first TV credit, thanks to a 1999 episode, playing a young woman named Alyssa Turner.

Jennifer Garner

After making brief appearances in TV movies and episodes of Swift Justice and Dead Man’s Walk, Jennifer Garner joined Law & Order for one 1996 installment. She played Jaime, a graduate student.

Julianna Margulies

Three-time Emmy-winner Julianna Margulies nabbed the second onscreen credit of her career thanks to Law & Order. After appearing in Out for Justice, she popped up in a 1993 episode as Navy Lieutenant Ruth Mendoza.

Claire Danes

After debuting in a short film, three-time Emmy-winner Claire Danes hit the small screen for the first time in 1992, appearing in an episode of Law & Order as Tracy Brandt.

Josh Radnor

Early in his career, Josh Radnor joined Law & Order for one 2002 episode. The future How I Met Your Mother star played a man named Robert Kitson.

Colman Domingo

Veteran actor Colman Domingo now has an Emmy and multiple Oscar nominations, but, at one point in time, he was a frequent Law & Order guest star, first appearing in a 2004 episode of the flagship show as Ronald Gumer. He followed this up with a role as Sgt. Ev Sides on Law & Order: Criminal Intent in 2006; that same year he appeared in an episode of Law & Order: Trial by Jury as Gus Johnson. Two years later, he played a man named Donnie on Law & Order. And then in 2010, he once again popped up on Law & Order: Criminal Intent, this time as Andre Lanier.

Related: Colman Domingo reflects on his multiple Nash Bridges roles: ‘You couldn’t even recognize me’

Jesse McCartney

Before the boys of Dream Street dropped their first album, Jesse McCartney landed his second acting credit for a segment of Law & Order. The actor and Grammy-nominated singer rolled in on the show in 2000, playing Danny Driscoll.

Kate Walsh

Grey’s Anatomy alum Kate Walsh hit the small screen for one of her first times in 1997, playing Kirstin Blair, a Navy lieutenant under investigation, on Law & Order.

Allison Janney

Years before she made it to the White House as The West Wing‘s C.J. Cregg, seven-time Emmy-winner Allison Janney (who also has an Oscar for her supporting turn in 2017’s I, Tonya) was on Law & Order for two episodes. She played Nora in a 1992 installment and Ann Madsen in 1994.

Zoe Saldaña

Zoe Saldaña, pictured here with Orange Is the New Black star Selenis Leyva, continued the tradition of debuting on Law & Order and played a woman named Belinca in 1999. The Oscar-nominated Emilia Pérez star returned to the franchise as Gabrielle Vega, the daughter of a murder victim, in a 2004 spot on Special Victims Unit.

Related: Zoe Saldaña on being overlooked for CGI Avatar performances: ‘It is quite deflating’

Laura Linney

Years before Primal Fear, The Truman Show, and Love Actually, three-time Oscar nominee Laura Linney appeared on Law & Order. The actress was featured in one 1994 episode as Martha Bowen.

Tony Hale

Following his breakout role on Arrested Development, two-time Emmy-winner Tony Hale guest-starred on a 2010 episode of Law & Order as Phillip Shoemaker, a dangerous ex-husband. He also appeared in an episode of SVU in 2012 as Rick Simms, a teacher who becomes the victim of a hate crime.

Chris Messina

The Mindy Project and Based on a True Story’s Chris Messina debuted his screen acting career in 1995, thanks to Law & Order. He played Tommy Bell in his first role, and would return to the show in 1996 and 2003 as Kevin Turner and Don Cushman, respectively.

Emmy Rossum

Shameless’ Emmy Rossum‘s first credited acting gig was in a 1997 episode of Law & Order. The young actress played Alison Martin, a girl in a bad situation with her family.

Amanda Peet

Dirty John actress Amanda Peet picked up an early role in one 1995 episode of Law & Order. She played Leslie Harlan, a woman in the midst of a mysterious case.

Sebastian Stan

Oscar-nominated Sebastian Stan — also the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier — landed his very first onscreen role in 2003 on Law & Order. He played Justin Capshaw, a young man who was kidnapped as a boy.

Related: Sebastian Stan reveals how close he came to playing Captain Kirk in Star Trek reboot

Courtney B. Vance

Two-time Emmy-winner Courtney B. Vance found his way to the courtroom as Johnnie Cochran on The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story, but, more than 20 years prior, he pulled early roles on Law & Order. He had an uncredited part as a mayor’s assistant in a 1990 episode and returned in 1995 as Benjamin «Bud» Greer.

Ellen Pompeo

Before spending 20-plus seasons playing Dr. Meredith Grey on Grey’s Anatomy, Ellen Pompeo‘s first credited small-screen role was in a 1996 episode of Law & Order, playing Jenna Weber. She returned in 2000 as Laura Kendrick.

Peter Facinelli

The Twilight Saga’s Peter Facinelli nabbed his second onscreen gig in 1995, playing Shane Sutter in one Law & Order storyline.

Vera Farmiga

Oscar-nominated Vera Farmiga added a third title to her résumé in 1998 for her performance as Lindsay Carson, a woman caught up in a murder trial, on Law & Order.

Chandra Wilson

More than a decade before she became Grey’s Anatomy‘s Dr. Miranda Bailey, Chandra Wilson was Serena Price for one 1992 episode of Law & Order.

Ty Burrell

Ty Burrell became an Emmy winner in 2011 for Modern Family (earning another in 2014), but, 10 years earlier, he made his small-screen debut on Law & Order. He appeared in a 2000 episode as Paul Donatelli and returned to the show in 2003 as Herman Capshaw.

Edie Falco

Four-time Emmy-winner Edie Falco earned an early credit on Law & Order, coming on the crime show in 1993 as Sally Bell. She reprised the role for additional turns in 1994, 1997, and 1998. In 2017, Falco starred as real-life criminal defense attorney Leslie Abramson in the miniseries Law & Order True Crime: The Menendez Murders, which was executive produced by Dick Wolf.

Felicity Huffman

Early in her career, Desperate Housewives star Felicity Huffman appeared on Law & Order. The actress joined the show for one episode in 1992, playing Diane Perkins, and returned in 1997 as Hillary Colson.

Isaiah Washington

Another Grey’s Anatomy alum, Isaiah Washington secured one of his very first projects as Derek Hardy on Law & Order, appearing on the show in 1991. Ten years later, he popped up in an episode of the one-season wonder Law & Order: LA as Roland Davidson.

Robin Williams

Long into his career, Oscar-winner Robin Williams played a disturbed audio engineer named Merritt Rook in a 2008 episode of Law & Order: SVU. For his chilling performance, Williams earned an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series.

Related: The best Robin Williams roles

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