“Law & Order” originally premiered in 1990. The drama-thriller show highlights crimes and the steps needed to convict the criminals. The show also follows the legal and personal dilemmas each characters faces. Although the original “Law & Order,” ended in 2010, it has had multiple spinoff series. See what your favorite crime fighters are up to today.
Before she became SVU’s top medical examiner, Dr. Melinda Warner, Tamara Tunie rose to fame as Jessica Griffin in “The World Turns.” Tunie played Dr. Warner on “SVU” from 2000-2015. Since leaving the show she has appeared on TV series “Blue Bloods,” “Billions,” and “Elementary.” While still on the show, in 2010, she directed and produced the movie “See You In September,” and in 2012, she appeared alongside Denzel Washington, in “Flight.”
Detective Mike Logan was portrayed by Chris Noth, from 1990-1995. Since leaving the show, he went one to BIGger things. He reprised the role of Mr. Big, in both “Sex and the City” feature films. He had a reoccurring role of Peter Florrick in “The Good Wife.” Most recently, in 2016, he played General William Cogswell on the TV series “Tyrant.” In 2015, he was named GQ’s International Man of the Year.
Monique Hurd originally appeared on one episode of “Law&Order,” as Angela Roney, in 1997. However, she was brought back, in 1999, to play Detective Monique Jeffries. Hurd left the show in 2001. She has since been on many TV shows, including “ER,” “Gossip Girl,” “90210,” “The Glades,” “Devious Maids,” “Hawaii Five-O” “Daredevil” and “Ash vs. Evil Dead.” She currently plays Shepherd on the hit TV series “Blindspot.”
Benjamin Bratt played Det. Rey Curtis from 1995-1999, until his character left to take care of his ailing wife. He reprised his role on one episode in 2009. Since leaving the show, Benjamin Bratt has had a very successful acting career. He had reoccurring roles on TV series “Private Practice,” “24: Live Another Day,” and “Modern Family.” He has done voice acting in “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs,” and “Despicable Me 2.” In 2016, he also had a role in Marvel’s “Doctor Strange.”
Simultaneously serving as Tennessee’s Senator, Fred Dalton Thompson played D.A. Arthur Branch. He was the only one on the show who was actually a real life prosecutor. Thompson left the show in 2008 to run for U.S. President. Aside from his political career, Thompson continued acting after “Law&Order.” He has had roles in multiple movies including “Secretariat,” “Sinister,” “90 Minutes in Heaven.” Unfortunately, in late 2015, at the age of 73, Thompson died from a recurrence of lymphoma.
