Law & Order: 30 best guest stars
See who's early credits come from the crime show.
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Sarah Paulson
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.
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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.
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Laverne Cox
Years before she made it to jail as Orange Is the New Black's Sophia Burset, Laverne Cox picked up an early role as Minnie on Law & Order.
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Sarah Hyland
Sarah Hyland was just 13 when she appeared on Law & Order. The young actress played Kristine McLean in a 2004 episode.
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Idris Elba
Before he was starring in 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.
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Philip Seymour Hoffman
Philip Seymour Hoffman landed his first credited gig with a 1991 episode of Law & Order. The late star played Steven Hanauer, a man facing trial in a rape case.
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Kerry Washington
Before Scandal, Django Unchained, or even Ray, there was Law & Order. Early in her career, Kerry Washington guest-starred in one 2001 episode of the crime show, playing Allie Lawrence.
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Leighton Meester
Joining the list of newbies who debuted on Law & Order, Leighton Meester picked up her first TV credit, thanks to a 1999 episode. She played a young woman named Alyssa Turner.
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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.
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Julianna Margulies
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.
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Claire Danes
After debuting in a short film, Claire Danes hit the small screen for the first time in 1992, appearing in an episode of Law & Order as Tracy Brandt.
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Josh Radnor
Early in his career, Josh Radnor joined Law & Order for one 2002 episode. The future star played a man named Robert Kitson.
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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 singer rolled in on the show in 2000, playing Danny Driscoll.
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Kate Walsh
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.
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Allison Janney
Years before she made it to the White House as The West Wing's C.J. Cregg, Allison Janney was on Law & Order for two episodes. She played Nora in a 1992 installment and Ann Madsen in 1994.
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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 Guardians of the Galaxy star returned to the franchise as Gabrielle Vega, the daughter of a murder victim, in a 2004 feature on Special Victims Unit.
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Laura Linney
Years before Primal Fear, The Truman Show, and Love Actually, Laura Linney appeared on Law & Order. The actress was featured in one 1994 episode as Martha Bowen.
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Chris Messina
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.
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Emmy Rossum
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.
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Amanda Peet
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.
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Sebastian Stan
Sebastian Stan landed his very first onscreen role in 2003. He played Justin Capshaw on Law & Order, a young man who was kidnapped as a boy.
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Courtney B. Vance
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 earlier, he pulled early roles on Law & Order. He had an uncredited part in a 1990 episode and returned in 1995 as Benjamin "Bud" Greer.
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Ellen Pompeo
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.
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Peter Facinelli
Peter Facinelli nabbed his second onscreen gig in 1995, playing Shane Sutter in one Law & Order story line.
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Vera Farmiga
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.
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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.
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Ty Burrell
Ty Burrell became an Emmy winner in 2011, thanks to Modern Family, 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.
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Edie Falco
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.
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Felicity Huffman
Early in her career, 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.
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Isaiah Washington
Isaiah Washington secured one of his very first projects as Derek Hardy on Law & Order, appearing on the show in 1991.