Before he rose to fame inShamelessand later withThe Bear,Jeremy Allen Whiteplayed two different characters inLaw & Order. Created by Dick Wolf,Law & Orderis a police procedural and legal drama TV show that premiered on NBC in 1990. The success ofLaw & Orderled to the launch of a franchise, and though it ended its first run in 2010 after 20 seasons,Law & Orderwas revived in 2021 for a 21st season. At the time of writing,Law & Orderhas been renewed for a 25th season.
Theepisodes ofLaw & Orderhave a two-part format, with the first part covering the investigation of a crime and the apprehension of the suspect. The second half of each episode is all about the legal and courtroom proceedings. Over the years,Law & Orderhas served as the launching pad for the careers of many actors, among them Jeremy Allen White, who played not just one character but two, both different and in different capacities.
“Melting Pot” Is Law & Order Season 17’s Episode 15
Jeremy Allen White’s careeron TV began in 2006 in one episode of the legal dramaConviction, and the following year, he made his first appearance inLaw & Order.White’sLaw & Orderdebut was in season 17’s 15th episode, “Melting Pot”, where he had a very brief appearance at the beginning. The episode revolves around the discovery of the dead body of an actress in her apartment. Her death is initially believed to be a suicide, but the team is convinced there’s a lot more behind her death waiting to be revealed.
Jeremy Allen White was 16 years old when he first appeared inLaw & Order.
In this episode,Jeremy Allen White played Jeremy, a college studentplaying strip chess with his date, when he suddenly notices the dead body of the actress from a neighboring window. He and his date notify the authorities, and the rest of the episode continues without White showing up again. Luckily, White had a bigger role when he returned toLaw & Orderthe following year.
White’s Role As Andy Steel In “Driven” Was Significantly Larger Than His First Appearance
“Driven” Is Law & Order Season 18’s Episode 5
Jeremy Allen White returned to the world ofLaw & Orderin season 18’s fifth episode as a different character. The episode, titled “Driven”, follows the investigation of the murders of a white teenager named David and a young Black girl named Tanya. The investigation gets complicated when everyone refuses to talk, but it takes a turn when the team learns that one of the victims had an altercation with someone in the neighborhood earlier that day.
White played Andy, David’s best friend, who was there when he was killed, thus becoming a key witness. The case takes a disturbing turn when the investigation reveals that Andy and his mother had a bigger role in David and Tanya’s deaths than it initially seemed. Thanks to this, White had a larger role in “Driven” than he had in “Melting Pot”, and with that a bigger chance to show his acting skills.
However, this wasn’t White’s last visit totheLaw & Orderfranchise, ashe returned in one episode ofLaw & Order: Special Victims Unitin 2010. In season 11’s episode 21, “Torch”, White played Michael Parisi, a young pyromaniac accused of sexual assault and the main suspect in the murder of two young girls who were left to die in a burning house.
Other Famous Actors Who Have Played Multiple Law & Order Characters
Law & Order Has Brought Back Actors In Different Roles
TheLaw & Orderfranchise has seen various actors playing different characters, both on the original show and across its different spinoffs. Some of the most notable ones are Ellen Pompeo, who appeared inLaw & Orderseason 6 and season 10. Years beforeSuccession, J. Smith-Cameron appeared in four episodes ofLaw & Orderand had guest spots onSVUandCriminal Intent.David Harbour appeared in one episode ofLaw & Orderseason 10 and returned in season 18, as did Allison Janney, who appeared in season 2 and season 4.
Other actors who have made multiple appearances in theLaw & Order franchise, although not in the main show, are Sarah Hyland, Hayden Panettiere, Ty Burrell, Pedro Pascal, Chandra Wilson, and Paul Wesley. TheLaw & Orderfranchise continues to give a chance to young actors, and it’s such a vast world that they can return as different characters without messing with continuity.
