Law & Order: Organized Crime is adding a unique TV face to the ranks.
Denis Leary will begin a recurring role on the series as a police officer whose conflicts with Stabler could cause trouble.
This is another addition to the show’s growing roster of guest actors for the final story arc of the season.
Law & Order: Organized Crime’s Season 2 story pods explained
In the build for Law & Order: Organized Crime’s second season, creator Dick Wolf explained the year would be broken up into three distinct eight-episode story arcs, each inspired by a classic crime movie.
“The first third of the season is The Godfather. The second third is American Gangster. And the last third is Scarface.”
That first arc opened with Stabler (Christopher Meloni) going undercover in the deadly Kosta Organization. It culminated in Stabler being able to break the Kostas apart.
The second arc is still ongoing as Stabler is clashing with Richard Wheatley (Dylan McDermott), the man behind the murder of Stabler’s wife, Kathy in Season 1. Wheatley is currently working with hacker Sebastian McClane (Robin Lord Taylor) to steal millions in the stock exchange to rebuild his power base.
This storyline will likely wrap up soon as McDermott will be taking over as the new lead on FBI: Most Wanted in March.
The final story arc appears to be the payoff for subplots across the season involving Preston Webb (Mykelti Williamson), leader of the deadly Marcy Killers gang.
Webb has on his side Congressman Leon Kilbride (Ron Cephas Jones), whose noble exterior hides his true corrupt nature. Together, the pair are secretly bilking the city of millions through a fake library construction scam.
Jennifer Beals has already been announced to join as Webb’s wife. Now, another notable TV face will be taking part in this arc.
Who is Denis Leary?
Rising up with his brash and outspoken stand-up comedy in the early 1990s, Denis Leary began moving into films such as The Ref and Demolition Man.
Leary came to larger fame in the short-lived cop show The Job and then the long-running FX drama Rescue Me, which earned him two Emmy Award nominations.
Leary is also well known for films from The Amazing Spider-Man to voicing Diego in the hit Ice Age movies.
The actor, who was photographed filming earlier this week, will recur as Frank Donnelly, “a fellow member of the NYPD who engages with Detective Stabler (Christopher Meloni).”
It’s unsure yet if Donnelly will be an ally to Stabler or clash with the always blunt and brash detective. Amazingly, this is Leary’s first appearance in the Law & Order franchise.
The addition of a TV veteran like Leary indicates the final arc of Season 2 of Law & Order: Organized Crime may be its most dramatic yet as Stabler needs all the help he can get taking on Webb and his forces.
Law & Order: Organized Crime Season 2 returns with new episodes Thursday February 24 at 10/09c on NBC.