Law & Order: Special Victims Unit is adding another detective to the ranks.
Molly Burnett, last seen on USA Network’s Queen of the South, will play a new cop who may become a permanent member of the SVU squad in Season 24.
Burnett will play Det. Grace Muncy a cop with experience in gang matters who will aid the SVU team.
Burnett is known for roles on Chicago P.D., FBI: Most Wanted, and a stint as Melaine on Days Of Our Lives.
While details on the role and how many episodes she’s in are scarce for now, Burnett can boost up the SVU team, which has needed new blood after some turnover in Season 23.
Her arrival is likely to spark up the season and lead to some new developments.
Who is Molly Burnett and who does she play on Law & Order: Special Victim Unit?
Born in 1988 in Denver, Molly Burnett began acting in high school, later graduating from Wagner College.
Her big break came playing Melaine Jonas on Days of Our Lives which earned her two Daytime Emmy Award nominations.
After leaving the show in 2012, Burnett made several TV appearances, including a stint on General Hospital and Chicago P.D.
Burnett’s biggest TV role has been Kelly Anne Van Awken, a socialite who gets involved in a drug gang in the USA Network thriller Queen of the South. At first a recurring role, Burnett was made a regular for the show’s fifth and final season.
Earlier in 2022, Burnett guest-starred on FBI: Most Wanted as a tough U.S. Marshal aiding in the hunt for an escaped drug lord.
According to TV Line, Burnett will play Detective Grace Muncy, who has experience with gang matters.
The actress appeared to have teased her casting with an Instagram post last week where her usually blonde locks were dyed dark and boasted “new show, new character, new hair.”
There is no word on when Burnett will join the show or if she will become a full regular or simply a recurring role.
However, adding a new character to the mix to aid the SVU team promises a further spark to Season 24, which can bring more excitement to the series.
Law & Order: Special Victim Unit’s revolving door of cast changes
Fans of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit are well used to how the cast can change a lot over the years.
While Mariska Hargitay has been a mainstay as Olivia Benson, she’s also the only remaining cast member from when the show premiered in 1999.
Season 23 kicked off with some big developments as Kat Tamin (Jamie Gray Hyder) was shot and wounded in the line of duty. While she recovered, Kat decided to leave the unit to focus on herself.
Meanwhile, Captain Christian Garland (Demore Barnes) resigned after facing a backlash in the NYPD. He later returned, now deputy mayor, to help the team on a case.
This led to Joe Velasco (Octavio Pisano) joining the unit and proving himself a capable detective.
This has still left the team a bit short-handed at times and sometimes requiring help with some cases. Thus, introducing a new detective can be helpful, and they appear to have found the right actress for the role.
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Season 24 premieres Thursday September 22 at 9/8c on NBC.