Law & Order: Organized Crime – A Deep Dive into the Series Ensemble

Law & Order: Organized Crime, an American crime drama television series, hit the screen for the first time on April 1, 2021, via NBC network. The brilliant minds behind its creation are Dick Wolf, Ilene Chaiken, and Matt Olmstead. This series adds to the Law & Order franchise as its seventh installment and is a spin-off of Law & Order and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. The storyline revolves around the character of Elliot Stabler, played by Christopher Meloni, which spans multiple episodes for resolution.

The centerpiece of the series is detective Elliot Stabler, portrayed by Christopher Meloni, who is a 1st grade detective. Once part of the Manhattan Special Victims Unit, Stabler finds himself returning to New York after years away from police service. He reluctantly enlists as the deputy head of an Organized Crime Control Bureau task group, with the heavy goal of finding and bringing his wife’s killers to justice.

Sharing the screen with Meloni is the talented Danielle Moné Truitt, who breathes life into the character of Sergeant Ayanna Bell. Sergeant Bell oversees the squad activities of the OCCB task force and is currently Stabler’s direct head and collaborator.

Further adding to the ensemble is the Canadian star Tamara Taylor who essays a unique and critical role as Prof. Angela Wheatley. The former math professor at Columbia University and ex-wife of Richard Wheatley, Angela is implicated as a possible orchestrator behind the attempted assassination of Kathy Stabler.

Playing the character of Detective 2nd Grade Jet Slootmaekers is the American talent Ainsley Seiger. Slootmaekers, a reformed independent hacker, joins the OCCB task force upon Stabler’s recommendation, first having to requalify as an NYPD officer. After showing her mettle, she steps up from the rank of Detective 3rd Grade to Detective 2nd Grade, as illustrated in season 3, episode 16, aptly titled ‘Chinatown’.

The character of Richard Wheatley is portrayed by American actor Dylan McDermott. Richard, the offspring of the notoriously infamous mobster Manfredi Sinatra, juggles the roles of a businessman, an internet pharmaceutical company owner, and a suspect in Stabler’s wife’s murder. It’s revealed that Sinatra had been leading a secret life as a criminal kingpin.

Detective 3rd Grade Carmen ‘Nova’ Riley is portrayed by American actress Nona Parker Johnson. She’s an undercover narcotics officer working under Brewster’s oversight to infiltrate the Marcy Killers. Post the downfall of gang leader Preston Webb, ‘Nova’ Riley says farewell to New York and hangs up her NYPD shield for good.

Jamie Whelan, cast as Detective 2nd Grade, is portrayed by American actor Brent Antonello. Whelan’s journey with the OCCB ends tragically when they’re shot by Kyle Wilkie, in the third season’s final episode, which sadly leads to his demise due to paralysis while hospitalized.

American actor Rick Gonzalez fills the shoes of Detective 2nd Grade Bobby Reyes, another undercover policeman affiliated with the OCCB.

Dean Norris, another prominent American actor, joins the bandwagon as Randall Stabler, the older brother of primary character Elliot Stabler.

The recurring cast of this intriguing series includes the likes of Detective 1st Grade Freddie Washburn enacted by Ben Chase, Detective 2nd Grade Diego Morales by Michael Rivera, and Pilar Wheatley by Shauna Harley. Richard ‘Richie’ Wheatley Jr., Ryan Wheatley, and Dana Wheatley are brought to life by Nick Creegan, Jaylin Fletcher, and Christina Marie Karis respectively.

Other notable recurring characters are Detective 3rd Grade Gina Cappelletti played by Charlotte Sullivan, Elliot ‘Eli’ Stabler Jr. by Nicky Torchia, and Maureen ‘Mo’ Stabler by Autumn Mirassou. The character of Elizabeth ‘Lizzie’ Stabler is essayed by Kaitlyn Davidson, Denise Bullock by Keren Dukes, and both ADA Maria Delgado and ADA Anne Frasier are donned by Diany Rodriguez and Wendy Moniz.

Adding to this impressive roster are Lieutenant Marv Moennig played by Daniel Oreskes, Joey Raven played by Nicholas Baroudi, and Ellsworth Lee essayed by Steve Harris. Bernadette ‘Bernie’ Stabler, Elliot’s mother, is performed by the accomplished Ellen Burstyn. Mike Cannon plays Detective 3rd Grade Carlos Maldonado, while Detective 1st Grade Victoria Cho is portrayed by Rachel Lin.

In the depth of the series ensemble, we also find Flutura Briscu enacted by Lolita Davidovich, Hugo Bankole by Antino Crowley-Kamenwati, and Rita Lasku by Izabela Vidovic. Agniezjka ‘Agnes’ Bogdani, Sebastian ‘Constantine’ McClane, and Edmund Ross are taken on by actors Caroline Lagerfelt, Robin Lord Taylor, and Gregg Henry respectively.

Rounding off the extensive cast are Detective Tim McKenna portrayed expertly by Jason Patric, Doris Boone by Lois Smith, and Angus Boone by Stephen Lang. Apart from them, Officer Tanisha Carling is played by Liris Crosse, Officer David Yoshida by Eddie Yu, Ron Bolton by Justin Grace, Officer Jessie Santos by Sebastian Arroyo, and Officer Scott Parnell by Patrick Murney.