‘Law & Order’ star Jeffrey Donovan not returning to show next season
NEW YORK — Man down! “Law & Order” star Jeffrey Donovan is out.
The actor, who has played Detective Frank Cosgrove for nearly two years, will reportedly not be returning for Season 23 of Dick Wolf‘s long-running crime procedural. According to Entertainment Weekly, Donovan is said to be leaving the show due to “creative reasons.”
In 2022, the New York-set drama — which first premiered in 1990 — returned for its 21st season after more than 10 years off the air. The former “Burn Notice” star was tapped to breathe new life into the ripped-from-the-headlines series.
Since joining the franchise, his character of Cosgrove has also appeared in episodes of “Law & Order: SVU” and “Law & Order: Organized Crime.”
Donovan’s exit follows that of former “Law & Order” star Anthony Anderson, who reprised his legacy role as Detective Kevin Bernard but left the show after just one season.
The remaining cast includes veteran star Sam Waterston as District Attorney Jack McCoy, former “Private Practice” star Camryn Manheim as Lieutenant Kate Dixon, Hugh Dancy as Assistant District Attorney Nolan Price and Odelya Halevi as Assistant District Attorney Samantha Maroun.
Donovan, 55, previously starred on the acclaimed FX anthology series “Fargo” and has credits that include the films “J. Edgar,” “LBJ” and “Hitch.”
Thirteen new episodes of “Law & Order” are expected when the show returns next year.
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