EXCLUSIVE: Juliana Martinez and Octavio Pisano will not be returning to NBC‘s Law & Order: SVU as series regulars if/when the procedural is picked up for a 27th season. Martinez joined the cast this season as Detective Kate Silva, while Pisano was added in Season 23 as undercover detective Joe Velasco.
It is unclear whether the decision was made for creative or financial reasons — or both. There has been a pattern of budget reductions currently underway across multiple NBC shows, impacting cast, episodes, and other areas ahead of renewal decisions leading up to the network’s upfront presentation on Monday.
It is as yet unknown if Martinez and Pisano’s characters will wrap up their storylines by the conclusion of Season 26. The season finale, “Post-Rage,” written by Norberto Barba, will air on May 15.
The popular series, led by Mariska Hargitay as Olivia Benson, is fully expected to be renewed for a 27th season. As we previously revealed, Michele Fazekas will become the first female showrunner in the show’s history.
Law & Order: SVU follows detectives from the Special Victims Unit as they investigate and prosecute sexually based crimes. Some episodes are loosely based on real crimes that have been ripped from the headlines. The fight for justice never ends as Benson and her squad provide a tireless voice for the voiceless. Benson’s compassion for victims and pledge to protect the innocent stand as a beacon of hope for all.
Ice T, Peter Scanavino, and Kevin Kane also star.
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit was created by Dick Wolf. He executive produces the current 26th season with Graziano, Julie Martin, Hargitay, Norberto Barba, Kenneth Brown, and Peter Jankowski. The series is produced by Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group, in association with Wolf Entertainment.
Wolf’s hit One Chicago franchise— including Chicago Fire, Chicago P.D., and Chicago Med—was officially renewed yesterday with some cost-cutting measures in place. According to NBCUniversal, the current seasons of Chicago Med, Chicago Fire, and Chicago P.D. have reached nearly 46 million total viewers season-to-date across NBC and Peacock, with all three’s streaming viewership rising year-over-year.
The post ‘Law & Order: SVU’: Juliana Martinez & Octavio Pisano Leaving After Season 26 appeared first on Deadline.
