What We Know About Anthony Anderson's Return To Law & Order
"Law & Order" is set for a massive revival next year. Entertainment Tonight confirmed in September that the beloved legal drama, which will be launching its bumper 21st season, is slated to stick to the well-established format perfected during its original run. As a result, the new show will focus on "the police who investigate crime and the district attorneys who prosecute the offenders." Dick Wolf, the creator and executive producer of "Law & Order," is thrilled to be given the opportunity to bring the show back. He gushed, "There are very few things in life that are literally dreams come true. This is mine."
It's been a long decade since "Law & Order" originally went off the air, but its fans are voracious, including one Taylor Swift, who named her cat after Mariska Hargitay's character on offshoot "Law & Order: SVU," as she told Ellen DeGeneres back in 2014 (via YouTube). The timing is ideal for a reboot, too. As Susan Rovner, Chairman, Entertainment Content, NBCUniversal Television and Streaming enthused, "'Law & Order' is quite simply one of the most iconic shows in television history, and the idea of continuing its legacy and partnering with Dick on an all-new season is nothing short of exhilarating."
The highly-anticipated revival is set to debut on NBC. Meanwhile, they're busy gathering a cast of A-list actors worthy of taking on the mantle of the beloved show. Chief among them is comedic star Anthony Anderson.
Anthony Anderson is reprising his role in the revival
Variety confirmed Anthony Anderson would be reprising his role as Detective Kevin Bernard in the upcoming "Law & Order" revival, for at least one season. Joining him is "Hannibal" stalwart Hugh Dancy, who'll be playing an assistant district attorney. Anderson is known predominantly as the lead and exec-producer of beloved sitcom "Black-ish," for which he's been nominated for 11 Emmys. The actor originally joined "Law & Order" in Season 18, lasting until its abrupt end in Season 20, so fans will be excited to see where his character goes in the 2022 revival. Anderson is just as stoked to be returning, telling ET in early December he was set to start work any day now and couldn't wait to be back on set.
On being asked to reprise his role, the "Black-ish" star shared, "It means a great deal." He added, "Full circle is what it is, and it's a good thing." Eleven years have passed since Anderson last played Detective Bernard, so he's excited to step back into the dogged cop's shoes once again. "You know, a lot of people ask why, and I say why not? It's the opportunity to go back and reprise [my] character, and have a little fun in the dramatic space for a little while," Anderson opined.
At the very least, "Law & Order" gives him something to focus on aside from the "bittersweet" end of "Black-ish," which is wrapping up following its eighth season.