Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (also known as Law & Order: SVU, or SVU) is an American drama television series about the Special Victims Unit in the fictitious 16th Precinct of the New York City Police Department. The show debuted in 1999 as a spin-off of the crime drama Law & Order and follows the same opening style of its parent. The show shares several cast and crew members with The Wire.
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- Richard Belzer stars as John Munch on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit making a subtle cameo as a bar patron in the season 5 The Wire episode "Took". In the scene he mentions he used to own a bar. The character of Munch, who originally appeared on TV in the series Homicide: Life on the Street, was co-owner of "The Waterfront," a bar located across the street from the Baltimore police station.
- Kevin Jiggets has a recurring role as Officer Green on season 5 and 6 of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and plays Frommers in season 2 of The Wire.
- Callie Thorne has a recurring role as Nikki Staines on season 5 of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and a recurring role as Elena McNulty in The Wire.
- Peter Gerety has a recurring role as Judge Harrison on season 8 of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and a recurring role as Judge Daniel Phelan in The Wire.
- Sonja Sohn has a recurring role as Detective Shakima "Kima" Greggs in The Wire and played Lisa Carter in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, episode "American Tragedy."
- Frankie Faison has a recurring role as FBI Agent Tom Nickerson in seasons 8 and 9 of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and starred as Commissioner Ervin Burrell in The Wire.
- Deirdre Lovejoy has a recurring role as Hernandez on season 1 and 2 of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and starred as Assistant State's Attorney Rhonda Pearlman in The Wire.
- Bobby J. Brown has appeared as a uniformed officer on season 2 and 5 of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and has a recurring role as patrolman Bobby Brown in The Wire.
- Ernest Waddell has a recurring role as Dante in seasons 2 and 3 of The Wire and has played two roles in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit:
- Terrell in the season 4 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit episode "Risk".
- A recurring role as Ken Randall on seasons 6 to 8 of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.
- John Doman stars as caustic police commander William Rawls in The Wire and has played four roles in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit:
- Dan Latimer in the season 1 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit episode "Limitations".
- Munch's informant in the season 2 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit episode "Wrong is Right".
- Special Agent Rod Franklin in the season 3 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit episode "Wrath".
- Mike Mollinax in the season 8 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit episode "Scheherazade".
- William Rand in season 13 of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, episode "Official Story."
- Bruce Kirkpatrick has a recurring role as Roger Twigg in season 4 of The Wire and has played three roles in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit:
- Richard White in the season 1 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit episode "Stalked".
- Desk Sergeant in the season 4 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit episode "Rotten".
- Malcolm Wolinksy in the season 6 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit episode "Conscience".
- Isiah Whitlock, Jr. plays corrupt senator Clay Davis in The Wire and has played three roles in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit:
- Robbery Division Captain in the season 1 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit episode "Limitations".
- Toddy Smythe in the season 2 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit episode "Paranoia".
- NTCC Representative in the season 6 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit episode "Parts".
- Michael K. Williams stars as Omar Little in The Wire and has played two roles in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit:
- Double-D Gamble in the season 5 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit episode "Escape".
- Victor Bodine in the season 8 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit episode "Underbelly".
- Charley Scalies has a recurring role as stevedore Thomas "Horseface" Pakusa in season 2 of The Wire and has played two roles in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit:
- Bert Ferrarra in the season 7 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit episode "Web".
- Dock foreman in the season 9 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit episode "Signature".
- Antonio D. Charity has a recurring role as Corrections Officer Dwight Tilghman in season 2 of The Wire and has played two roles in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit:
- Man in crowd in the season 2 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit episode "Baby Killer".
- Silburt in the season 3 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit episode "Prodigy".
- Marylne Afflack has a recurring role as city council president Nerese Campbell in season 4 and 5 of The Wire and has played two roles in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit:
- Sarah Miller in the season 6 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit episode "Night".
- Alma Cordoza in the season 8 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit episode "Cage".
- Sam Freed plays a private investigator in the season 1 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit episode "Limitations" and has a recurring role as Executive Editor James Whiting in The Wire.
- Lance Reddick plays in the season 1 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit episode "" and stars as ascendant police commissioner Cedric Daniels in The Wire.
- Thomas McCarthy plays Nick Ganzner in the season 1 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit episode "" and stars as unscrulous reporter Scott Templeton in The Wire.
- Lance Reddick has a recurring role as Dr. Taylor in the seasons 1 to 3 of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and stars as ascendant police commander Cedric Daniels in The Wire.
- Neko Parham plays Ethan Chance in the season 2 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit episode "Secrets" and plays Troy Wiggins in The Wire episode "The Cost".
- Latonya Borsay plays Marianne Weston in the season 2 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit episode "Abuse" and plays a dancer in The Wire episode "Cleaning Up".
- Hassan Johnson plays Junior in the season 3 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit episode "Wrath," Rick Tyler in season 9 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit episode "Undercover," and has a recurring role as Barksdale soldier Wee-Bey Brice on The Wire.
- Dave Trovato plays an FBI Agent in the season 3 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit episode "Wrath" and police commander Walter Cantrell on The Wire.
- Elisabeth Noone plays Marilyn Dunlap in the season 3 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit episode "Tangled" and has a recurring role as Joan Sobotka in season 2 of The Wire.
- Jamie Hector plays Doc in the season 3 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit episode "Jusice" and stars as Marlo Stanfield on The Wire.
- Christopher Mann plays a CSU Tech in the season 3 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit episode "Silence" and has a recurring role as councilman Anthony Gray in seasons 3 and 4 of The Wire.
- Melanie Nicholls-King plays woman #3 in the season 4 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit episode "Desperate," Jill Botas in season 9 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit episode "Undercover," and has a recurring role as Cheryl in all 5 seasons of The Wire.
- Dion Graham plays Samuel Hill in the season 4 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit episode "Waste" and has a recurring role as State's Attorney Rupert Bond on seasons 4 and 5 The Wire.
- Andre Royo plays Felix Santos in the season 5 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit episode "Loss" and stars as Bubbles on The Wire.
- Clayton LeBouef plays Vernon Spiers in the season 5 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit episode "Brotherhood" and has a recurring role as Wendell "Orlando" Blocker in season 1 of The Wire.
- Curtis L. McClarin plays in the season 6 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit episode "Debt" and a florist in the season 5 The Wire episode "Transitions".
- Dionne Audain appears uncredited as a pedestrian in the season 6 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit episode "Blood" and plays a social worker in the season 5 The Wire episode "The Dickensian Aspect".
- Ramon Rodriguez plays DJ in the season 7 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit episode "Infected" and has a recurring role as Renaldo on season 4 and 5 of The Wire.
- Frederick Strother plays Judge Silburt in the season 8 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit episode "Infiltrated" and has a recurring role as State Delegate Odell Watkins on The Wire.
- Julito McCullum plays Jason Young in the season 8 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit episode "Underbelly" and Namond Brice on The Wire.
- Al Brown plays Corrections Commissioner Tom Sablone in the season 8 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit episode "Choreographed" and Stanislaus Valchek on The Wire.
- Pablo Schreiber plays Dan Kozlowski in the season 8 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit episode "Haystack" and has a recurring role as stevedore Nick Sobotka on The Wire.
- Rick Otto plays Detective Joyce in the season 8 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit episode "Philadelphia" and Officer Kenneth Dozerman on The Wire.
- Brian Anthony Wilson plays Milton Sarlove in the season 8 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit episode "Pretend" and Detective Vernon Holley on The Wire.
- Nancy Grace appears as herself in the season 8 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit episode "Screwed" and again in the season 5 The Wire episode "The Dickensian Aspect".
- Jefferson Breland plays Adam Porter in the season 8 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit episode "Informed" and plays a basketball coach in the season 1 The Wire episode "Game Day".
- Anwan Glover plays James McDonnell in the season 9 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit episode "Fight" and has a recurring role as criminal enforcer Slim Charles on The Wire.
- Method Man plays Dennis King in the season 9 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit episode "Snitch" and has a recurring role as Melvin "Cheese" Wagstaff on The Wire.
- Roscoe Orman plays Bryant Davis in the season 9 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit episode "Signature" and has a recurring role as Oscar Requer in season 5 of The Wire.
- Joilet F. Harris plays a school cop in the season 9 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit episode "Unorthodox" and has a recurring role as Officer Caroline Massey in season 4 and 5 of The Wire.
- Robert Wisdom plays Father Theo Burdett in season 10 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit episode "Hell" and Major Howard "Bunny" Colvin as a recurring role in The Wire.
- Gbenga Akinnagbe plays Elijah Okello in season 10 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit episode "Hell" and Father Biobaku in seasons 14 and 15 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit in episodes "Dreams Deferred" and "Amaro's One-Eighty," respectively, and the recurring role of Chris Partlow in The Wire.
- Chris Bauer plays Bill Tattenger in season 11 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, episode "Hammered," and Sergeant Tom Cole in season 18 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, episode "Next Chapter," and Frank Sobotka in season 2 of The Wire.
- Jim True-Frost plays Thomas Banks in season 11 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, episode "Hardwired," and Lawrence Hendricks, Jr., in season 18 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, episode "Decline and Fall," and the recurring role of Detective Roland "Prez" Pryzbylewski in The Wire.
- Delaney Williams plays the recurring role of John Buchanan in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit from season 11 to 18 and the recurring role of Sergeant Jay Landsman in The Wire.
- Reg E. Cathey plays the recurring role of Norman Wilson in The Wire and Barry Querns in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit in season 13, "Rhodium Nights" and season 14, "Lost Reputation," "Above Suspicion," and "Undercover Blue" as well as Victor Tybor in season 10, "Wildlife."
- Michael Potts plays the recurring role of Brother Mouzone in The Wire and Sergeant Cole Draper in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit in season 14, episode "Above Suspicion; season 15, in episodes "Gambler's Fallacy," "Post-Mortem Blues," and "Spring Awakening"; and season 17, in episodes "Community Policing" and "Manhattan Transfer."
- Michael Kostroff plays the recurring role of Maurice "Maury" Levy in The Wire and the role of Evan Braun five episodes of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit:
- Season 13, "Russian Brides"
- Season 16, "Girls Disappeared"
- Season 16, "Pattern Seventeen"
- Season 16, "Surrendering Noah"
- Season 18, "Conversion"
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- Steve Shill has directed episodes of both series.
- Alex Zakrzewski has directed episodes of both series.
- Clark Johnson has directed episodes of both series.
- Peter Medak has directed episodes of both series.