Law & Order: Organized Crime Adds Denis Leary To The Cast

Everyone's favorite angry comedian turned angry actor is going to join the cast of "Law & Order: Organized Crime." According to Deadline, Denis Leary — who has previously played a police officer in both the "Amazing Spider-Man" films and on the television series "The Job" — will join the cast of the NBC series in a recurring role. Leary will be joining series star Christopher Meloni, who plays Detective Stabler, along with the recently-announced Jennifer Beals, who will play a drug kingpin's wife. 

The series is currently in its second season on NBC, following Detective Stabler as he tries to take down the most powerful organized crime syndicate in New York City, a task that might be a bit too personal for him to do properly.

Leary will play Frank Donnelly, a fellow NYPD officer who works with Detective Stabler. He recently had a recurring role on TNT's "Animal Kingdom," and famously played a police officer on the ABC comedy "The Job" in the early 2000s. 

"Law & Order: Organized Crime" was created by "Law & Order" originator Dick Wolf, and comes from Wolf Entertainment and Universal Television. The series was created to bring back "Law & Order: SVU" character Stabler, who was a major fan favorite. (And who could blame them? Meloni rules.) Wolf executive produces the series along with showrunner Ilene Chaiken, Terry Miller, Arthur W. Forney, Fred Berner, and Peter Jankowski. 

The original "Law & Order" series is returning to the small screen beginning on February 17, 2022 for a brand new revival season, with Sam Waterston reprising the role of Manhattan District Attorney Jack McCoy. 

2022 is looking to be a big year for "Law & Order," which makes my nostalgic little heart happy. Leary and Meloni should be a real joy to watch together, as both men are phenomenal at playing lovable tough guys who can be a little rough around the edges. 

Here's the official description for "Law & Order: Organized Crime:"

Christopher Meloni stars as Det. Elliot Stabler, who returns to the NYPD after a decade away and must rebuild his life after a devastating personal loss. Meloni first played the role as an original cast member on "Law & Order: SVU." Stabler's sergeant and partner, Ayanna Bell (Danielle Moné Truitt), leads the task force with skillful authority, a vast knowledge of underground crime syndicates and a long-game strategy to take them down from the inside. Observant and deceivingly smart, Jet Slootmaekers (Ainsley Seiger) utilizes her tech expertise and hacking skills to give the team a leg up on striking their target.

"Law & Order: Organized Crime" returns Thursday, February 24, 2022 on NBC.