Sam Waterston will be back as DA Jack McCoy on the upcoming 22nd season on NBC, TheWrap has confirmed. The actor, who joined the cast in 1994, is now the longest-running cast member of the original series.
He, along with Anthony Anderson, who returned to the revived series for the 21st season, both signed one-year deals. However, last month, Anderson announced he will not be back next season as Detective Kevin Bernard. The Dick Wolf-created procedural was renewed for its 22nd season in May.
According to Deadline, who first reported the story, Waterston has signed on for another one-year contract.
When Wolf announced Waterston’s return for Season 21, he called the 81-year-old actor “the ultimate conscience of the show,” adding, “I look forward to him emulating the career of New York District Attorney Robert Morgenthau, who served until he was 90.”
Camryn Manheim, Jeffrey Donovan, Hugh Dancy and Odelya Halevi co-star on the series revival.
“Law & Order” is produced by Wolf Entertainment and Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group. Rick Eid is the writer and showrunner. Wolf, Eid, Arthur W. Forney and Peter Jankowski executive produce.
Waterston is repped by Keith Addis and Mike Abrams at Industry Entertainment and Bill Sobel of law firm Edelstein Laird and Sobel.
