Actors Who Appeared On Law & Order Before They Were Stars

The original Law & Order aired for 20 seasons from September 13, 1990, until May 24, 2010. The show spawned several spin-offs including Special Victims Unit, Criminal Intent, Trial By Jury, LA and True Crime, which have each had varying levels of success. For a franchise that has been around for so long, it’s no surprise that many actors got their start on the show — but some of these future stars played characters you would never expect! Check out this list of actors who appeared on Law & Order before they were A-listers.

Did you know that before Stephen Colbert dominated late night he was a struggling actor who made an appearance on Law & Order?

Jennifer Garner Tried To Seduce Detective Curtis

Very early on in her acting career, Jennifer Garner appeared on the show’s sixth season finale. She played the romantic foil to Detective Curtis (Benjamin Bratt), who was happily married. The episode was notable because it didn’t follow the traditional “first comes law, then comes order” format. The episode centered on what happened after people witnessed an execution at the prison Attica. After playing several more bit parts, Garner landed the lead role in the series Alias, playing spy Sydney Bristow. She later segued to film, appearing in movies such as Catch Me If You Can, Elektra and Valentine’s Day.