Law & Order: Special Victims Unit has been on TV since 1999. Over it’s 16 seasons, it’s had a lot of famous guest stars and it has even given some celebrities their start. But when you’ve had over 364 episodes of a show, you’re bound to have some unintentional repeats.
1. Hayden Panettiere
One of the most notable actors that has played multiple characters on SVU is Hayden. She first appeared in the 2001 episode “Abuse” as Ashley, a child suspected of abuse and neglect from her famous parents after her brother’s death. Four years later she returned for the episode “Hooked” as Angela, the best friend of a girl who was murdered.
2. Diane Neal
Before she was ADA Casey Novak, Diane Neal appeared in the episode “Riddicule” in 2001, where multiple women were accused of raping a male stripper. She might not have been an ADA then (nor do they ever mention her being on the show previously) but her character did play a lawyer.
3. Gloria Reuben
She first appeared on SVU in 2002 in the episode “Dolls”, as former drug-addict whose 5-year-older daughter is discovered. She then returned and played Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Danielson from 2007-2011.
4. Kelli Giddish
Before she was Detective Amanda Rollins, Kelli Giddish first appeared on SVU as rape victim Kara Bawson in the episode “Outside”.
5. Nestor Serrano
In the 2000 he was in the episode “Asunder” as Sgt. Lloyd Andrews. Then in 2004 in the episode “Obscene” he returned to SVU as Franco Marquez. He’s also been on Law & Order, Law & Order Criminal Intent, and Law & Order: Trial by Jury.
6. Elizabeth Mitchell
Mitchell first appeared in the 2003 episode “Mercy” as the mother of a baby that is found in a cooler, which leads the SVU team to discover she murdered her baby because the infant had Tay-Sachs disease. She resurfaced 8 years later for the episode “Totem”, where she plays the piano teacher of a little girl that was murdered.
7. Noelle Beck
Noelle’s first guest spot came all the way back in “Entitled” in 2000, in a case where the detectives are investigating her character Stephanie after the death of a salesman. 11 years later, she came back as Dr. Audrey Shelton, in “Bang” where the other guest star was John Stamos as a serial “reproductive abuser”.
8. Kyle MacLachlan
MacLachlan’s first appearance was in “Conscience” as the father of a teen-aged murder. 7 years later, he came back for the episode “Blood Brothers” as a high-profile politician who’s son is involved in a rape accusation.
9. Peter Scanavino
The first time we saw Scanavino on SVU was in “Monster’s Legacy” in 2013 as Johnny Dubcek. But since 2014 he’s been a member of the SVU team as Dominick “Sonny” Carisi Jr.
10. Daniel Sunjata
From 2002-2004 he was CSU Technician Burt Trevor, but in 2000 in “Remorse”, he played a nameless Bomb Squad Officer.
11. Tom O’Rourke
In the 1999 episode “Sophmore Jinx” he played a campus security officer, but from 2000-2006 he was Judge Mark Seligman.
12. Peyton List
List’s first episode was “Pixies” in 2001 as Patsy and then she returned in “Soulless” in 2003 as Chloe Dutton, a rape victim that claims she wasn’t raped and is abducted from the hospital she’s staying in.
13. Dan Lauria
This Wonder Years father wasn’t so fatherly when he appeared in “Damaged” back in 2003 as Peter Kurt. Then he returned in 2011’s “Personal Fouls” as Coach Ray Masters, who is accused by a former-athlete of sexual abuse.
14. Mike Doyle
Doyle played Forensics Tech Ryan O’Halloran from 2003-2009, but in 2002 he was assistant M.E. Karlan in the episode “Prodigy”.
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