Law & Order: Organized Crime is expanding the ranks for Season 3.
Rick Gonzalez (Arrow, Coach Carter) and Brent Antonello (Pam & Tommy, Dynasty) have joined the cast of the hit spin-off in what appear to be starring roles.
The duo will portray NYPD detectives assigned to the Organized Crime unit.
Per Deadline, there’s no word on the character names or their backgrounds, but it does expand the starring cast beyond the small core the series has had since it began.
This may play into a different direction for the show with the possibility it becomes more episodic than the longer story arcs of previous seasons.
With production underway, this is a big shift for the series that promises for a larger Season 3.
Law & Order: Organized Crime’s smaller staff
Unlike the other Law & Order series, Law & Order: Organized Crime doesn’t have a larger cast.
Since the beginning, the series has centered on Christopher Meloni as Elliot Stabler, handling a variety of crimes.
Besides Meloni, the other two main cast members have been Danielle Moné Truitt as Sgt. Ayanna Bell and Ainsley Seiger as wisecracking hacker Jet Slootmaekers.
A few actors have appeared in the opening credits, such as Dylan McDermott (Richard Wheatley), Tamara Taylor (Angela Wheatley) and Nona Parker Johnson (Carmen “Nova” Riley).
The show has had recurring characters Carlos Maldonado (Mike Cannon) and Victoria Cho (Rachel Lin), two detectives who help on cases but are not as prominent.
There have also been a variety of guest stars as criminals, from Vinnie Jones to Denis Leary.
However, the core cast appears to now be expanding in Season 3 with these two new detectives as the Organized Crime Task Force needs more manpower to handle the dangerous streets of New York.
Who are the new Law & Order: Organized Crime cast members?
Rick Gonzalez gained attention in the 2005 basketball drama Coach Carter opposite Samuel L. Jackson.
He also starred in the cult CW comedy Reaper and a variety of TV series such as CSI and NCIS.
Gonzalez is best known for playing Rene Ramirez, aka Wild Dog, on the CW’s Arrow.
The actor shared how he had guest-starred in a Season 1 episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit when breaking the news of his casting.
Brent Antonello broke out in the VH1 dramedy Hit The Floor and a recurring role in the first two seasons of the CW’s Dynasty. He was most recently seen in the Hulu drama Pam & Tommy.
He also shared the news of his casting with excitement for the role.
As of now, there is no word on the names of the pair’s characters or what role they will play in Season 3.
While production is underway, there is the possibility that Season 3 breaks from the longer story arcs of the previous years for more episodic stories that give more attention to the supporting cast.
As it stands, these two new cast members should spark Law & Order: Organized Crime Season 3 to a new level of excitement.
Law & Order: Organized Crime Season 3 premieres Thursday, September 22 at 10/9c on NBC.