Sam Waterston Leaving ‘Law & Order’ — Tony Goldwyn Replacing Him as DA

Meredith Jacobs February 2, 2024, 2:00 pm

Sam Waterston in 'Law & Order'; Tony Goldwyn — Virginia Sherwood/NBC; Jason Mendez/Getty Images for BAFTA

Law & Order fans will have to say goodbye to District Attorney Jack McCoy once again.

Sam Waterston is leaving the long-running NBC drama, TV Insider has learned. His last episode will air on February 22. Coming in as the new district attorney is Tony Goldwyn.

“Greetings, you wonderful people. It’s a pleasure to talk directly like this to the backbone of Law & Order’s absolutely amazing audience. The time has come for me to move on and take Jack McCoy with me,” Waterston said in a statement. “There’s sadness in leaving, but I’m just too curious about what’s next. An actor doesn’t want to let himself get too comfortable. I’m more grateful to you than I can say. L&O’s continuing and amazing long run, along with its astounding come-back, is all thanks to you and to Dick Wolf, but for whose vision, patience, perseverance, and unique combination of creative and business talents, none of this would have happened. I feel very blessed. I hope to see you all on the flip side.”

Waterston has appeared in more than 400 episodes and joined the show in Season 4 in 1994. He then returned when the drama did in 2022 for its 21st season (after it ended in 2010). He was the last returning cast member from the show’s original run (Anthony Anderson only starred in Season 21). He’s won a Screen Actors Guild Award for playing Jack McCoy and has been nominated for other SAG Awards, Emmys, and a Golden Globe for his work on Law & Order.

“I thought, ‘Can you go home again?’” Waterston admitted to TV Insider in 2022 ahead of the drama’s return. “But when I walked on the set, I realized, ‘How could I have considered the possibility of missing this?’”

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And for the show’s 400th episode in May 2023, Waterston’s real-life daughter Elisabeth Waterston guest starred as his character’s daughter, a defense attorney. “That topped everything,” he told us. “She’s a beautiful actress, quick to react, full of intelligence and ready emotion.”

Law & Order also stars Hugh Dancy, Camryn Manheim, Odelya Halevi, Mehcad Brooks, and Reid Scott (who joined this season, replacing Jeffrey Donovan). The show is averaging 6.4 million viewers this season across all platforms (L+3).

Joining creator Dick Wolf as executive producers are Rick Eid, Pamela Wechsler, Alex Hall, Arthur Forney, and Peter Jankowski. The series is produced by Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group, in association with Wolf Entertainment.

Law & Order, Thursdays, 8/7c, NBC