Is Bradley Whitford returning to Law & Order: SVU?

Bradley Whitford is all set to return to the massive Law & Order franchise in an upcoming episode in February. The big name will be one of the many in this season of the long-running show. Law & Order: SVU (Special Victims Unit) is already one of the longest-running shows on television, with viewers witnessing its 24th season.

Law & Order has managed to maintain its appeal using multiple guest stars over the seasons, even big names like Bradley Whitford. The three times Emmy Award winner has already appeared in the franchise before, with one stint in Los Angeles and one in the original series. This episode will air on February 23 on NBC and will be directed by series star Mariska Hargitay.

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Who is Bradley Whitford, and what role will he play in Law & Order: SVU?

Bradley Whitford is one of the most popular TV actors of this generation. Best known for his role as White House Deputy Chief of Staff Josh Lyman in the NBC television political drama The West Wing, Whitford has appeared in numerous films and shows like The Good Guys, The Mentalist, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Godzilla: King of the Monsters, and Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, among many others.

Among his long list of achievements, he was nominated for three consecutive Primetime Emmy Awards from 2001 to 2003. He also won his second Primetime Emmy Award for his role as Marcy in Transparent.

In the upcoming episode of Law & Order: SVU, Whitford will star as a professor struggling with early-onset dementia who confesses to a murder. As interesting as this premise sounds, Whitford will not stay in the series for long, much like most other guest stars who often come and go. This constant change of characters is one of the reasons the franchise still holds its place among the prominent shows.

The show recently bid goodbye to longtime cast member Kelli Giddish, who played Detective Amanda Rollins. Giddish spoke to Variety about her exit. She said:

"I started playing her in my late 20s, so I’ve played her in three decades of my life, which is nuts. It’s insane. This is a show unlike any other,...Shows don’t last 12 years, much less getting to play a character. With playing someone as multi-faceted as Rollins, I got to play all kinds of different things — down and out, on top, joyful, doubtful, scared, triumphant. I got to do the gambit."

However, it seems these decisions rarely rest with the actor. Dick Wolf, the producer. Giddish continued:

"It’s time in the Rollins storyline. I felt like where it was heading, and where it headed last night, just seemed the right place to leave it right now,...I am so excited about things going on in my personal life and kind of the mirroring of what’s going on in my personal life and in Rollins’, there’s a lot of joy to be experienced."

Many stars like Giddish and Whitford will continue to grace the world of Law & Order for the years to come. Stay tuned for more updates.