What role did Jesse Metcalfe play in Law & Order? Character details explored

The American television series Law & Order first premiered on NBC in 1990. The show features two distinct sections, focusing on police investigation and district attorney prosecution. It takes scenes from true events and has created multiple successful spinoffs, including Law & Order: SVU and Law & Order: Organized Crime.

Actor Jesse Metcalfe recently guest-starred as Sergeant Danny DeLuca in Law & Order season 24 episode 16, titled Folk Hero, which aired on March 20, 2025. Detective DeLuca from Midtown joined Detective Riley to find a shooter who had garnered public attention.

The episode explored themes of justice, internal scrutiny, and the moral complexities of law enforcement.

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About Jesse Metcalfe's role as Danny DeLuca in Law & Order

Sgt. Danny Deluca (Jesse Metcalfe) in Law & Order (Image via NBC)

Sgt. Danny DeLuca depicted one of the first officers on the scene after a health insurance executive was fatally shot in Midtown Manhattan.

DeLuca assisted Detective Vincent Riley in pursuing Ethan Weller, the fleeing suspect, who escaped on foot shortly after the shooting. Weller targeted his victim to avenge the insurance company's decision to deny medical treatment to his cancer-ridden mother.

Riley and DeLuca tried to apprehend him, but Weller's supporters hindered their efforts. They wore camouflage jackets identical to Weller's in order to confuse police and delay his capture.

Riley and DeLuca eventually arrested Weller just before he attempted to kill another health insurance executive.

During the trial, Weller's attorney argued that the killing prevented future deaths, as the insurer had a history of denying coverage. The episode ends just before the jury announces its verdict, leaving the outcome uncertain.

Elsewhere in the episode, DA Nicholas Baxter and ADA Nolan Price clashed over whether the prosecution was straightforward, as growing public support for Weller complicated the legal strategy.

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Jesse Metcalfe's perspective on the episode Folk Hero

Jesse Metcalfe expressed enthusiasm about the Law & Order episode's impact in an interview with Cinema Blend on March 20, 2025. He stated:

"I think that this particular episode is incredibly compelling. I think it's really going to resonate with the fans of the show, and spark a lot of conversation."

While reflecting on the filming experience in New York City, Metcalfe noted:

"We shot all around Lower Manhattan and we were sort of running through the city in 20 degree weather for two weeks. I mean, it was really thrilling and it's almost like you're not acting."

In an interview with TV Insider on March 20, 2025, the actor commented on the open-ended conclusion of the episode, saying,

"It really works for this episode. We don’t really take a stand on what the verdict should be. We allow the audience to have their own opinion."

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Early life and career of Jesse Metcalfe

American actor Jesse Metcalfe was born on December 9, 1978, in Carmel Valley, California. He started his acting career on the soap opera Passions, where he played Miguel Lopez-Fitzgerald from 1999 to 2004.

Metcalfe is well-known for his role in the comedy-drama series Desperate Housewives (2004-2007) as teen gardener John Rowland, who had an affair with Eva Longoria's character. He also played John Tucker in the romantic comedy John Tucker Must Die (2006).

Jesse also played the protagonist in the horror film Insanitarium in 2008 and later landed the role of Christopher Ewing on the TNT series Dallas between 2012 and 2014. He then took part in the romance series Chesapeake Shores for Hallmark Channel from 2016 to 2022, portraying Trace Riley.

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Fans can catch new episodes of Law & Order every Thursday on NBC at 8 pm ET. The episodes are available to stream on Peacock the next day.