Anthony Anderson Exits Law & Order After Season 21 Return
After returning for Law & Order season 21, Anthony Anderson exits ahead of the recently announced season 22. The Law & Order franchise has remained a staple at NBC for over 30 years thanks to shows like SVU, Criminal Intent, and Organized Crime. However, the original Law & Order went off the air in 2010 after 20 successful seasons. In September 2021, NBC renewed the series for season 21, which premiered in February 2022. The Law & Order revivalintroduced several new cast members, including Hugh Dancy and Camryn Manheim. Original stars Anderson and Sam Waterston returned as well.
The announcement that Anderson would reprise his role came in November 2021, with the actor signing a one-year deal at the time. Anderson later shared he approached creator Dick Wolf about his Law & Order season 21 return. In the original run of the show, the actor appeared in seasons 18-20 as a junior detective, Kevin Bernard. By season 21, his character made senior detective, working alongside Frank Cosgrove, played by new cast member Jeffrey Donovan.
Related: Law & Order Revival Cast Guide: Every Returning Character
Though NBC renewed Law & Order for season 22, Anderson won't be back as Bernard. Per Deadline, the actor has opted to exit the series. Sources indicate that Anderson only wanted to help Wolf restart the show and knew he would be leaving after that.
Considering Anderson only signed a one-year deal to return for Law & Order season 21, his exit doesn't come as a huge shock. Since the revival was well-received enough by viewers for NBC to renew it, Anderson's plan of helping to kickstart the show's new run paid off. His return as Bernard helped introduce audiences to the new Law & Order characters, who they've hopefully come to like
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