Natasha Lyonne
Natasha Lyonne is the first to admit she hasn't always been a saint.
The actress, best known for films such as American Pie, But I'm a Cheerleader and Slums of Beverly Hills, is also well-known for her personal struggles behind the camera, including her DUI in 2001 and a 2006 stint at a drug and alcohol treatment center. Lyonne says she's been able to use those latter experiences while playing a...
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Gail Simmons, Padma Lakshmi, Tom Colicchio
They say "Everything's Bigger in Texas," which happens to be the episode title for the premiere of Bravo's Texas-set ninth season of Top Chef (10/9c). And it also may explain why a ginormous platoon of 29 chef-testants descends on the historic Alamo for the first round of competition, and why the process of narrowing the field to a Top 16 can't even be contained within the first pulse-pounding episode.
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Andre Braugher
It's a different character, a different city, and a different department, but when Andre Braugher returns to NBC for his first appearance on Law & Order: SVU Wednesday (airing at 10/9c on NBC), there will be one very familiar face in his midst.
"It's kind of funny because Munch has been in both of these worlds, and here I am basically in Munch's world appearing as someone else, so there's a cute little meet and greet," Braugher tells TVGuide.com of his reunion with Homicide: Life on the Street co-star Richard Belzer. "I say, 'Have we met?' There's a glimmer before we get down to brass tax in the show basically to acknowledge we know each other and that we spent a significant amount of time together."
Law & Order: SVU's new boss on Meloni's exit, new detectives and rejuvenating the show
It's been almost 12 years since Braugher retired his badge in the 2000 Homicide TV movie, and although his co-star is still portraying the same wise-cracking cop, Braugher's Det. Frank Pembleton is nowhere...
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Andre Braugher
It's a different character, a different city, and a different department, but when Andre Braugher returns to NBC for his first appearance on Law & Order: SVU Wednesday (airing at 10/9c on NBC), there will be one very familiar face in his midst.
"It's kind of funny because Munch has been in both of these worlds, and here I am basically in Munch's world appearing as someone else, so there's a cute little meet and greet," Braugher tells TVGuide.com of his reunion with Homicide: Life on the Street co-star Richard Belzer. "I say, 'Have we met?' There's a glimmer before we get down to brass tax in the show basically to acknowledge we know each other and that we spent a significant amount of time together."
Law & Order: SVU's new boss on Meloni's exit, new detectives and rejuvenating the show
It's been almost 12 years since Braugher retired his badge in the 2000 Homicide TV movie, and although his co-star is still portraying the same wise-cracking cop, Braugher's Det. Frank Pembleton is nowhere to be seen. Instead, the two-time Emmy winner will guest-star in three episodes as...
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Kelli Giddish
Most people would be wary to begin a series in its 13th season. Most people would be nervous to join a cast after the exit of a high-profile star. Kelli Giddish is not most people.
"I couldn't feel better about it. ... There's no intimidation," Giddish tells TVGuide.com of jumping onboard Law & Order: SVU. "What attracted me was the prospect of re-invigorating a franchise that's been so well-known and so well-liked, and then to be the shaker and mover."
Giddish is one of two fresh faces in the 16th District's SVU team this season, which also sees the departure of longtime showrunner Neal Baer and the exit of star Christopher Meloni. "They've lost a close family member and that's very, very obvious. The writers are not...
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Law & Order: SVU, Diane Neal and Stephanie March
Stephanie March and Diane Neal are both returning to Law & Order: SVU for the drama's upcoming thirteenth season, executive producer Warren Leight revealed Tuesday.
March, 36, played ADA Alexandra Cabot for seven seasons and Neal, 34, portrayed ADA Casey Novak for...
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Richard Belzer by Duffy-Marie Arnoult/WireImage.com
As production of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit's new season kicks into full gear, TVGuide.com talked to star Richard Belzer on Tuesday in New York at the Paws for Style benefit (where he and his pup, Bebe, were strutting their stuff in Von Dutch). Coming off of his first day back on set, Belzer said "it was great to see everybody." So what can we expect from the upcoming season? Look for an exciting season premiere: "James Brolin is in it and he's a great guy," says Belzer. Brolin will be playing an ex-military man with a connection to Detective Elliot Stabler, played by Christopher Meloni. "He's got a big fight scene with Stabler, so that should be fun," said Belzer. And for all you Munch fans out there hoping he'll have more screen time, it looks promising. As for his storylines, "Well, I can't say, but there are some big surprises coming up."Law & Order: Special Victims Unit returns to NBC on Tuesday, Sept. 23 at 10 pm/ET. — Robyn RossRelated• The Latest Meg...
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In an episode more given over to relatively leisurely setpieces than usual this season (and marking the return of scriptwriter Richard Price to the series, and a cameo by Richard Belzer as Munch, another reference back to Homicide: Life on the Streets), this one was all about the misallocation of resources. Of course, every episode of The Wire deals with that, but rarely so completely.For example, McNulty and Freamon fake up a call from their fictional serial murderer to Templeton, the reporter who is their unwitting partner in the fraud (or, more correctly, is running his own parallel fraud to theirs). This leads to both precisely the kind of unlimited funding Lester and Jimmy were hoping for in police department funds and humanpower commitment, and an embarrassment of riches (and the looming threat of close oversight scrutiny) that might hinder their real investigation...even as it allows McNulty to quietly fund and fold in the pet cases of many of his fellow homicide detectives...
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For all you bloggers who want L&O:SVU to go back to investigating sex crimes I think we can all agree that the rape of a young boy is going to qualify.Now since Olivia was the featured detective in last week's episode it was pretty obvious that we'd be treated to a little Elliot Stabler tonight. But lo and behold who is that dapper chap standing next to him? Well if my eyes don't deceive me I do believe it's our long lost conspiracy minded investigator Det. John Munch. Haven't seen too much of Richard Belzer since NBC sidelined him at the beginning of this season. NIce to have him backWonder what came first though? Did the Orthodox Jew storyline logically dictate Belzer's presence or did they figure: well we're committed to putting Richard in one episode this year so let's throw his religion into the mix? If that's what its going to take I guess we won't see Munch again until SVU starts investigating hate crimes or someone defaces a synagogue. Shame. They even dumped him ...
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I have more news on the Richard Belzer front. I spoke with the actor himself this week and he is very grateful that you guys all miss Detective Munch and it turns out we weren't imagining things: Belzer’s contract this year was reduced from 22 episodes to a measly 13. No word on why this happened. Belzer is as mystified as we are but the 63 year old's character was pretty much replaced by 35 year old Adam Beach this season. Nobody is saying its ageism and maybe I am just as conspiracy minded as Detective Munch but you do the math and tell me what you think.Executive Producer Neal Baer would not comment further. Although he told me last week Munch wasn't going anywhere, they have sure found screen time for Adam. I think every episode this season. Personally Munch is one of my favorite characters. He is funny, cynical and real. If you want to see more Munch let your voice be heard. Write to NBC or send a letter to TV Guide Magazine and let the show’s producers know ho...
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