‘Law & Order’ Loses Major Cast Member Ahead of Season 26

Law & Order is losing a cast member ahead of its 26th season this fall.

Reid Scott, who has played Senior Det. Vincent Riley for the past three seasons, is leaving the crime drama and will be succeeded by another high-profile name, James Badge Dale. Dale is set to play a new senior detective.

Deadline reports that Scott has one more year on his Law & Order contract, but that the Veep alum made the decision to leave the show due to strain caused by the cross-country commute to New York and being away from his family for nine months of the year. The exit was reportedly amicable.

Scott is reportedly back on set, filming a few episodes to wrap up Det. Riley’s character arc before Dale’s character is introduced.

It’s not exactly a surprise for Law & Order to be losing a main cast member like Scott; his character was most recently partnered with Junior Det. Theo Walker (David Ajala) this past season, and Junior Det. Jalen Shaw (Mehead Brooks) the season before. Scott himself replaced Jeffrey Donovan.

Dale, who as a TV actor is best known for his major roles on Fox’s 24, HBO’s The Pacific and Paramount+’s 1923, will join Tony Goldwyn, Hugh Dancy, Maura Tierney and Odelya Halevi on Law & Order.

Dale’s film credits include The Departed, The Grey, Iron Man 3, 13 Hours and World War Z. He recently signed on for the psychological thriller The Guide and will also be seen in the A24 fugitive thriller October.

Law & Order Season 26 will air in a new time slot — Thursdays at 10 p.m. ET, following Law & Order: SVU at 9 p.m. ET — and will kick off with its season premiere on Oct. 8.