TV Shows

‘Law & Order: SVU’ Star Cast in ‘FBI’ Following Recent Departure

Emily Alabi is exiting, while Juliana Aidén Martinez is coming aboard.

Pictured (L-R): Missy Peregrym as Special Agent Maggie Bell, Zeeko Zaki as Special Agent Omar Adom ‘OA’ Zidan, and Jeremy Sisto as Assistant Special Agent in Charge Jubal Valentine. Photo: Bennett Raglin/CBS

FBI is going through another casting change.

Ahead of the CBS drama’s eighth season, Emily Alabi has exited the series, with Law & Order: SVU’s Juliana Aidén Martinez joining the team, Deadline reports.

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Martinez is the third new cast member to join FBI in less than a year following series regular Katherine Renee Kane’s departure at the beginning of Season 7. Lisette Olivera initially joined last fall as a series regular to be Scola’s (John Boyd) new partner, Syd Ortiz, but she departed after only a few episodes due to creative decisions.

Pictured: Emily Alabi as Dani Rhodes. Photo: Bennett Raglin/CBS

Alabi was announced in January to be joining in a recurring role, portraying Dani Rhodes. At the time, it was revealed she had the potential to be upped to series regular for Season 8, but it seems like that is no longer the case. Sources say that Alabi will be returning in the fall to wrap up Dani’s story at the beginning of the season.

Details have not been provided about Martinez’s character, but it’s possible third time’s the charm when it comes to Scola’s new partner. At the very least, her new role should fill the void for those disappointed in her departure from fellow Dick Wolf series Law & Order: SVU. It was reported in May that both Martinez and Octavio Pisano would be exiting the long-running drama, with Martinez’s departure coming only after portraying Detective Kate Silva for one season.

Pictured: Juliana Aidén Martinez as Det. Kate Silva — (Photo by: Ralph Bavaro/NBC)

Along with Boyd, Martinez joins returning series regulars Missy Peregrym, Zeeko Zaki, Jeremy Sisto, and Alana de la Garza. When FBI returns in October, the show will be coming off of a cliffhanger, which saw de la Garza’s Isobel collapsing in the season finale’s final seconds. It came after 26 Fed was hit with numerous bombs that were on certain bureau-issued phones, and Isobel was caught up in one but seemed to be okay. It’s unknown what her condition will be when Season 8 premieres, but fans may want to brace themselves for the worst and for what the aftermath could look like, regardless of her fate.

More information on Martinez’s character should be revealed in the coming weeks as production begins on FBI Season 8. For now, all seven seasons of FBI are streaming on Paramount+. Season 8 premieres on Monday, Oct. 13 at 9 p.m. ET on CBS, streaming the next day on Paramount+.