Sam Waterston leaving Law & Order after 400 episodes, Tony Goldwyn joining as new D.A.

There’s a new D.A. in town.

Sam Waterston is ending his tenure as Law & Order 's district attorney Jack McCoy. He's been on the show for more than 400 episodes. Tony Goldwyn is joining the cast as a new district attorney.

There’s no word yet on when Goldwyn will arrive to Law & Order, but Waterston’s final episode will air on Feb. 22. He first joined the series in its fifth season in 1994, serving as the executive assistant district attorney for most of his tenure before becoming the assistant district attorney after season 17 and finally a D.A. in season 20 (the show’s last before its revival).

Waterston has also appeared in every L&O episode since it was revived in 2022 and guested on four episodes of Special Victims Unit and two episodes of Trial by Jury. 

Goldwyn is best known for playing President Fitzgerald Grant III on seven seasons of Scandal in the 2010s, though he’s also appeared in massive films like Ghost, Tarzan, Divergent, and Oppenheimer. His feature directorial debut Ezra will release May 31.

Goldwyn previously appeared on four episodes of Law & Order: Criminal Intent in the sixth and seventh seasons. He played Frank Goren, the brother of Vincent D’Onofrio’s Robert Goren. However, since Frank was murdered in his final episode on the show, it's safe to say Goldwyn won't be reprising that role when he joins L&O.

Law & Order’s 23rd season premiered on Jan. 18. The series airs Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on NBC.

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