Top 10 Celebs Who Were on Law & Order BEFORE They Got Famous

Rather than following crime investigations, “Trial by Jury” was a “Law & Order” series that focused on the actual court proceedings. This show gave a young Jessica Chastain her first recurring role on TV, after one-off bits on “ER” and “Veronica Mars.” Chastain played Assistant District Attorney Sigrun Borg, who worked directly with the bureau chiefs on three episodes. Jessica brought a natural charisma and a bit of humor to what could have been a bland role. Sadly this spin-off only lasted one season, and Chastain would wait about five years until big breaks in “The Help” and “The Tree of Life.”

Long before her turn in “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo,” Rooney Mara’s career started with the “Special Victims Unit.” As Jessica DeLay, Rooney delivered a tear-jerking performance as the target of a violent kidnapping. However, Jessica gave her a real chance to stretch her acting chops, since the character was secretly bullying overweight teens. This kind of duality in a role would help her shine early in her career. And her older sister Kate would make her own debut on the original “Law & Order” before an appearance on “SVU” as well. Rooney’s more complex character has stood out in the long-run, as an impressive gig from a great actress.

Long before his major roles and Oscars, Mahershala Ali had a 2009 guest role on “SVU.” Ali dominated the screen as ex-convict Mark Foster, who became the focus of a new investigation. His role as Foster kept us guessing, as he tried to question the detectives’ own motives. Plus, Ali got a couple moments to play a truly sinister villain before the episode wrapped up. Given his range of work dating back to 2002, Mahershala was a pro by his time on “Law & Order.” Though he was years off from “House of Cards” and “Moonlight,” Ali’s acting here already showed the same promise

Ellen Pompeo’s tenure on “Grey’s Anatomy” has defined her career, but “Law & Order” helped accelerate her trajectory. Pompeo made her first TV appearance as an attack survivor named Jenna. Though the role largely involved pleading with detectives, Ellen subtly offered hints towards her character’s nefarious intentions. She later played a victim’s sister in a season 10 episode as well. And this allowed Pompeo a dual role as a potential target and a suspect, at a time when she had almost no on-screen experience. While these toxic characters have become less typical for her, they gave an early glimpse at Pompeo’s depth of talent.

“Law & Order” was one of the first places to capture Philip Seymour Hoffman’s talent as a twenty-something actor. His rowdy drug dealer Steven was hard to like, especially with his smug attitude. But as Steven faced charges in court with his friends, Hoffman would transform into an angry, terrifying monster. Philip’s roller coaster of energy was a gripping showcase over a decade before Hoffman’s acclaimed roles in “Capote” and “The Master.” Plus, his character’s nerdy lawyer was played by none other than an up-and-coming Samuel L. Jackson. (xref) Hoffman was the highlight of the episode, though, as he continuously pushed people’s buttons.

Claire Danes has had a strong TV career, with leading roles in both “My So-Called Life” and “Homeland.” That’s because Danes started on television at age 13, as Tracy Brandt in “Law & Order”’s third season. In a case that surrounded a slain photographer, Tracy’s relationship with him slowly became the episode’s focus. Though Danes began fairly chipper in the appearance, her gradual breakdown had us in tears. The salacious nature of the man’s photos also upped the emotional impact of her already sad story. And for a brief appearance from an otherwise first-time actress, Claire gives a lot in meager time.

Jim Gaffigan’s biggest claim to fame has been his comedy, but he’s landed over a hundred acting credits over the years. In fact, the funnyman has appeared five times on various “Law & Order” shows, all as different characters. Gaffigan has played both a weird crematorium worker and a worrisome boss on “Criminal Intent.” Though he played a helpful citizen on one season of the original series, he returned to play a prime suspect years later. Despite his comedic energy, Gaffigan’s part as a clown had a shockingly dark edge that was hard to watch. Whatever the role, it was impressive that Gaffigan was able to snag so many parts across different franchises.

Around the release of her breakout in “Mean Girls,” Amanda Seyfried also starred with the “Special Victims Unit.” Seyfried was Tandi McCain, a victim found tied-up, alive in a house. Her portrayal was especially powerful since Tandi made up details and got arrested herself. Amanda balanced conflict and eventual sorrow that came with the story, as her real harasser’s case got thrown out due to her falsified statements. And Seyfried’s teary-eyed admission in the closing moments of the case proved why she’d earn everything from “Mamma Mia!” to “Les Misérables” as her career went on.

In the midst of a conspiracy that involved a basketball team, one player was pushing his teammates to sell drugs. Though this sounded like a part for a gritty actor, it would be filled by none other than John Krasinski. The adolescent criminal named Jace Gleesing got violent with his teammates and started to sweat when the detectives started noticing his expensive gear. Krasinski delivered an undeniably grounded performance and committed to the character’s unlikeable qualities. And this was just a year before he would become famous as the hilarious Jim on “The Office.” So regardless of the relatable people he would takeoff with, Krasinski still gave us shivers on “Criminal Intent.”

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

Julianna Margulies
“Law & Order” (1990-2010)

Zoe Saldana
Various

Sarah Paulson
Various

Elizabeth Banks
“Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” (1999-)

Norman Reedus
“Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” (1999-)

An overly aggressive lab technician was the perfect fit for Adam Driver when he appeared on “Law & Order” in 2010. With virtually no credits to his name, Driver was able to show off his penchant for tantrums without being the bad guy. He would return on “Special Victims Unit” as a creepy stalker, whose hidden cameras both complicated and helped solve the case in unusual ways. But it was Driver’s physical, angry outbursts that would show us just how intense he could be before his appearance on “Girls.” These acting moments have become retroactively more entertaining given his over-the-top Kylo Ren in “Star Wars.”