Law and order has been a mainstay on television for quite some time, and over its 22 seasons, the show’s ensemble cast has seen a number of notable actors come and go.
Fans were already delighted when it was announced that Anthony Anderson would be returning to the show as his character Detective Kevin Bernard for the season 21 debut which took place earlier this year. However, the actor will not return for the 22nd season.
Anthony Anderson, who is well known for his roles in various TV shows and movies such as Black-ish and Me, Myself, and Irene, left the show after the end of season 21 in 2022, as the actor was only signed to a one-year contract .
When the actor, now 52, returned to his role as Bernard the previous year, he did so under the terms of a one-year contract with NBC; but now that the contract has expired, Bernard will no longer appear in future episodes.
Anthony made a public statement regarding his departure, although his brief stay was always intended to be temporary. According to an interview he gave to Entertainment Tonight, he expressed a desire to “go out and create other projects like Black-ish, develop things that I have ownership in and do something a little different.”
“We’re coming out with another drama called Miraculous, which I’m excited about, so I’m looking forward to what he’s going to do,” the producer said.
How will Anthony Anderson be written out of Law & Order?
Given that his deal with NBC has expired, it’s highly doubtful that Anthony will return to the hit crime series anytime soon. Considering his revenge came after more than a decade, it’s possible the writers were considering it.
What does Will Anthony Anderson’s departure mean for Law & Order?
Since Anthony will not be returning to the program, the writers have decided to kill off his character. Law & Order showrunner Rick Eide told TV Line that the departure will be handled as usual. “This is only a passing mention. It follows the time-honored Law & Order tradition of being very brief and saying something like “moving on.” Here we are. We have no choice but to solve the case.
Even though Anthony Anderson left Law & Order, he could always come back
It’s been more than a decade since Detective Bernard appeared in an episode of Law & Order, which is one of the reasons why his return to the show is so intriguing. Between 2008 and 2010, Anthony revived the character of Detective Bernard. But then he became a member of the cast of Black-ish and left his role on Law & Order. The fact that he did after all these years away is a hopeful sign of what’s to come for him on the series.
Jalen Shaw, who is portrayed by Mehcad Brooks and first appeared in the Season 22 premiere after moving to the precinct after working with Cosgrove, is the new detective to join the team. While details on how the show will handle Detective Bernard’s departure are still a bit scarce, we do know that there will be a new detective joining the team.
I left it after three episodes https://t.co/gri1pp7m6h
— XLProfessor (@XLProfessor) May 27, 2022
Additional context for Detective Bernard’s departure is expected to be provided in the second episode of the season, which will air on Thursday, September 29. Every Thursday at 8 a.m. ET, NBC airs brand new episodes of the legal drama Law & Order.
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Anthony Anderson left Law & Order after just one season because he wanted to try something new. ET’s Kevin Frazier spoke with the 51-year-old actor on Thursday while he was at the American Century Championship presented by American Century Investments in South Lake Tahoe.
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