This Law & Order SVU Character Was Supposed To Guest Star But Stayed For Years

If you want to enter the entertainment industry to become an actor, you have to be prepared to not have a steady job all the time.

There are many stories told about how now famous actors had to support themselves by working as cashiers and waitresses at the beginning of their careers.

However, the fact that this career is completely unpredictable can sometimes work in an actor's favor. If you get a small but promising role and your performance exceeds all expectations, who knows?

You might just become a regular and secure at least a year of stability in an industry where no one usually feels so secure.

Of course, it's a lot easier if you already have a name attached to your talent. Tracy Lauren Marrow, better known to the public as Ice-T, started out in music, making a name for himself as a singer, songwriter and producer.

Years later, in 1995, he first entered Dick Wolf's universe by collaborating with him on several projects... and stayed with him for 24 years.

What was supposed to be a quick and easy 4-episode guest star role for season 2 of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit in 2000 turned into a passion project for Ice-T.

Playing Odafin "Fin" Tutuola, a former undercover narcotics officer who was transferred to the Special Victims Unit, the actor and musician found himself falling in love with the cast and crew.

Besides, working on Law & Order: SVU turned out to be a great learning experience.

"To be on a show this long, is like having gone to Harvard and grad school and getting my Ph.D, because every day I'm acting," the actor stated in an interview with Variety.

Whether or not Dick Wolf knew from the beginning that he wanted to bring Ice-T in for more, or decided to ask the actor to join the cast along the way, we may never know.

However, we can all appreciate how good a decision it was and how much Ice-T's performance as Tutuola adds to the group dynamic.

Just like every other running Law & Order series, SVU has been renewed for the next season, but there is no news on the release date yet. Keep your eyes peeled for updates!

Source: Variety