Changes are underway in the Dick Wolf TV universe.
Aimé Donna Kelly, who has portrayed Captain Renee Curry in Law & Order: SVU since 2020, has been upped to series regular for the procedural’s record-breaking 27th season. Her promotion follows five seasons and 29 episodes of recurring appearances. Initially introduced as an Internal Affairs Bureau officer, Curry has since been brought into SVU to assist Captain Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay) and her team.
Kelly joins a core ensemble that includes Hargitay, Ice-T, Kelli Giddish, Peter Scanavino, and Kevin Kane. The new season premieres this fall on NBC.
Off-screen, Kelly has been building momentum across platforms. She recently wrapped filming on Prime Video’s upcoming limited series The Greatest, where she stars as civil rights attorney Alberta Jones. The show, executive produced by Michael B. Jordan and Ben Watkins, chronicles defining moments in Muhammad Ali’s life and career.
Meanwhile, Juliana Aidén Martinez, who spent Season 26 on SVU as Detective Kate Silva, has booked her next major role. Martinez has joined FBI as a series regular for Season 8, premiering October 13 on CBS.
Though details about her character remain under wraps, it’s possible Martinez could become the new partner to Stuart Scola (John Boyd), whose previous partners Tiffany Wallace (Katherine Renee Kane) and Syd Ortiz (Lisette Olivera) exited the series last season. Emily Alabi, currently playing Dani Rhodes, is expected to wrap her storyline early in the upcoming season.
Martinez’s move marks the latest instance of talent shifting within the Wolf Entertainment franchise. Previous crossovers include Dylan McDermott, Jesse Lee Soffer, and Brandon Larracuente, all of whom transitioned between Wolf series with new roles.
As SVU continues its historic run and FBI gears up for another action-packed season, both shows are keeping their universes fresh with familiar faces in new places.