*Stephen A. Smith is trading sports commentary for scripted drama in his upcoming guest appearance on NBC’s “Law & Order.”
The ESPN personality and longtime fan of the iconic crime series will appear in the May 8 episode, taking on the role of a murdered sports agent at the center of the episode’s investigation, Variety reports.
According to the official synopsis, Smith’s character is a “tough-love sports agent” whose stabbing death sets off a trail of suspects, each with a reason to want him gone. Despite mounting evidence, prosecutors Price (Hugh Dancy) and Maroun (Odelya Halevi) face an uphill battle, fearing the lack of a clear motive could jeopardize their case.
Smith shared how the opportunity came about during an interview with Variety, crediting writer Pam Wechsler for pitching the idea when they crossed paths in Los Angeles. “She walked right up to me and she said, ‘Would you be interested in doing this?’ I said, ‘Law & Order? The Law & Order? Of course!’” he recalled.
“Being on a show as epic as ‘Law & Order,’ you try to bring your A game. So that’s what I tried to do, because I’ve been a huge fan of the show for many decades,” Smith said.
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Smith admitted the role of a corpse wasn’t quite the dream. “That’s part of the bucket list, being on Law & Order, but not being the corpse,” he joked. “My goal is to ultimately be a lawyer in the courtroom, going up against one of the attorneys.”
Smith leaned on his sports media experience to portray the no-nonsense agent, saying, “I’ve dealt with enough sports agents in my life to know the kind of things they say… when to be forceful, when to back off.”
Catch Stephen A. Smith’s dramatic turn on “Law & Order” Wednesday, May 8, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on NBC.
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