Donna Lynne Champlin on Law & Order: SVU

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In the upcoming episode of “Law & Order: SVU” airing on February 27, 2025, viewers can expect a change in the typical victim dynamic, with a more active participant than usual… for better or worse. Actress Donna Lynne Champlin, known from “The Perfect Couple,” will portray Megan in this intriguing case that Mariska Hargitay’s Benson, Ice-T’s Fin, and the rest of the SVU team take on. Champlin shared her experience filming the episode with TopMob and discussed how it was to her advantage that she wasn’t a fan of the show prior to joining its cast.

The former star of “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” appears in an episode titled “The Grid Plan.” In this episode, she portrays a tourist who becomes embroiled in an investigation after being attacked in Times Square. To discover the outcome, viewers will need to tune in. Meanwhile, the Broadway performer and upcoming guest star expressed her enthusiasm about receiving the script, sharing with me:

Wowza! The offer I received was nothing short of amazing, straight up! Being a film enthusiast, I hadn’t given this local production much thought initially. I figured I’d be playing some lawyer or private investigator on the side. But when I got my hands on the script, it turned out my character is named Megan, and she’s in almost every single scene! I even had to double-check with my agent, “What’s the name of my character again? ‘Cause it’s definitely not Megan!” [laughs] “Megan’s in every scene!

In this episode of SVU, Donna Lynne Champlin isn’t making her debut in the broader Law & Order universe for the first time, but given that her initial appearance on Law & Order was removed from the final cut, it’s understandable that she’s thrilled to have such a substantial role on Mariska Hargitay’s show. The actress herself explained:

I couldn’t be more ecstatic! This role is a real challenge, as they say. As an actress, I usually have a wide variety of roles in theater, but on-screen opportunities haven’t allowed me to explore that range much. This part, though, feels like participating in an Olympic event. It was such a joy to play, and I felt exhausted at the end of each day, but it was that satisfying kind of tiredness.

As a passionate film aficionado, I’ve noticed that one-time guest stars often don’t get fully developed storylines in a single episode. However, when it comes to Susan Champlin as Megan on SVU, it appears to be different. The actress didn’t reveal all the secrets about what viewers can anticipate on NBC this Thursday, February 27 at 9 p.m. ET (or stream it the next day with a Peacock subscription). But the hint of a “barn burner” certainly sets the stage for an exciting episode!

Did Donna Lynne Champlay watch “SVU” extensively prior to collaborating closely with Mariska Hargitay, given that the series is now on its Season 26 and Hargitay has been in over 550 episodes? I posed this question, and she chuckled before providing an understandable explanation for her lack of previous viewing:

I’d never watched it before, that particular series. Living in New York, the grim stories of urban crime and trauma are a part of daily life for me, making it difficult to engage with such content. So yes, ironically enough, I had never caught an episode of it. It was amusing when one of the regular cast members called me out on my lack of viewing experience. [laughs] And they said, “You’ve never seen this show, have you?” To which I sheepishly replied, “Oh my goodness, I haven’t! I’m so sorry.

Given that “Law & Order: SVU” has been sharing gruesome crime narratives based in New York City for over a quarter of a century, it’s understandable if someone from NYC might choose not to tune in every week. Interestingly, Champlin, who wasn’t initially a fan since its debut in 1999, found this lack of interest beneficial for her performance. She shared the reason behind her performance:

They essentially said, ‘No, surprisingly, it benefits you greatly since there’s a clear structure to the episode plot. You’re doing things that seem logical yet uncommon for a victim here. I didn’t want to spoil it for you, so I didn’t reveal what it is.’ [laughs] Despite their praise of the show, I remained clueless about what they were referring to, as a New Yorker, I prefer to limit my exposure to traumatic experiences.

Champlin, who hinted that her character has some intense scenes with Mariska Hargitay’s Benson, adds a fresh perspective to “SVU” because she is a new addition to the popular NBC series. It’s understandable that she might not want to watch a show about crime and trauma in her own city, and it turns out that she discovered just how intense “SVU” can be from an unanticipated source. She shared:

It’s amusing because I recently conversed with Makeup and Hair, both exceptional at what they do, by the way. Usually, I don’t get to wear makeup that simulates injuries. This is the first time it happened, and I was arrested for the first time too, with injury-simulating makeup and tear-inducing makeup applied. They’re masters of makeup and hair artistry, and they were speaking to me. They essentially said, ‘You really hit the jackpot.’ I asked, ‘What do you mean?’ and they replied, ‘Well, your scene, compared to other scenes, the way it will be filmed… You hit the jackpot. Sometimes the show can be more graphic than what your scene is.’ I responded, ‘Oh, alright. That’s good to know.’ [laughs] They then began sharing some storylines with me, and I realized, ‘Wow! I did indeed hit the jackpot.’

The long-awaited episode featuring Donna Lynne Champlin on SVU, offering an unusual perspective on a sexual assault victim, is almost here. Don’t miss it on NBC this Thursday at 9 p.m. ET, right after the latest installment of Law & Order Season 24. To whet your appetite even more, catch the preview for “The Grid Plan” tonight!

Each time, you can access all previously aired episodes of Law & Order: SVU by subscribing to Peacock, and new episodes will be available every Friday right after they’ve been broadcasted live. Donna Lynne Champlin is set to showcase her acting skills in a way that differs from the genre of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, and she only had positive comments about the role. Keep an eye on TopMob using “The Grid Plan” for more updates on this guest star!

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2025-02-27 00:07