Danielle MacDonald Makes Law & Order: SVU Debut in "Complex" Role (EXCLUSIVE)
"It's dark, but incredibly fascinating," the Dumplin' star told NBC Insider ahead of her debut in SVU's October 23 episode.
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Law & Order: Special Victims Unit has been graced by countless dynamite guest stars, and audiences are bound to be entertained by Danielle MacDonald as she makes her way to Season 27 of the NBC nail-biter.
MacDonald spoke with NBC Insider about her thrilling Law & Order debut in SVU's October 23 episode, and she couldn't be more excited for viewers to meet her enigmatic character. While the details of MacDonald's SVU appearance are under wraps, NBC Insider was keen to get the inside scoop on how her character will cross paths with Captain Benson (Olivia Benson) and her elite squad.
The logline for SVU's October 23 episode — Season 27, Episode 5 ("Feed the Craving") — reads: "When a woman in active labor is abducted, Rollins and Curry look to her doula for an account of events; Carisi tries to get a confession in front of the jury."
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SVU fans can't wait to welcome MacDonald to the pantheon of iconic guest stars, as the actress tells NBC Insider it was a blast to join.
Danielle MacDonald describes her SVU character as a "complex young woman"
So, will MacDonald play a teary-eyed witness, a red herring suspect, or a potential perpetrator? The options are endless for SVU guest stars, but from what MacDonald teases, her character will have many layers to peel back.
"My character is a complex young woman who has a lot going on internally and is maybe more than meets the eye," MacDonald reveals, adding that she found her SVU role "incredibly fascinating."
"It's dark, but incredibly fascinating," MacDonald explained. "Trying to understand the mindset of someone like this is a challenge, but in an amazing way for an actor. I think we're always trying to understand how someone can be who they are, what experiences led them to get there, how is this even possible?"
Based on that teaser, we can assume MacDonald finds herself at the center of a particularly mind-boggling case. The Dumplin' star added that "these cases are so rare," so it was interesting for her to dive "into that world."
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Danielle MacDonald is a certified SVU fan
While MacDonald was excited to play a character that throws the squad through a loop, the thrill was amplified thanks to MacDonald being well-versed in the endless twists and turns of SVU — she grew up as a fan of the show.
"I used to watch it with my parents and my sister at night, so I grew up on it," MacDonald explains, adding that SVU was one of the few procedurals the family watched, so getting to go to the set as a guest star was an honor.
MacDonald recalls, "I remember the first day when I was just there doing a fitting, and I was like, 'That's the courtroom set,' and I was like, 'Wow, I feel like a kid right now.' ... It's exciting when you're a fan of something and you get to go and explore the world and see it come to life in a different way. It's really exciting."
MacDonald says she had fun on SVU and commended the NBC nail-biter for being a "well-oiled machine."
"I'm jumping into something that's been going for a long time, and so for me, I was like, 'Wow, we're finishing early every day. This doesn't happen, this is crazy.' There is a shorthand and an understanding that they all have, which is really, really beautiful," MacDonald shares. "Everyone just got along really well."
Why you recognize SVU guest star Danielle MacDonald
MacDonald earned her breakout fame as Patti in the 2017 musical comedy Patti Cake$, and many might also recognize her from her titular role in the film Dumplin', where she starred opposite Jennifer Aniston in the heartwarming hit. Some of her other major film projects include appearing alongside Sandra Bullock in Bird Box, as well as the Oscar-winning short film Skin, later appearing in the feature-length version. MacDonald has also appeared in films like I Am Woman, French Exit, and Falling for Figaro.
MacDonald's television career is just as impressive. She got her primetime start with notable guest appearances in series like Pretty Little Liars, Toolies, 2 Broke Girls, The Middle, and American Horror Story. MacDonald continued to steal hearts in the critically acclaimed series Unbelievable, and has recently held recurring roles in shows like The Tourist and The Last Anniversary.
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Watch MacDonald's episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit on Thursday, October 23, at 9/8c on NBC, or stream it the next day on Peacock.
Reporting by Stephanie Gomulka
