18 Oscar Winners & Nominees Who Appeared on ‘Law & Order: SVU’ (PHOTOS)

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SVU
NBC
SVU1
NBC

Whoopi Goldberg

SVU Episode: Season 17, Episode 3

Role: Janette Grayson, a social worker

Oscar nomination(s): Nominated for Best Actress in 1986 for The Color Purple, nominated and won for Best Supporting Actress for Ghost in 1991.

SVU2
NBC

Bradley Cooper

SVU Episode: Season 6, Episode 20

Role: Jason Whitaker, a very shady estate attorney

Oscar nomination(s): Nominated for Best Actor in 2013 for Silver Linings Playbook, nominated for Best Supporting Actor in 2013 for American Hustle, nominated for Best Picture and Best Actor for American Sniper in 2014, nominated for Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Actor in 2019 for A Star Is Born.

SVU3
NBC

Alec Baldwin

SVU Episode: Season 15, Episode 18

Role: Jimmy MacArthur, a newspaper reporter

Oscar nomination(s): Nominated for Best Supporting Actor in 2003 for The Cooler.

SVU4
NBC

Viola Davis

SVU Episodes: Seasons 4, 6, 8-10

Role: Defense Attorney Donna Emmett

Oscar nomination(s): Nominated for Best Supporting Actress in 2008 for Doubt, nominated for Best Actress in 2011 for The Help, nominated and won for Best Supporting Actress in 2016 for Fences.

SVU5
NBC

Adam Driver

SVU Episode: Season 13, Episode 11

Role: Jason Roberts, who is caught installing webcams in a girl’s apartment

Oscar nomination(s): Nominated in 2019 for Best Supporting Actor for BlacKkKlansman.

SVU6
NBC

Robin Williams

SVU Episode: Season 9, Episode 17

Role: Merritt Rook

Oscar nomination(s): Nominated for Best Actor in 1988 for Good Morning, Vietnam, nominated for Best Actor in 1990 for Dead Poets Society, nominated for Best Actor in 1992 for The Fisher King, nominated and won for Best Supporting Actor in 1998 for Good Will Hunting.

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NBC

Marcia Gay Harden

SVU Episodes: Season 7, Episode 6; Season 8, Episode 1; Season 12, Episode 8 and Season 14, Episode 14

Role: Dana Lewis, a former FBI agent

Oscar nomination(s): Nominated and won for Best Supporting Actress in 2000 for her role in Pollock.

SVU8
NBC

Rooney Mara

SVU Episode: Season 7, Episode 20

Role: Jessica DeLay, a teenage murderer

Oscar nomination(s): Nominated for Best Actress in 2011 for The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, nominated for Best Supporting Actress in 2015 for Carol.

SVU9
NBC

J.K. Simmons

SVU Episodes: Season 1, Episode 16 and Season 2, Episodes 1, 2, 4, 6, 17

Role: Dr. Emil Skoda, a psychiatrist

Oscar nomination(s): Nominated and won for Best Supporting Actor in 2014 for Whiplash.

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NBC

Ellen Burstyn

SVU Episode: Season 10, Episode 3

Role: Det. Elliot Stabler’s mother, Bernadette Stabler

Oscar nomination(s): Nominated for Best Supporting Actress in 1971 for The Last Picture Show, nominated for Best Actress in 1973 for The Exorcist, won for Best Actress in 1974 for Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, nominated for Best Actress in 1980 for Resurrection, nominated for Best Actress in 2000 for Requiem for a Dream.

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NBC

Patricia Arquette

SVU Episode: Season 14, Episode 9

Role: Jeannie Kerns, a reformed prostitute who becomes an informant

Oscar nomination(s): Nominated and won for Best Supporting Actress in 2015 for Boyhood.

SVU12
NBC

Michael Shannon

SVU Episode: Season 6, Episode 13

Role: Avery Shaw, a suspected killer

Oscar nomination(s): Nominated for Best Supporting Actor in 2009 for Revolutionary Road, nominated for Best Supporting Actor in 2017 for Nocturnal Animals.

SVU12
NBC

Mahershala Ali

SVU Episode: Season 11, Episode 1

Role: Criminal Mark Foster, who causes trouble

Oscar nomination(s): Won for Best Supporting Actor in 2017 for Moonlight, won for Best Supporting Actor in 2019 for Green Book.

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NBC

Rosie Perez

SVU Episode: Season 11, Episode 5

Role: Eva Banks, mother of a child who’s been molested

Oscar nomination(s): Nominated for Best Supporting Actress in 1993 for Fearless.

SVU15
NBC

Terrence Howard

SVU Episode: Season 12, Episode 21

Role: D.A. Jonah Dekker

Oscar nomination(s): Nominated for Best Actor in 2005 for Hustle & Flow.

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NBC

Abigail Breslin

SVU Episode: Season 6, Episode 1

Role: Patty Branson

Oscar nomination(s): Nominated for Best Supporting Actress in 2007 for Little Miss Sunshine.

SVU17
NBC

Virginia Madsen

SVU Episode: Season 17, Episode 6

Role: Det. Rollins’ mother, Beth Anne Rollins

Oscar nomination(s): Nominated for Best Supporting Actress in 2004 for Sideways.

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NBC

Chloë Sevigny

SVU Episode: Season 13, Episode 18

Role: Christine Hartwell, a pathological con-artist

Oscar nomination(s): Nominated for Best Supporting Actress in 2000 for Boys Don’t Cry.

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After being on air for over 20 years, it’s no surprise Law & Order: SVU has had its fair share of A-list guest stars. From actors who were just getting their start to veteran stars looking to do television, the NBC drama has featured some of our favorite award-winning celebrities.

Check out the gallery above to see 18 Oscar winners and nominees who have appeared on SVU in the past. Some may surprise you!