Law & Order: Special Victims Unit: The Unofficial Companion (25 page)
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Authors: Susan Green,Randee Dawn
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Season nine showed a marked drop in Munch’s appearances on
SVU
—he shows up in just over half of the episodes. “I was a bit mystified,” Belzer says, “but I do have a lot of other things (to do) so everything worked out. It’s like yanking the tonsils out of the gift horse if I complain too much. I’ve been lucky over the years, the press has been very kind to me, and there was a lot of
TV Guide
(articles) and websites wondering, ‘Where’s Munch?’ So that was flattering. But,
c’est la vie
: I’m not starving.”
Ice-T (Det. Odafin “Fin” Tutuola, 2000−Present)SVU
—he shows up in just over half of the episodes. “I was a bit mystified,” Belzer says, “but I do have a lot of other things (to do) so everything worked out. It’s like yanking the tonsils out of the gift horse if I complain too much. I’ve been lucky over the years, the press has been very kind to me, and there was a lot of
TV Guide
(articles) and websites wondering, ‘Where’s Munch?’ So that was flattering. But,
c’est la vie
: I’m not starving.”
AKA:
Tracy Lauren Morrow
Tracy Lauren Morrow
Originally From:
New Jersey
New Jersey
Other Wolf Films Associations: Exiled: A Law & Order Movie
(Seymour “Kingston” Stockton, 1998);
Players
(Isaac “Ice” Gregory, 1997- 98);
New York Undercover
(Danny Up, 1995)
(Seymour “Kingston” Stockton, 1998);
Players
(Isaac “Ice” Gregory, 1997- 98);
New York Undercover
(Danny Up, 1995)
Selected Other Credits:
(Film)
New Jack City
(Scotty Apple-ton, 1991),
Breakin’
(Rap Talker, 1984); (TV)
Ice-T’s Rap School
(2006); (Books)
The Ice Opinion: Who Gives a Fuck
(1994); (Music)
Gangsta Rap
(2006),
Body Count
(1992) (as Body Count),
OG: Original Gangster
(1991),
The Iceberg/Freedom of Speech . . . Just Watch What You Say
(1989)
(Film)
New Jack City
(Scotty Apple-ton, 1991),
Breakin’
(Rap Talker, 1984); (TV)
Ice-T’s Rap School
(2006); (Books)
The Ice Opinion: Who Gives a Fuck
(1994); (Music)
Gangsta Rap
(2006),
Body Count
(1992) (as Body Count),
OG: Original Gangster
(1991),
The Iceberg/Freedom of Speech . . . Just Watch What You Say
(1989)
Upcoming Project:
(Film)
Darc
(Brown, 2009); producing a documentary about Iceberg Slim
(Film)
Darc
(Brown, 2009); producing a documentary about Iceberg Slim
Ice-T (Det. Odafin Tutuola)
Just the FactsAbout Ice-T:
He’s a polarizing figure, but most will agree that Ice-T is a man of many talents. After growing up in California, he headed into the Army post-high school, then dove into rapping, helping pioneer what would become the gangster rap version of hip-hop. Rapping (and a charismatic persona) pulled him toward acting, where he alternated playing a musician or a hard case, with exceptions like
New Jack City
, in which he appeared as a cop.
He’s a polarizing figure, but most will agree that Ice-T is a man of many talents. After growing up in California, he headed into the Army post-high school, then dove into rapping, helping pioneer what would become the gangster rap version of hip-hop. Rapping (and a charismatic persona) pulled him toward acting, where he alternated playing a musician or a hard case, with exceptions like
New Jack City
, in which he appeared as a cop.
His heavy metal-meets-rap band Body Count released a song called “Cop Killer” in 1992 that made the group notorious in law enforcement and political circles. But any residual controversy didn’t keep Dick Wolf from hiring him on as a guest star on
New York Undercover
(which Ice calls “a rip-off” of
New Jack City
) and the two formed a professional rapport that ultimately brought him to
SVU
in 2000. “I say in life there’s people who cost you money, and people who make you money,” says Ice. “I made Dick Wolf money, he made me money, so we cool.”
New York Undercover
(which Ice calls “a rip-off” of
New Jack City
) and the two formed a professional rapport that ultimately brought him to
SVU
in 2000. “I say in life there’s people who cost you money, and people who make you money,” says Ice. “I made Dick Wolf money, he made me money, so we cool.”
About Tutuola:
“(My character) is a street-smart narcotics cop,” explains Ice, “who understands the streets, but he’s still a little blown away by this rape stuff. He looks at these cats as real weirdos. He’s pretty cut and dry.” Fin comes to the SVU squad in the second season, having worked in narcotics (sometimes undercover as “Terry Brown”) and a former partner took a bullet that was meant for him. (In season eight, Tutuola is revealed as having been a cop for twenty-two years.) His badge number is 43198.
“(My character) is a street-smart narcotics cop,” explains Ice, “who understands the streets, but he’s still a little blown away by this rape stuff. He looks at these cats as real weirdos. He’s pretty cut and dry.” Fin comes to the SVU squad in the second season, having worked in narcotics (sometimes undercover as “Terry Brown”) and a former partner took a bullet that was meant for him. (In season eight, Tutuola is revealed as having been a cop for twenty-two years.) His badge number is 43198.
He has an adult gay son named Ken Randall from whom he was estranged for many years; his ex-wife, Teresa (“Tessie”), had a baby at the age of sixteen and let her mother raise the boy—but Tutuola never knew about this until the child, Darius, was grown. As for his unusual, Nigerian-heritage name? Notes Ice, “I think my parents were supposed to have been black activists, and I was supposed to have been some type of guy who went to law school but didn’t take the bar (exam). It just ended up with ‘Ice-T, run these cases through your brain and play it out the way you would play it out.’ So really, I’m playing myself.”
The Rest of the StoryIn the early days, TV was not for Ice-T. “I was on some arrogant, ‘I ain’t doing no TV-show shit,’” he recalls. “I’m like, ‘I do movies.’” But then a call came while he was hanging out with hip-hop pioneer Fab Five Freddy and it was from Dick Wolf’s people, asking him to come do a stint on
New York Undercover
.
New York Undercover
.
But why Ice? “I think Dick Wolf likes reality,” he says. “If Dick Wolf could cast real rapists, he would. It’s more attractive to him than what he would call a corny actor. Also, he dug my work ethics, which are very simple: Once we make the deal and make an agreement, I’m gonna do it. One time, he told me, ‘Ice-T, you are the least problem in my ass.’”
After
Undercover
,
Exiled: A Law & Order Movie
, and the short-lived
Players
(which Ice co-created), the least problem in Dick Wolf’s ass was running an Internet record label when the opportunity for
SVU
came up. At first he only agreed to do four episodes, but the ensemble nature of
SVU
made it more attractive, and by the end of the four-show run Ice had relocated to New York.
Undercover
,
Exiled: A Law & Order Movie
, and the short-lived
Players
(which Ice co-created), the least problem in Dick Wolf’s ass was running an Internet record label when the opportunity for
SVU
came up. At first he only agreed to do four episodes, but the ensemble nature of
SVU
made it more attractive, and by the end of the four-show run Ice had relocated to New York.
“I reevaluated my life, and I thought, ‘This is not such a bad gig,’” says Ice. “In music you don’t have any security. You spend a year making a record and you pray to God people like the record. You can’t forecast your life.” Also, he says, “I didn’t understand a word called ‘residuals.’ It doesn’t pay if you’re a guest star, but we’re at (over) 200 episodes (on
SVU)
and Law & Order shows like three times a day. OK, now you’re talking about a little money machine.”
SVU)
and Law & Order shows like three times a day. OK, now you’re talking about a little money machine.”
Certainly, there’s an irony that the man behind “Cop Killer” makes a living playing a cop, but he hasn’t found that Tutuola hurts his credibility in the rap community. “I don’t think people think I’ve turned into some real right-wing Republican and I’m out picketing with (the late) Charlton Heston or something. In my community, hip-hoppers were excited to see somebody on TV. And people like the cop I play—even the worst criminals agree they need those kind of cops. So when they see me with a child molester, everybody is like, ‘Smack the shit out of him, Ice!’ It’s the perfect place to be.”
Word around the set is that while all of the regular cast members are utmost professionals, Ice appears to be the least pain in
everyone’s
ass, not just Wolf’s. He’s got a cool, low-key demeanor, whether sitting in a director’s chair waiting for the next take, or joking with passers-by while on location. He even has his wife and manager Coco on the set with him; while he reads lines, she’s doing the business work in their corner dressing room.
everyone’s
ass, not just Wolf’s. He’s got a cool, low-key demeanor, whether sitting in a director’s chair waiting for the next take, or joking with passers-by while on location. He even has his wife and manager Coco on the set with him; while he reads lines, she’s doing the business work in their corner dressing room.
“Would Ozzy (Osbourne) have a dollar if he didn’t have Sharon?” asks Ice. “I was like, ‘I need a woman who can handle some business around here.’ And I met Coco and she said, ‘That’s what I really want to do. I can put modeling on hold.’ And she’s on the set now every day.”
Over the years, Ice has grown comfortable with being considered—in part, at least—a TV actor. And he plans on sticking with
SVU
for as long as it remains fun, especially if he can let some of his pals in on the gig, too. “All my friends who do movies started calling me, trying to be on TV. Everybody knows Will (Smith) is working. But other than that, everyone else is going from gig to gig, all the black actors I know. A few of them are winning, hitting, but it’s rough.”
SVU
for as long as it remains fun, especially if he can let some of his pals in on the gig, too. “All my friends who do movies started calling me, trying to be on TV. Everybody knows Will (Smith) is working. But other than that, everyone else is going from gig to gig, all the black actors I know. A few of them are winning, hitting, but it’s rough.”
As for Ice, he knows he’s got a good thing. “I went from, ‘I don’t know how long I can do it,’ to right now, ‘I’ll be on this show until they throw my black ass off.’”
Michelle Hurd (Det. Monique Jefferies, 1999−2001)
Michelle Hurd (Det. Monique Jefferies)
Originally From:
New York City
New York City
Other Wolf Films Associations: Law & Order
(Angela Roney, “Entrapment” 1997);
Players
(Laura Jenkins, “Con Amore,” 1997);
New York Undercover
(ADA Reynolds, 1994−97)
(Angela Roney, “Entrapment” 1997);
Players
(Laura Jenkins, “Con Amore,” 1997);
New York Undercover
(ADA Reynolds, 1994−97)
Selected Other Credits:
(TV)
Gossip Girl
(Laurel, 2007−Present),
ER
(Courtney Brown, 2006−07),
Leap Years
(Athena Barnes, 2001),
Malcolm & Eddie
(Simone Lewis, 1997−98)
Just the Facts(TV)
Gossip Girl
(Laurel, 2007−Present),
ER
(Courtney Brown, 2006−07),
Leap Years
(Athena Barnes, 2001),
Malcolm & Eddie
(Simone Lewis, 1997−98)
About Hurd:
Michelle Hurd had leapfrogged her way through several of Dick Wolf’s shows before landing on the
SVU
lily pad. The Greenwich Village-born actress (whose father is stage actor Hugh L. Hurd) started out on the soaps, but quickly picked up roles on various TV shows while appearing in various theater productions, where she met husband and fellow actor Garret Dillahunt. When she was tapped to join
SVU
, Hurd recalls that Dick Wolf told her, “I’ve got this character, think of her as a flower, she’ll bloom later, but for the pilot she’s just got a scene.” Hurd’s stay was short-lived, however, and there was no blossoming. She left in season two to join the cast of
Leap Years
, and later
ER
, among other shows, and now enjoys a semi-regular gig on
Gossip Girl
.
Michelle Hurd had leapfrogged her way through several of Dick Wolf’s shows before landing on the
SVU
lily pad. The Greenwich Village-born actress (whose father is stage actor Hugh L. Hurd) started out on the soaps, but quickly picked up roles on various TV shows while appearing in various theater productions, where she met husband and fellow actor Garret Dillahunt. When she was tapped to join
SVU
, Hurd recalls that Dick Wolf told her, “I’ve got this character, think of her as a flower, she’ll bloom later, but for the pilot she’s just got a scene.” Hurd’s stay was short-lived, however, and there was no blossoming. She left in season two to join the cast of
Leap Years
, and later
ER
, among other shows, and now enjoys a semi-regular gig on
Gossip Girl
.
About Jefferies:
Jefferies partners with Det. Brian Cassidy and even Det. Ken Briscoe briefly, but ultimately settles with the one man she seems barely able to stand—Det. John Munch—once Cassidy leaves the unit. Traumatized by a car explosion during an investigation, Jefferies begins sabotaging her career by sleeping with a suspect, which ultimately forces her out of the rotation while she undergoes therapy. Desk duty does not agree with Jefferies, who threatens to leave, but is then transferred to Vice.
The Rest of the StoryJefferies partners with Det. Brian Cassidy and even Det. Ken Briscoe briefly, but ultimately settles with the one man she seems barely able to stand—Det. John Munch—once Cassidy leaves the unit. Traumatized by a car explosion during an investigation, Jefferies begins sabotaging her career by sleeping with a suspect, which ultimately forces her out of the rotation while she undergoes therapy. Desk duty does not agree with Jefferies, who threatens to leave, but is then transferred to Vice.
Hurd has no sour feelings about her time on the show, possibly because she immediately landed in a better spotlight, even if her next job didn’t last very long: As the second season of
SVU
rolled around she and husband Dillahunt were both cast on Showtime’s
Leap Years
. “It was a rare opportunity,” she says. Unfortunately, the show was canceled in the general industry malaise following 9/11.
SVU
rolled around she and husband Dillahunt were both cast on Showtime’s
Leap Years
. “It was a rare opportunity,” she says. Unfortunately, the show was canceled in the general industry malaise following 9/11.
“The thing about Dick Wolf,” she explains, “is he’s a quintessential producer. He has created a vehicle that is strong regardless of who is playing the part, and he’s not going to hold someone if they want to go. I bump into him all the time and we have nothing but a good rapport—I’d do another show with him in a nanosecond.”
Though
SVU
left her open to do theater work in the evenings, Jefferies was a sorely underutilized character, which Hurd realizes. “I just read instructions,” she says. “And yeah, there’s an art form to be able to say, ‘Take the screwdriver, put it in the hole, turn left, turn right, unlock door.’ I’m glad I can do that, but there are other things I can do.”
SVU
left her open to do theater work in the evenings, Jefferies was a sorely underutilized character, which Hurd realizes. “I just read instructions,” she says. “And yeah, there’s an art form to be able to say, ‘Take the screwdriver, put it in the hole, turn left, turn right, unlock door.’ I’m glad I can do that, but there are other things I can do.”
It became clear that the show needed someone as a permanent partner for Det. Munch, and Hurd was having a hard time proving she was the right person in the slot. “I understand the industry, and what networks want, and they wanted someone to have an impact, a rating,” she says. “I did think that in a sex crimes unit you’d want to have more women.”
But she understands the role that Ice-T plays today (on
Players
, Hurd portrayed Ice’s character’s lover). “I adore him,” she says. “You walk down the street with Belzer, he gets a lot of accolades. But there’s nothing quite like walking down the street with Ice-T. He’s one of the most interesting creatures you’re going to meet. I think it’s just sad they didn’t have faith to stick around with me—but at the same time, when all of this was happening, Showtime came knocking. That’s probably where I felt somebody was looking and saying, ‘I want her.’”
Players
, Hurd portrayed Ice’s character’s lover). “I adore him,” she says. “You walk down the street with Belzer, he gets a lot of accolades. But there’s nothing quite like walking down the street with Ice-T. He’s one of the most interesting creatures you’re going to meet. I think it’s just sad they didn’t have faith to stick around with me—but at the same time, when all of this was happening, Showtime came knocking. That’s probably where I felt somebody was looking and saying, ‘I want her.’”
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