Tony Goldwyn Says His Law & Order Debut Felt "Very Different"

Since arriving in Season 23 to replace longtime D.A. Jack McCoy, Tony Goldwyn’s Nicholas Baxter has taken on the role with a steady, empathetic approach that has shifted the tone in the show’s D.A.’s office. Goldwyn said viewers should expect someone who brings “a very different vibe.” He noted similarities between McCoy and Baxter — both men of integrity and competence — but added that Baxter “takes more of a holistic view” and factors political and social considerations into his decisions.

By contrast, he described McCoy as more in the tradition of “an Atticus Finch,” while Baxter is a “more modern kind of D.A.” Goldwyn is no stranger to the Law & Order universe, having guest-starred and directed in the franchise, but he said being the central character changed the experience.

“It is just a completely different experience [now], even though it's the same Law & Order universe,” he said, recalling a previous guest part as Vincent D’Onofrio’s brother.

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