Dan Florek: Law & Order SVU

Dan Florek said it plainly: "Starting my 13th year on Law and Order SVU and it's the closest set and group of people I've ever worked with. And to do…" — and Premier Guide Miami was in the room when it happened.

As pragmatic Captain Donald Cragen, Dann Florek reprises the role he originated on the first three seasons of sister series Law & Order. Prior to the debut of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Florek also played Cragen in the Law & Order movie Exiled. His extensive credits include L.A. Law, NBC's Wings, The Pretender, The Practice, NYPD Blue, Roseanne, Ellen, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Smart Guy, The Pentagon Wars, and the Emmy Award-winning From the Earth to the Moon. He spoke with Premier Guide Media's Daedrian McNaughton.

PREMIER GUIDE MIAMI: What do you enjoy the most about working on this show?

DAN FLOREK: This specific episode — it's kind of part and partial of it all. I get to touch base with a lot of people we might not have. I get to experience worlds I might not really ever get to go to. And I got to reconnect with a buddy, Dan Lauria, who I first met over 30 years ago. Meet new people like Mehcad, and then Chris Bosh, Carmelo Anthony, and jump into a world that was very new. First and foremost in entertainment, but I think we always have been trying to shine a light in dark places. I think that's something SVU has done from the very beginning. And I think this episode in particular does that and still does it in a very entertaining and moving way.

PREMIER GUIDE MIAMI: What is your routine before filming?

DAN FLOREK: On a television series there are certain things that just have to be set in place about schedule and when the script is ready and when you go into prep and things like that. But then what is different is the nature of each story, each episode, and who the guest stars are — and that always brings in a kind of new mix and a new energy. So we kind of have to start at the same place but I think each one finds a life of its own. In some you rehearse more and in some you kind of jump right in. The camera moves in different ways but I think the nature of the story is a big part of how we proceed each time. Each one is self-contained also. We don't have to worry about serializing it and we can kind of jump in and deal with those issues.

PREMIER GUIDE MIAMI: Who would you like to work with on this show?

DAN FLOREK: Robert Duvall is kind of a favorite if we could ever get him around, or Gene Hackman — I think he quit acting. But in an odd twist, for a minute I would say — rest in peace — John Ritter. I think he was one of the best guest stars we ever had, and that was kind of a very sad situation, but it would have been amazing to have him back. There's a list. I can watch a movie or turn on a TV show and take my picks. But if we could get Robert Duvall or Gene Hackman I would do back flips.

PREMIER GUIDE MIAMI: How was it for you to shoot this season without Chris Meloni?

DAN FLOREK: I wouldn't have traded the first 12 seasons for anything and I think Chris is terrific and very possibly one of the best, if not the best, actors working in television — and he's also a dear friend. But to start this season going in not really knowing what might happen, the transition has been relatively seamless. We have our cast intact. We have two new, incredible people — Danny Pino and Kelli Giddish — who have just folded in in an unbelievable way. And as much as I loved working with Chris, I feel like we really haven't missed a step in kind of picking it up and carrying it forward.

PREMIER GUIDE MIAMI: There seems to be a lot of changes this year and this season?

DAN FLOREK: There is so much new about the show this year. It's kind of everything old is new again. We blew it up and put it back together.

PREMIER GUIDE MIAMI: Does television today offer more interesting projects than movies?

DAN FLOREK: I see a lot of movies being genre films or remakes or number 3, 4, 5, or 6. I take no exception with that — they're entertaining. I happen to be a fan of the smaller films. But what I do think is happening is a lot of the best writers are moving over to television. You're finding people that only worked in film for a long time and I think they felt boxed in a little bit too. So we're getting major award-winning people from production and writing who are wanting to do television. And I think also with the advent of all of the product that's on cable, it's been pushing the envelope for the networks too. And so there is stuff that is way more interesting and edgier and out of the box. And that's a very attractive thing for all of us as actors.

PREMIER GUIDE MIAMI: How close is everyone on the set?

DAN FLOREK: Starting my 13th year on the show and I will say truthfully that it's probably been the closest set and group of people I've ever worked with. And to do it for such an extended period I think is pretty extraordinary. We're also starting this year with a couple of new key players and some new crew people, a new show runner.

PREMIER GUIDE MIAMI: Did you enjoy having Chris Bosh and Carmelo Anthony on set?

DAN FLOREK: I only got to meet them very briefly, but it was kind of humbling in a lot of ways because the crew and all of the ADs and everybody was telling me we all kind of disappeared when they showed up on set. There were lines to get their autographs and to talk to the ballers. So it was pretty cool for everybody actually. We were kind of like kids too.

PREMIER GUIDE MIAMI: Of all the A.D.A.s you have had on the show, who would you like to work with again?

DAN FLOREK: I've liked all of them, but Stephanie March and Diane Neal are back this season. So it's kind of cool that some favorites that I thought were gone are back again.

PREMIER GUIDE MIAMI: What do you make of the role Mehcad has stepped into?

DAN FLOREK: One of the things about that role is Mehcad Brooks — Prince Miller — has to summon up courage like he never has in his life to do what he has to do at the press conference. And I do think there's an element of courage for an actor to take on a role like that. It's just like the same thing about image and what you do — you get to the point where the message is more important than anything personal.

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