Dan Lauria on Law & Order SVU: "Whenever Dick Wolf Calls, I Go — It Beats Working"

Dan Lauria said it plainly: "This is my seventh Law and Order that I've done. Whenever Dick Wolf calls — and it's never an audition, it's 'would you …" — and Premier Guide Miami was in the room when it happened.

Dan Lauria — best known as Jack Arnold on The Wonder Years and for his acclaimed nine-month run as Vince Lombardi on Broadway — guest-stars as Coach Ray Masters in the Law & Order: SVU episode "Personal Fouls" (Season 13). When a well-respected basketball coach is inducted into the Metro Basketball Hall of Fame by former students Carmelo Anthony and Chris Bosh, an ex-player accuses him of sexual abuse as a child. New detective Nick Amaro (Danny Pino) joins Benson (Mariska Hargitay) and Fin (Ice-T) to uncover the truth. Premier Guide Media's Daedrian McNaughton spoke with Lauria about the role.

What attracted you to this role?

This is my seventh Law and Order that I've done. Whenever Dick Wolf calls — and it's never an audition, it's "would you do the show?" — I go, because I know it's going to be of the best quality. And I know the people on the show, like Dan Florek, so it's great to see old friends again. And the issue was so important — I just enjoyed doing it.

How much did you draw upon from your days as a football coach?

Well, I've played a lot of coaches. I just finished playing Lombardi on Broadway for nine months. So I really didn't have to draw that much. I'm actually not much of a basketball player, but we had Carmelo Anthony and Chris Bosh there on the set — they were kind of giving me some pointers. So it was actually kind of fun to meet those guys.

What is most gratifying to you as an actor on this show?

Well, it beats working. I think this episode shows you what television can be. It doesn't have to be just entertainment or mindless reality shows. It's a show about something — it makes people aware, it's actually going to help children. I have a feeling once it's aired, a lot of young people are going to step forward and reveal the same kind of conflict in their own lives. So it's an important episode. I am very lucky that I've been on shows that have a quality to them and actually try to help people.

How close is everyone on the set?

It's great — this is my second time around and you couldn't work with better people. They're so nice.

Among all the A.D.A.s you've had on the show, if you were to work with anyone again, who would it be?

I'm sure I'm going to work with Dan Florek again. We've known each other a long time. I can't wait to do a play with him.

If you could cast anybody in the world, who would you want to have on the show?

Sophia Loren.

Do you feel that television today offers more interesting projects than movies?

Yes, especially with cable pushing the envelope — that's where the real writers want to go now, because the Hollywood system is whatever was hot last year, let's do four more of them this year. There are still great films out there, some wonderful work, but I think television gives you a chance to really develop characters and push that envelope a little bit more than film does.

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