Law & Order: Anthony Anderson Reveals Personal Phone Call to Dick Wolf About Returning to Series

Law & Order made its grand return last week, bringing back some fan favorites like Anthony Anderson’s Detective Kevin Bernard. Anderson was part of the cast over the course of 50 episodes from 2008 to 2010, and as he was winding down his hit series Black-ish, he heard that Dick Wolf was possibly bringing back the series for a 21st season. That’s what led to a phone call to Wolf about possibly reprising his role, and not only did it work out, but Wolf couldn’t have been more thrilled to get the news of Anderson’s availability.

“We were, you know, we were two weeks out from ending our show Black-ish. They made the announcement that Law & Order was coming back. So, I picked up the phone and called Dick Wolf up and said, Hey Dick, is it true?” Anderson told People TV.

“He said, ‘It is.’ I was like, ‘Well, you know, I’m a free agent as of Nov. 19th,’” Anderson said. “And [Wolf] was like, ‘Anthony, you have no idea how happy this phone call makes me.’”

Things moved fast after the call, as Anderson was on the set of Law & Order a few weeks later, and Anderson is excited to bring Detective Bernard back for another round of detective work.

“I’m back in the shoes of Detective Kevin Bernard, doing what we do best: solving crimes, ripped from the headlines,” Anderson said.

While Anderson is sad to say goodbye to Black-ish, the timing of Law & Order’s comeback couldn’t be more perfect, and he’s happy to return to the character and the Law & Order world as a whole.

“Black-ish coming to an end is bittersweet,” Anderson said. “We had eight wonderful seasons. I believe the show could have gone on for infinity, but all the things come to an end. And, and, and as, as they say, one door closes and another one opens. I’m happy to be invited back to Law & Order to reprise my role as Detective Kevin Bernard.”

Law & Order airs every Thursday on NBC at 8 PM EST.

What did you think of Law & Order’s return? Let us know in the comments or as always you can talk all things Law & Order with me on Twitter @MattAguilarCB!