Fred Thompson Reportedly May Join ‘Law & Order’ Cast

Sen. Fred Thompson (R-Tenn.), who is not seeking reelection in November, is reportedly in negotiations to join the cast of NBC’s long-running legal series “Law & Order” this fall.

Thompson, who would be the first sitting senator to play a leading role in a TV series, would replace Dianne Wiest as the New York City district attorney and boss of executive assistant D.A. Jack McCoy (Sam Waterston) and assistant D.A. Serena Southerlyn (Elisabeth Rohm), according to reports.

Thompson, who turns 60 on Monday, worked as a shoe salesman, truck driver and a factory worker before becoming an attorney. He gained national prominence as minority counsel of the Senate Watergate Committee when he was 30.

In 1977, as assistant U.S. attorney for Tennessee, he successfully represented Marie Ragghianti, the former chairwoman of the state’s parole board, who had sued the state over her dismissal. Ragghianti had charged that Gov. Ray Blanton was involved in a cash-for-clemency scheme. Eight years later, Hollywood transformed the Ragghianti case into the Sissy Spacek feature, “Marie: A True Story,” and Thompson was cast as himself.

Though the film bombed at the box office, Hollywood took notice of Thompson’s natural screen presence and he appeared in strong supporting roles in such films as “No Way Out,” “The Hunt for Red October,” “Die Hard 2,” “Cape Fear,” “Born Yesterday” and “In the Line of Fire.” Thompson also appeared in three episodes of “Wiseguy” in 1987 and was a guest star on “China Beach,” “Roseanne” and “Matlock.”

Thompson was elected to the Senate in 1994. He announced in March that he would not be seeking reelection in November. Produced by Dick Wolf, “Law & Order” is set to begin its 13th season on the peacock network on Oct. 2.

Wolf Films, NBC and Thompson’s office in Washington declined comment on Friday.