These New York City detectives and prosecutors go to extreme lengths to keep their city safe, and they have been since 1990. Law & Order, created by Dick Wolf, explores dangerous and sometimes disturbing cases that are ripped from the headlines. As the expert teams work together to solve a case, they do their best to keep the streets of New York City criminal-free.
But, of course, they and other experts have spouses to go home to once their day of Law & Order comes to an end. Find out which of the series’ stars are married and who is single!
Sam Waterston’s real-life love stories
Barbara Rutledge Johns
Law & Order alum Sam Waterston, who you know best as DA Jack McCoy, wed his first wife, Barbara Rutledge Johns, in 1964. The two tied the knot in a chapel at Yale University and remained together for just over a decade. During their marriage, Waterston and Johns had one child together — son James — in 1969. The couple, however, called it quits and divorced in 1975.
Lynn Louisa Woodruff
His first divorce wasn’t the end of his happily ever after, as Waterson went on to marry again to Lynn Louisa Woodruff just a year afterwards. He met Woodruff while performing in a Shakespeare play in Central Park and they walked down the aisle in 1976.
The couple went on to welcome three children throughout their marriage — daughters Elisabeth and Katherine, and son Graham.
Epatha Merkerson and Toussaint L. Jones
Epatha Merkerson, who portrays Lieutenant Anita Van Buren, was previously married to Toussaint L. Jones. The two exchanged vows in a 1994 ceremony and were together for 12 years before splitting up in 2006.
Jerry Orbach’s two marriages
Marta Curro
Law & Order’s Jerry Orbach, who is best known for playing Detective Lennie Briscoe, was previously the husband of former Broadway actress, Marta Curro. The couple met while starring in an off-Broadway production of The Threepenny Opera and became husband and wife in 1958.
The duo welcomed two children together — sons Chris and Anthony — while they were together. Orbach and Curro split up in 1975.
Elaine Cancilla Orbach
Orbach met his second wife, Elaine Cancilla Orbach, in 1976 while the two were starring in a production of Chicago. The couple remained together until Orbach’s death in 2004, his wife passing away in 2009.
Throughout their marriage, Orbach proved to be a thoughtful husband as he would write his wife love notes nearly every day, which Cancilla confirmed in the book Remember How I Love You: Love Letters From An Extraordinary Marriage.
“The poems were a lot like the man who wrote them—fresh and simple, deviously witty and deeply loving,” Cancilla wrote.
Steven Hill’s marriages
Selma Stern
Steven Hill was a member of the Law & Order cast for a decade as DA Adam Schiff. Behind the scenes, the actor was once married to actress Selma Stern. The couple was together from 1951 until 1964, and they welcomed four children together.
Rachael Hill
A few years after his divorce, Hill married his second wife, Rachael, in 1967. The couple welcomed five children together over the years and were married until Hill’s passing in 2016.
Chris Noth and Tara Wilson
Chris Noth, who portrayed Detective Mike Logan for five years, has been married to his wife for just over 12 years. Noth met Tara Wilson in 2001 while she was working as a bartender at The Cutting Room, a bar that Noth owned.
The couple kept their romance private for a while, but ended up tying the knot in 2012 in a Hawaiian wedding. Noth and Wilson welcomed two children together—son Orion in 2008 and son Keats in 2020.
Benjamin Bratt and Talisa Soto
Benjamin Bratt, who portrayed Detective Rey Curtis from 1995 to 2009, has been with his real-life sweetheart much longer. He met wife Talisa Soto in the early 1990s while auditioning for Bratt’s film, Blood In Blood Out (1993).
The couple walked down the aisle in 2002 during a small, private ceremony in San Francisco. Although they keep their family life fairly private, Bratt and Soto have welcomed two children together over the years: daughter Sophia in 2002 and son Mateo in 2005.
