MATTHEW MODINE GUEST-STARS ON NBC'S 'LAW & ORDER: SVU' ON TUESDAY, MARCH 1, (10-11 PM. ET)

Modine To Play Psychotic Serial Killer

NEW YORK -- February 24, 2005 -- Golden Globe and Emmy Award nominee Matthew Modine ("Memphis Belle") guest-stars as psychotic serial killer Gordon Rickett, on NBC's "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," (Tuesdays, 10-11 p.m. ET).

An homage to the classic detective films of the past decades, this episode showcases the performances of "SVU" star Christopher Meloni (Detective Eliot Stabler) and guest star Modine. Intense and explosive, this episode breaks the traditional "Law & Order: SVU" mold, beginning in the interrogation room before moving to the field.

"When Stabler confronts a child rapist, who he tried to convict 14 years earlier, he must now confront his own built up rage, before it leads to tragedy," said executive producer Neal Baer.

In this episode, Detective Stabler interrogates Rickett, for the murder of a young girl, whose body is found in the Hudson River. Stabler let Rickett get away 14 years ago for committing a similar crime, and is determined not to let him loose again. However, with a lack of evidence, Stabler's plan to drive the suspect crazy in the interrogation room is not enough to hold him, creating a tense 24-hours. Mariska Hargitay, Richard Belzer, Ice-T, Dann Florek, Diane Neal, B.D. Wong and Tamara Tunie also star.

A veteran of over 30 films, some of Modine's film credits include "Birdy," "Memphis Belle," "Married to the Mob," "Vision Quest," "Full Metal Jacket," "Gross Anatomy," "The Browning Version," "Pacific Height's," Oliver Stone's "On Any Given Sunday," and "Le Divorce" opposite Kate Hudson and Naomi Watts. Modine was a recipient of the 1993 Venice Film Festival's Volpi Cup, for Best Ensemble Cast in Robert Altman's Golden Lion Award winning "Short Cuts."

Other credits include Modine's performance in television's critically acclaimed, Emmy Award winning drama "And the Band Played On," the Emmy nominated Mini-Series "Hitler: The Rise of Evil," "Jack and the Beanstalk: The Real Story," and "The Winning Season." Additionally, Modine received a Golden Globe nomination for his performance in "What the Deaf Man Heard."