ANNABELLA SCIORRA ("THE SOPRANOS") JOINS CAST OF "LAW & ORDER: CRIMINAL INTENT"

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. -- May 24, 2005 -- Annabella Sciorra ("The Sopranos") joins the cast of NBC's Law & Order: Criminal Intent" as Detective Mike Logan's (Chris Noth) partner, it was announced by creator/executive producer Dick Wolf. Sciorra plays Detective Carolyn Barek, who, along with Logan, alternate with current series stars Vincent D'Onofrio (Detective Robert Goren) and Kathryn Erbe (Detective Alex Eames). The two Major Case Squad detective teams will split the caseloads, with each fronting 11 episodes for the series' fifth season.

In addition, Jamey Sheridan (Capt. James Deakins) and Courtney B. Vance (A.D.A. Ron Carver) are returning and are slated to appear with both detective teams in all the episodes. Law & Order: Criminal Intent airs Sundays, 9:00 p.m. (ET/PT) on NBC.

Sciorra, nominated for an Emmy Award for her portrayal of Tony Soprano's mistress Gloria Trillo on "The Sopranos," also appeared as a defense attorney in the premiere episode of Wolf's Law & Order: Trial By Jury. She has starred in numerous films including "Cop Land," "Jungle Fever," "What Dreams May Come", "The Hand That Rocks The Cradle", "True Love", and "Reversal of Fortune". Her upcoming film releases include "Twelve and Holding" and Sidney Lumet's "Find Me Guilty".

"Annabella is an extremely talented and versatile actress, who has that rare combination of beauty, sex appeal, power and humor. I also anticipate she will have terrific chemistry with Chris," Wolf commented.

Executive producer Rene Balcer added, "Detective Carolyn Barek is a brilliant criminal profiler who ascended from the hardscrabble streets of Brooklyn's Cobble Hill to the highest ranks of the NYPD and beyond, spending two post-9/11 years with the FBI. Barek is as surprising, intuitive and razor-sharp as the talented actress who plays her."

Law & Order: Criminal Intent is a Wolf Films production in association with NBC Universal Television Studio. Dick Wolf, Rene Balcer, Fred Berner and Peter Jankowski are executive producers.