Wednesday's new episode of Law and Order: SVU may not be what Walking Dead star Chad Coleman is used to but he has agreed to suit up for a new role.

Show Uses Real Ray Rice Assault And More Headline Stories For New Episodes

In tonight's episode, titled Coming Up: In the Public Eye, Coleman is playing a former athlete turned sportscaster who is being investigated for his allegedly abusing his girlfriend, played by Meagan Good.

It's no secret that Law and Order producers use 'ripped-from-the-headline- cases as the fuel to create this successful NBC series. Tonight's episode is based on ex-Baltimore Raven's player Ray Rice.

New Ray Rice Domestic Violence Case Will Ne Featured In New Epsiode

Coleman recently sat down with Yahoo TV to chat about the SVU storyline and to give a little insight into the character he was playing.

"His name is A.J. Martin. He's an ex-football player and now a sportscaster and a very accomplished sportscaster."

Of course Coleman couldn't give up too many spoilers, but he did say that his character is forced to deal with the consequences of his actions. "You really see a 360-degree view of this issue. They don't eviscerate anyone, and it's laid out in a manner where the audience can decide for themselves what they believe should happen to him."

While Coleman never answered whether or not the episode was based on the real Ray Rice assault case, he did say that domestic abuse is a present issue today and that it is an issue that needs to be addressed.

This particular episode really hits home for Coleman. "In my own life, as far as my father was concerned, that issue was right there. So it touches my heart. It's important to me, not because of any other thing except in my own life with what my mother had to go through with my father."

The Walking Dead star isn't a regular on the show, but he says that he really enjoyed working with the cast and he really enjoyed the costumes.

"Honestly, I was like, 'Thank God! I can put on a suit!' They had me in these beautiful suits, Gucci suits. Amazing stuff. The costume department was off the chain. It was great to put on suits and ties. Not to make light of it, but at the same time, I was like, 'I look fly.'"

Viewers can catch a brand new episode of Law and Order: SVU tonight at 9 p.m. on NBC. Below is a preview of what to expect.

Tags: Law And Order SVU chad coleman Meagan Good nbc