A familiar face is coming to Law and Order SVU for Season 16. Peter Gallagher is joining the cast of the NBC show.

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E! News reported Friday that the actor will be joining the show in a recurring role. Gallagher will be playing Deputy Chief William Dodds. He is reportedly "charismatic" and the "tough-as-nails" boss of all special victims units in New York City. He will also be Olivia Benson's (Mariska Hargitay) boss.

Dodds demands respect and hard work from all those who work for him.

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"I've wanted to write for and work with Peter Gallagher since...forever. He's an actor's actor-deft with text and subtext; emotion and intellect," executive producer Warren Leight said about the role. "Like everyone else in our cast, he's also a great singer. We're all thrilled that this long into the show's run, actors of his quality want to do an arc on SVU."

Gallagher has been on Covert Affairs and The O.C. most recently. TVLine also revealed in August that Today Show host Hoda Kotb along with Ron Rifkin and Brian D'Arcy James will also guest star this season on the show.

Hargitay, it was revealed, will also be a producer on the hit NBC show after 16 years of acting on it.

Law & Order: SVU is set to premiere Wednesday, September 24 at 9 p.m. ET on NBC.

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