Law & Order: SVU Casts Succession's J. Smith-Cameron As A New Peer For Benson — Get Season 28 Scoop

"Law & Order: SVU" is giving Olivia Benson someone new to lean on in Season 28.

"Succession" alum J. Smith-Cameron will recur on the long-running procedural as Gwen Sharpe, a jury consultant who will make her debut during the Thursday, October 8 premiere (NBC, 9/8c), TVLine has learned.

Gwen was initially conceived as someone who would simply cross paths with Benson while a jury was being seated and offer her a bit of advice. But showrunner Michele Fazekas tells TVLine that she soon saw an opportunity to give Mariska Hargitay's character something she doesn't often have: a peer.

"The problem with Benson is she's the boss, so at a certain point you can't go to your subordinates, the people who work for you, and talk about how disillusioned you are," Fazekas explains. "That's not good management skills."

Gwen, meanwhile, will serve as "a nice sort of sounding board for her, and somebody that she can talk to," bringing a different kind of experience and perspective to the table.

"At a certain point, no one's gonna teach Benson much of anything," Fazekas says. "Benson has been doing this for a long time, but you do want somebody who has a different perspective."

As for how much we'll see of Smith-Cameron, that's still being determined. The showrunner expects Gwen to appear "at least three times, if not more" during Season 28.

The two-time Emmy nominee is best known for her turn as Gerri Kellman on the HBO drama "Succession," which ran for four seasons between 2018 and 2023. Additional TV credits include "Elsbeth," "Hacks," "Murdaugh: A Death in the Family," "Rectify," and "Waco: The Aftermath." She'll next be seen in the recently ordered FX drama "Seven Sisters," opposite Elizabeth Olsen and Cristin Milioti. (With reporting by Kim Roots)