The real reason Dean Winters left Law and Order SVU

Bonus scene of Det. Muncy's Law and Order: SVU goodbye

Throughout his professional journey, Dean Winters has won over audiences with his versatile performances across multiple genres.

However, his standout role came in the hit NBC TV series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, where he played Detective Brian Cassidy.

A foundational member of the show’s ensemble, Dean debuted in the pilot episode called Payback.

He continued to make an impression through the initial 13 episodes, after which his character exited from the Special Victims Unit.

Here’s the true cause behind Dean’s departure from Law & Order: SVU.

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Why did Dean Winters leave Law & Order: SVU as Brian Cassidy?

As Dean began his role in Law & Order: SVU, he was simultaneously involved with the HBO show Oz.

His commitment to the show dated back to its inaugural episode in 1997.

With Oz running a tight eight-episode season, Dean found the bandwidth to participate in another show.

Nevertheless, the specifics of his HBO contract posed a complication, resulting in his eventual exit from Law & Order: SVU.

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In a conversation with The A.V. Club, Dean explained why he had to bow out of Law & Order: SVU.

“I was on the show for the first season, but then I had to leave because I had a contract with HBO, and there was a bit of a dispute.”

Dean didn’t delve into the specifics of the disagreement with the network. He did, however, note that his attempts for a later return to the show were stymied by CBS when he rejoined the network for Battle Creek in 2015.

Dean exited Law & Order: SVU on amicable terms, which left the door open for a future comeback. He described a serendipitous encounter that set the stage for his return to the series.

“But how it happened was that I was in my apartment, and there was a film crew setting up outside my apartment. It was 5 a.m. and I was trying to go to bed, but everyone’s making a lot of noise, so I lean out my window and I yell, ‘Would you guys shut the f*** up?'” he stated. “And Richard Belzer yells back up. I had no idea it was SVU!”

Seizing the moment, Dean stepped out to reconnect with his former co-stars and crew.

Almost as if by fate, he was back on set just a week later, eventually adding 18 more episodes to his SVU portfolio.

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