Why Chicago P.D. Fans Recognize SVU's New Guest Star Zach Appelman
Aside from Appelman playing three different SVU characters, Chicago P.D. fans may remember his face.
One of the guest stars for Law & Order: Special Victims Unit's January 23, 2025 episode, Zach Appelman, may look familiar to Chicago P.D. fans.
For background, Appelman began acting in the early 2000s, landing both TV and film projects, such as his 2012 episode of Homeland and the 2013 film Kill Your Darlings. In 2014, Appelman landed a recurring guest role in the TV thriller Sleepy Hollow, delivering a haunting performance as Joe Corbin. In 2017, he guest-starred as David Blumenthal in the Emmy-winning series The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, and that same year, he made his way to the One Chicago universe.
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Those who love tuning in for both One Chicago Wednesdays and SVU were in for a treat during SVU Season 26, Episode 10 ("Master Key"). Find out where you recognize Appelman across Dick Wolf's franchises, below.
Zach Appelman's Matt Miller briefly dated Chicago P.D.'s Kim Burgess
Appelman guest starred in Chicago P.D. Season 5, Episode 8 ("Politics") as Matt Miller, an Assistant U.S. Attorney. Miller briefly dated Kim Burgess (Marina Squerciati), crossing paths with the Intelligence Unit after one of their murder cases got entangled with his ongoing case with the Feds. As any fan of procedurals knows, the Feds' goals can often clash with local authorities. That tension emerged after Burgess set out to imprison a murderer with possible ties to the mob, while Miller was stalling on any arrests to build a RICO case against that same mob.
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After an intense investigation where Burgess had to essentially sell out her boyfriend to prevent the Feds from allowing the murderer to leave the country, Miller was less than thrilled with the outcome. Upset that Burgess prioritized her Intelligence Unit case over his wishes for her to hold off, Miller ended his relationship with Burgess.
Who does Zach Appelman play on Law & Order: SVU?
Appleman guest stars in SVU Season 26, Episode 10 ("Master Key") as Michael Strickland, a case worker assigned to a teen orphan with a history of behavioral problems. After said teen goes missing, the squad gets to work deciphering whether he was kidnapped or ran away, and their investigation reveals something very sinister about Mr. Strickland's idea of child care.
Season 26 of SVU isn't Appelman's first rodeo with the squad: he guest-starred thrice before on SVU as two different characters. In Season 15 of SVU, Appelman guest-starred as Officer Jimmy Hamilton in two episodes. Appelman returned to SVU in 2017 to guest star in Season 18, Episode 7 ("Next Chapter") as Ryan Engel, a businessman and the episode's red herring suspect.
In recent years, Appelman has also guest-starred in series like God Friended Me, The Equalizer, FBI, The Resident, and NBC's New Amsterdam.
Watch Law & Order: Special Victims Unit on Thursdays at 9/8c on NBC and the next day on Peacock.
