Easton Actor To Appear on Law & Order

One of 's own will appear on an episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit next week.

Matt LoGuercio, a former Patch contributor and professional actor, is set to hit the screen in an episode called "Valentine's Day." It's scheduled to air on Wednesday, April 18 at 10 p.m. on NBC. 

LoGuercio recently told Patch he's been acting professionally since 1996, but this appearance is by no means what some would call a "big break."

"Anyone who acts professionally wants to constantly be working—that is one of the hardest things about the business," he said. "What you hope for is the right exposure that leads to more auditions and more work. Then at some point you have a body of good work that gets you to the next level of the business—recurring roles or a series regular, which then can be considered a big break.

"Even then nothing is certain."

LoGuercio said it's important for those acting in small roles to be able to get down to business as soon as possible, as "time is money."

"If you are a guest star or day player the less time you spend on set acting is a good thing, weird but true," he said. 

LoGuercio said he appeared on an episode of the show in 2004 in a small role, and developed a good rapport with the show's casting director, Jonathan Strauss. He said he brought his son into New York City last summer to meet with a talent agent. His son didn't have the best time, LoGuercio said, so he decided to drop in on Strauss—"a really nice person"—who happened to be in his office and had a few minutes to catch up.

"I then mailed him a new headshot and resume and a few months later when they started casting for the season I received an email to come in for an audition," he said. "I then met with my acting coach, as one should always do if time permits, and we worked the scene. I auditioned and two days later I was offered the part."

LoGuercio said he was on the set for three days of shooting and felt great "to be home, so to speak."

"Working professionally as an actor is a real gift—everything on a major TV show is top shelf," he said. "It is real easy to get used having people fit you for clothes, get you lunch, coffee or anything you need to make sure you are comfortable."

The cast was also amazing, he said.

"I had the privilege of working in some scenes with Chloe Sevigny, a Darien native, and an Oscar nominee and Golden Globe winner," he said. "She was great to work with and I share some screen time with her."

LoGuercio said Diane Neal, who plays Casey Novak, was quite the jokester.

"She was really very funny and not at all the serious-as-a-heart-attack individual she portrays on the show," he said. "At one point when she was rehearsing her lines for a take, she went on a rant of what she would have said to the witness if she were really cross-examining him. It definitely would have gotten her a contempt of court citation, but it really helped loosen up the cast for one of the shoots most intense and graphic moments."

LoGuercio couldn't give too much information about the episode he's on away, but said "there are a lot of twists and turns that each of the characters go through, mine included."

Looking ahead, LoGuercio said he's meeting with his acting coach and has auditioned for a few indie films.

NBC's official press release of the episode follows:

While video chatting with his wife (guest star Sevigny) on the way home from an international business trip, a Wall Street executive watches an intruder assault and abduct her. The kidnappers demand ransom, and Detectives Benson (Mariska Hargitay), Amaro (Danny Pino), Rollins (Kelli Giddish), and Tutuola (Ice-T) are on the scene when the missing housewife arrives to pick up the money. She frantically tells the detectives about her ordeal, but Benson grows suspicious of her story. The SVU squad and Assistant District Attorney Casey Novak (Diane Neal) dig deeper to find out who the real victim is in this increasingly complicated case. Also starring Dann Florek (Captain Donald Cragen.) Appearances by returning guest stars Ron Rifkin (Counselor Marvin Exley) and Laura Benanti (Maria Grazie.)