After More Than 400 Episodes, Sam Waterston Announces He's ...

Sam Waterston is saying a bittersweet farewell to Law & Order. The veteran actor portrayed scrappy District Attorney Jack McCoy from 1994 until the show went off the air in 2010, and when it came back in 2022, so did Waterston. But now, he's ready to move on.

In a letter addressed to fans, the actor revealed current Season 24 will be his last, with him appearing as McCoy for the final time in the fifth episode of the season airing Thursday, February 22 at 8/7c.

Why Sam Waterston is leaving Law & Order

"Greetings, you wonderful people," he wrote. "It’s a pleasure to talk directly like this to the backbone of Law & Order’s absolutely amazing audience. The time has come for me to move on and take Jack McCoy with me. There’s sadness in leaving, but I’m just too curious about what’s next. An actor doesn’t want to let himself get too comfortable. I’m more grateful to you than I can say. L&O’s continuing and amazing long run, along with its astounding comeback, is all thanks to you and to Dick Wolf, but for whose vision, patience, perseverance, and unique combination of creative and business talents, none of this would have happened. I feel very blessed. I hope to see you all on the flip side."

Scandal's Tony Goldwyn is set to join the cast as the new D.A., but little else is currently known about his character.

RELATED: Scandal's Tony Goldwyn is Joining the Law & Order Cast! Details

18 years of Jack McCoy

Waterston played McCoy in more than 400 episodes of Law & Order. Hard-working with a temper he endeavors to keep under control, McCoy is twice-divorced, with a somewhat estranged daughter. By the end of the 22nd season, they're close enough that McCoy knows about his first grandchild.

McCoy is willing to bend and even break the rules to put the bad guys behind bars, and doesn't suffer fools. Though not entirely without mercy, McCoy supports the death penalty. He's had affairs with a number of female colleagues over the years.

RELATED: Sam Waterston's Most Unforgettable Moments as DA Jack McCoy on Law & Order

"Obviously I haven't really been trying hard to escape [Jack McCoy]. Because here I am after a 10, 12-year break, right back where I was before," he told  NBC Chicago in April 2023. "I consider myself extraordinarily lucky to have such a long run doing something of real quality that really talks to this country in plain language about what's going on right now today. It's just been a wonderful blessing."

With nearly a hundred credits to his name, Sam Waterston is one of the more recognizable actors of the 20th and 21st centuries. Even if you've somehow never watched an episode of Law & Order, you might have seen Waterston on programs like The Newsroom, The Dropout or Grace & Frankie.

In film, Waterston appeared in classics like Serial Mom, Hannah and Her Sisters, The Killing Fields and The Great Gatsby (1974). And every year, schoolchildren across the country listen to him provide the voice of Abraham Lincoln in Ken Burns' seminal documentary series, The Civil War.

Throughout his career, he has been nominated for the Tonys, Emmys, Golden Globes, and Academy Awards. 

Sam Waterston off-screen

Waterston has four children, including daughter Katherine Waterston, who is also an actor and guest starred in Law & Order's Season 22 finale. You may have seen her in the Fantastic Beasts film series.

“That topped everything,” he told TV Insider about her role. “She’s a beautiful actress, quick to react, full of intelligence and ready emotion. I have three actor children, and there isn’t anything more fun than acting with them.”

Watch Law & Order on Peacock and on NBC.