Jeremy Sisto's new role

Jeremy Sisto’s new role

This season, Jeremy Sisto joins NBC’s Law & Order(Wednesdays, 10 p.m.) as Jesse L. Martin’s new partner, Det. Cyrus Lupo. What has the Six Feet Under vet discovered on the beat?

Get ready to be New York’s best friend
While shooting all over New York City, Sisto has been shocked at how many people seem to know Martin after his eight years as an L&O mainstay. ”People drive by, and they’re like, ‘What up, Jess?’ And he’s like, ‘Yo, what’s up, sweetheart?”’ says Sisto. ”Jesse’s like a national hero here.”

A little history goes a long way
Sisto came up with Lupo’s backstory: The detective just came off four years working on terrorism intel in Europe, and his brother — who died in the first episode — was married to Lupo’s ex-fiancé for whom he still pines. ”I’ve been told that I have more backstory than any character in the last 10 years,” says Sisto. When do the producers tell him that? He laughs, ”Usually when I’m asking for character stuff.”

Law & Order really does repeat that often
Sisto hadn’t seen many episodes of the show — now in its 18th season — until Dick Wolf offered him the role: ”I put it on my TiVo in the evening, and in the morning, the TiVo was filled…. Jesse sings a song to the show’s opening melody, and the lyrics are ‘Law & Order is on. Law & Order is always on.”’