Ned Eisenberg, Law & Order: SVU and Mare of Easttown actor, dies at 65

Ned Eisenberg, a veteran character actor best known for his role as defense attorney Roger Kressler on the long-running crime drama Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, died of cancer over the weekend. He was 65.

His agents confirmed the news to EW. Eisenberg's wife, the actress Patricia Dunnock, said in a statement, "As Ned would say, he was attacked by two very rare assassins — cholangiocarcinoma and ocular melanoma. Over the course of two years, he bravely fought the cancers in private while continuing to work in show business to ensure that his medical coverage paid for himself and his family."

Born Jan. 13, 1957, in New York, Eisenberg began his career in theater, performing in Brighton Beach Memoirs, The Green Bird, Awake and Sing!, and Golden Boy. He co-founded the theater company Naked Angels in 1987 before venturing more into film and TV. Eisenberg's movie credits included Key Exchange (1985), Last Man Standing (1996), Head of State (2003), World Trade Center (2006), and Limitless (2011), among others.

Ned Eisenberg
Ned Eisenberg. Scott Rudd/Patrick McMullan/getty

In a career spanning four decades, Eisenberg appeared on dozens of TV shows. Along with SVU, they included The Equalizer, Miami Vice, The Fanelli Boys (alongside fellow Law & Order star Christopher Meloni), Blue Bloods, 30 Rock, New Amsterdam, The Good Wife, Bull, and Elementary. His most recent credits included Mare of Easttown, The Blacklist, and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.

In addition to his wife, Eisenberg is survived by his son, Lino Eisenberg.

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