The Dexter: Resurrection star has stepped in to recast a role originally played by Timothy Busfield on the long-running NBC series.
David Zayas has officially landed his first TV role following Dexter: Resurrection, and the circumstances surrounding it are in fact anything but ordinary. The actor, who is praised for delivering what many consider a career-best performance as Angel Batista in the latest season of Dexter, has joined Law & Order: SVU under urgent and highly unusual conditions, stepping into a role that underwent an unexpected recasting.
Zayas was brought in to replace actor Timothy Busfield, known for The West Wing, and actually reshoot every scene Busfield had filmed for a Season 27 episode of the long-running NBC drama. The episode, originally scheduled to air on January 15, was abruptly pulled following reports of alleged misconduct prompting the network to temporarily shelve the episode.
According to Deadline, the decision to move forward with a recast came amid ongoing legal developments involving the original actor.
The episode, titled “Corrosive,” features a prominent guest role at the center of the story, portraying a very respected judge whose life becomes significant to the investigation. After weeks of uncertainty, NBC ultimately decided the episode should move forward, opting to recast the role entirely with Zayas rather than scrap it altogether.
Zayas has already completed filming his newly shot scenes, effectively saving the episode and keeping Law & Order: SVU Season 27 on schedule.
With his involvement, the series remains on track for its February 26 return, marking yet another high profile post-Dexter: Resurrection casting for the actor, that undesrcores his reliability when a production needs steady hands, fast.
Photo: John Nacion