CSI's Gary Dourdan isn't the only actor departing from his regular television gig.  Diane Neal, popularly known as Casey Novak on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, has also decided to part ways by the season's end of the police procedural drama.

"Diane spent five years on SVU and was a tremendous addition to the SVU team.  She is looking forward to new opportunities and she will be missed," a spokesperson for Law & Order: SVU confirmed.

Neal first appeared in the third season of Law & Order: SVU in the episode “Ridicule” as high-powered rapist Amelia Chase before joining the main ensemble as their Assistant District Attorney (ADA), consequently replacing Stephanie March.

Neal makes her final appearance in next month's season finale of Law & Order: SVU but unlike other previously departed cast members, reprising her character doesn't seem to be an option as the search for a new ADA is already under way.

Word on the street is that show creator Dick Wolf is looking to fill the void with a new comer.

Prior to Law & Order: SVU, Neal made guest appearances on TV series such as Ed, The American Embassy, and Hack.  This was followed by a string of movie projects, which included Second Born, Future Tense, Dracula II: Ascension and Dracula III: Legacy.

As of the moment, there is no word yet on Neal's next endeavor.

Meanwhile, fans can catch Neal in her final days on Law & Order: SVU every Tuesday 10/9c on NBC.  The series also stars Adam Beach as Chester Lake, B.D. Wong as George Huang, Christopher Meloni as Elliot Stabler, Dann Florek as Donald Cragen, Ice-T as Odafin "Fin" Tutuola, Mariska Hargitay as Olivia Benson, Richard Belzer as John Munch, and Tamara Tunie as Melinda Warner, just to name a few.


-Kris De Leon, BuddyTV Staff Columnist
Source: NBC, TV Guide
(Image courtesy of NBC)