Law & Order: SVU Signs Lost Alum

http://www.tvguide.com/News/Kecks-Exclusives-Law-1020198.aspx

Lost alum Henry Ian Cusick, who played the time-traveling Desmond Hume on the ABC series, is leaping to NBC. He has signed on for at least two fall episodes of Law & Order: SVU, playing a graphic artist named Erik Weber.

SVU executive producer Neal Baer, a fan of Lost, tells me he cast Ian because he is "a sharp, smart leader and very charismatic."

Could Ian finally help Detective Benson (Mariska Hargitay) get over her long romantic dry spell? (Her last lover was Kurt Moss, played by Bill Pullman, way back in 2008!) "There might be some flirtation," Baer says. "Erik meets Olivia when he comes to someone's aid. And then we'll see how it goes. Olivia is devoted to her job and knows that comes first."

While this comes as good news to us, somewhere out there Penny Widmore is sobbing. SVU is also looking for a big-name female to replace the departing Sharon Stone. Maybe Sonya Walger (Penny) could play that role?!