Diane Neal
Diane Neal | |
---|---|
Neal at the 2012 Monte-Carlo Television Festival | |
Born |
November 17, 1976 Alexandria, Virginia, U.S. |
Education | Harvard Extension School of Harvard University |
Occupation | Actress |
Years active | 2001–present |
Notable credit(s) | Casey Novak on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit |
Political party | Independent |
Spouse(s) |
Marcus Fitzgerald (m. 2005–2014) |
Website | Official website |
Diane Neal (born November 17, 1976[1]) is an American actress best known for her role as Casey Novak on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, which she played from 2003 to 2008, then reprised her role from 2011 to 2012. She has portrayed Coast Guard Investigative Service Special Agent Abigail Borin in the NCIS franchise since 2009, appearing as an annual special guest star in NCIS since its seventh season, and as a recurring guest star in NCIS: New Orleans.
Early life
Neal was born in Alexandria, Virginia,[1] the daughter of Colleen, a math teacher, and Christopher Neal, a federal attorney, the youngest of three sisters. She was raised in Littleton, Colorado[2] and Ohio.[3] Neal graduated from high school at 16 and moved to Hawaii to attend college as a pre-med major, although she later left school to become a model and travel around the world. Neal started modeling at 18 for Shiseido and Pond’s skin-care ads. She quit in 1999 and went to study biblical archaeology in Egypt and Israel "because I wanted to be Indiana Jones really badly." [3]
Career
Acting
Neal first appeared in SVU as a guest star, playing a female rapist in the season 3 episode "Ridicule". Neal first appeared as Assistant District Attorney Casey Novak in the show's fifth season, replacing Stephanie March, who played Alexandra Cabot.
Neal portrayed Novak through the end of season 9, when the character exited the series after being censured by the New York State Bar. In 2011, Neal reprised her role as Novak in the season 12 episode, "Reparations", when Novak returned to SVU as their temporary ADA. After that appearance, she became a recurring character in season 13. She was last seen in the episode "Valentine's Day". Neal said of her return to the series in season 13 to TV Guide, "It's back on track to what the original SVU was intended to be, which is about sex crimes and crimes against children, it's got more of a nitty-gritty feel." She says that March's and her return to the fictional universe of the series provided a familiarity for viewers following original cast member Chris Meloni's departure. "I think they should put us in the court room together!" she says about March.[4]
Politics
On February 6, 2018, Neal announced that she would run for the U.S. House of Representatives in New York's 19th congressional district as an independent.[5] She described her political views as "a little Libertarian, I'm a lot liberal, mostly progressive, but I have this amazing ability to be able to take really complicated policy and break it down into edible sound bites, which is something most progressive liberals cannot do."[5]
Filmography
Film
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2002 | Asterix & Obelix: Mission Cleopatra | Cleopatra (voice) | English version |
2003 | Dracula II: Ascension | Elizabeth Blaine | Video |
2003 | Second Born | Natasha | |
2005 | Dracula III: Legacy | Elizabeth Blaine | Video |
2007 | BelzerVizion | Dr. Ryan | Short film |
2011 | Dirty Movie | Nancy | |
2013 | Newlyweeds | Manny | |
2013 | Mr. Jones | The Scholar | |
2013 | Santorini Blue | Florist—"Flowers of the World" | |
2014 | After | Kat | |
2014 | A Warden's Ransom | Warden Samantha Brandt | |
2015 | The Emissary | Christine | Short film |
Television
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2001 | Ed | Vanessa | "Loyalties" |
2001 | Fling | Prudence Fisher | "At the End of the Day" |
2001 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Amelia Chase | "Ridicule" |
2002 | The American Embassy | Molly | "Pilot" |
2002 | Hack | Patricia Bennet | "Husbands and Wives" |
2003 | Future Tense | TV film | |
2003–2012 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | A.D.A. Casey Novak | Main cast 2003–2008, recurring role 2009–2012 |
2005 | Law & Order: Trial by Jury | A.D.A. Casey Novak | "Day" |
2008 | 30 Rock | Erin | "Reunion" |
2009 | My Fake Fiancé | Bonnie | TV film |
2010 | White Collar | Kimberly Rice | "Front Man" |
2010–2014 | NCIS | CGIS Special Agent Abigail Borin | Recurring role seasons 7-12; "Jurisdiction", "Ships in the Night", ""Safe Harbor", "Lost at Sea", "Oil & Water", "The San Dominick" |
2012 | A Gifted Man | Attorney Kim Fletcher | "In Case of Complications" |
2012–2014 | Suits | Allison Holt | "Break Point", "Blood in the Water", "No Way Out" |
2013 | Captain Blackout | Daphne | TV film |
2013 | This Magic Moment | Helena Harris | TV film |
2014 | Power | Cynthia Sheridan | Recurring role |
2015 | NCIS: New Orleans | CGIS Special Agent Abigail Borin | "The Abyss", "The Walking Dead", "Rock-a-Bye Baby" |
2015 | The Following | Lisa Campbell | "Demons", "A Simple Trade", "Dead or Alive", "The Reckoning" |
2015 | Blue Bloods | Kelly Blake | "Hold Outs" |
References
- 1 2 "Big D". DianeNeal.com. Archived from the original on June 3, 2009. Retrieved 26 December 2015.
- ↑ Neal, Diane. "I'm from Littleton, Colorado. No more questions about who I'm rooting for. However, I wish both teams good and safe play...and fun for all!". twitter.com. Retrieved 8 February 2018.
- 1 2 "Law & Order: SVU's Diane Neal - Diane Neal". People.com. Retrieved 2013-07-23.
- ↑ Ross, Robyn (August 9, 2011). "VIDEO: Law & Order: SVU's Diane Neal Says Season 13 Has a Nitty-Gritty Feel". TV Guide. Retrieved October 28, 2012.
- 1 2 Costantino, George (7 February 2018). "'Law & Order: SVU' star Diane Neal running for Congress in NY". ABC News. Retrieved 8 February 2018.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Diane Neal. |
- Diane Neal on IMDb