BD Wong Latest Actor to Depart from LAW & ORDER: SVU

After the much publicized exit of Chris Meloni from the procedural drama, the star announced via his Twitter account that he would not be returning for the show's 13th season either.

This hard-hitting and emotional series from NBC's "Law & Order" brand chronicles the life and crimes of the Special Victims Unit of the New York Police Department, the elite squad of detectives who investigate sexually based crimes.

BD Wong played soft-spoken forensic psychologist and criminal profiler Dr. George Huang who was influential in tracking down many an offender and gaining info from victims in several cases in the series. The actor will move on to another NBC drama Awake, which is the Jason Isaacs mind-bender about a man who exist in two realities.

He stated, "It was amazing to have such a cool job for 11 years and to be a real NY Actor."

Dick Wolf, creator of the Law & Order franchise, has been on the look for a replacement male lead for Chris Meloni. The five candidates, David Conrad (Ghost Whisperer), Kevin Alejandro (True Blood, Southland), Michael Raymond-James (Terriers), Danny Pino (Cold Case) and Rhys Coiro (Entourage) have flown into New York to screen test with leading lady Mariska Margitay.

Mariska Hargitay is said to be returning full time for 13 of the 22 episodes, and will be part time in the final nine as the actress prepares to make her exit as well.

The series stars Dann Florek, Richard Belzer, Ice-T, B.D. Wong, Tamara Tunie, and Michaela McManus. Law & Order is created and executive produced by Dick Wolf with Neal Baer, Ted Kotcheff and Peter Jankowski as executive producers.