Who played Detective Nick Amaro on Law & Order: SVU?

Danny Pino played Detective Nick Amaro on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

Nicolas “Nick” Amaro Jr. joins Manhattan’s Special Victims Unit in season 13, when he becomes one of the detectives helping fill the gap left by Elliot Stabler’s departure. Amaro works with Olivia Benson, Amanda Rollins, and Fin Tutuola, bringing a more volatile and personally complicated style to the squad’s investigations.

The character is of Cuban and Italian descent and has a difficult relationship with his abusive father. His personal life also becomes part of his storyline: he has children, a strained marriage history, and complicated relationships that affect his work. Those conflicts distinguish him from the more reserved detective archetypes associated with the franchise.

Pino was already known for playing Detective Scotty Valens on Cold Case before joining SVU. He remained a regular cast member through season 16 and later returned for the show’s 500th episode. The alternatives represent other recognizable SVU detectives: Richard Belzer played John Munch, Ice-T played Odafin “Fin” Tutuola, and Philip Winchester played Peter Stone, an assistant district attorney rather than Nick Amaro.