Juliana Aiden Martinez Transitions to FBI Following Departure from Law and Order: SVU

Juliana Aidén Martinez has secured a new role after her unexpected exit from Law & Order: SVU.

According to TV Line, Martinez, 34, will portray a new character on FBI. However, dedicated fans are aware that CBS’ FBI shares the same universe as Dick Wolf’s Law & Order: SVU. In her role on the NBC series, Martinez was Detective Kate Silva for one season before her departure was announced.

The season 26 finale, which aired in May, featured undercover detective Joe Velasco (Octavio Pisano) receiving a promotion to detective second grade. Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay) and the rest of the team celebrated this achievement before tackling another case.

The season wrapped up with a promotion ceremony for Velasco and 15 other detectives. Earlier that month, it was revealed that both Pisano, 38, and Martinez were leaving the NBC series following season 26. Pisano joined Law & Order: SVU in season 23, while Martinez was introduced in season 26. The show has officially been renewed for season 27, with Michele Fazekas being named the series’ first female showrunner; however, no details have been provided regarding the departures of Pisano and Martinez.

Law & Order: SVU, which made its debut in 1999, centers on detectives from the NYPD’s Special Victims Unit as they investigate and prosecute sexually-based crimes. The legal drama stars Hargitay, Ice T, Peter Scanavino, and Kevin Kane, and has seen numerous cast members come and go over the years.

Though fans won’t see more of Velasco and Silva, Kelli Giddish’s Rollins is set to return in season 27. Giddish, 45, initially left Law & Order: SVU mid-season 24 in 2022 after more than a decade with the show. She made guest appearances in seasons 25 and 26 before being confirmed as a series regular for the upcoming season.

Martinez’s new role on FBI comes as the series works to fill the void left by Katherine Renee Kane’s Tiffany Wallace. Following Kane’s departure, Emily Alabi was cast as Dani Rhodes. Alabi is expected to return in season 8 but will only be there to conclude her character’s storyline.

CBS wrote off Tiffany just two months after news broke about Kane, 33, exiting the series during season 7. The actress joined the cast in season 3 in 2020 after Ebonee Noel left the show at the end of season 2.

Kane confirmed her exit in August 2024, sharing with Deadline that it was “time to look towards new creative endeavors.” She added: “I’m excited for the future and wish the show all the best.”

Before her departure, Kane exclusively told Us Weekly that she was eager to further develop her character.

“I think what she needs and what I want to see is for her to soften up. For her to have more ease in her life,” she expressed in May 2024. “While her dedication and passion for her work are admirable and resonate with people, I definitely want to explore more facets of who she is as a woman.”