Summary

• Jill Hennessy's exit from Law & Order as Claire Kincaid was due to a fear of being typecast after three seasons.
• Kincaid's shocking death in a car accident on the show impacted characters long after she left, especially Briscoe.
• Hennessy has since diversified her acting roles in movies and TV, including starring in Crossing Jordan and creating The Acting Class.

Here's Claire Kincaid's shocking exit from Law & Order explained. The original series of Law & Order arrived in 1990 and would spawn a robust franchise that runs to this day. The show is a procedural with a unique structure, with the first half of a typical episode following detectives investigating a case and arresting a suspect. The second half then follows efforts by the District Attorney's office to prosecute said suspects for their crimes. Law & Order came to an end in 2010 after 20 seasons and a staggering 456 episodes.

Of course, that's far from the end of the series. Its spinoff Law & Order: Special Victim's Unit began in 1999 and is ongoing, and Mariska Hargitay's Olivia Benson has been with the show from the very beginning. Aside from Law & Order: Special Victim's Unit the franchise has further series with Criminal Intent, LA - the latter of which only lasted for a season - and UK. The latest addition is Law & Order: Organized Crime, which is fronted by Christopher Meloni's Elliot Stabler, who has been much missed since his SVU's departure, and more of the original series was ordered more than a decade after it originally ended.

Why Jill Hennessy Left Law & Order

Hennessy Did Not Want To Be Typecast

Jill Hennessy ed Law & Order as Assistant District Attorney Claire Kincaid during the fourth season. Kincaid first worked under Ben Stone, before working - and often clashing - with Jack McCoy. Hennessy made an impression during her three seasons, and her character also made a guest appearance on an episode of NBC's Homicide: Life on the Street; the latter appearance caused her to be doubled by her twin sister Jacqueline Hennessy during the filming of a Law & Order episode.

After three years, Jill Hennessy decided it was time to move on, which led to her Kincaid being killed off in the season 6 finale "Aftershock." Hennessy chose to leave the series because after spending so long playing the same character, there was a fear that she would be typecast in the role. According to TV Guide's special issue "Law & Order: 20 Years Of Arresting Drama," Hennessy didn't want casting directors to continue to see her only as an "uptight lawyer."

She did, however, make it clear that she would be willing to return to the role in a guest capacity if she was asked.

How Claire Kincaid Was Killed On Law & Order

The Character Was Killed In A Car Accident

"Aftershock" is a notable episode for featuring Jennifer Garner's Law & Order guest appearance, an early role for the then-unknown actress. It also broke from the show's formula. It focuses on several main characters taking a day off following the execution of a man they helped convict, with Detective Lennie Briscoe attempting to reconnect with his estranged daughter, while Kincaid questions her future with the DA's office. It's a powerful episode that puts a focus on fleshing out the show's major characters, and the ending sees Briscoe, a recovering alcoholic, getting drunk after a bad meeting with his daughter.

Law & Order's "Aftershock" ends with Kincaid discovering the drunken Briscoe and driving him home, but after an emotional heart-to-heart, their car is struck by a drunk driver. Kincaid was killed in the crash, but Jill Hennessy later revealed this wasn't the original plan.

Law & Order was supposed to reveal Claire Kincaid survived the crash but was left paralyzed, and she left the DA's office in the aftermath. For whatever reason, this plan was changed, with the character's death coming as a major surprise to both the characters on the show - with Briscoe in particular feeling personally responsible - and viewers. Hennessy told TV guide in their special issue:

I made it clear I wanted to come back. I found out they killed me off from a friend who watched the show and told me, 'Jill, they said you were dead!' I was surprised, because I always thought I would return. Even now, I'd love to come back for some bizarre flashbacks.

Claire Kincaid's death in the series had an impact on characters long after she left the series though. Briscoe started attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings and the character remained sober for the rest of his run on the show. Three seasons after her death, it was also revealed that Kincaid and McCoy had more than simply a working relationship. While it had been implied during her time on the show that they were sleeping together, it wasn't overtly stated until season 9. McCoy went after drunk drivers in the courtroom with a particular viciousness, demonstrating his grief at losing her.

What Jill Hennessy Has Done Since Law & Order

Hennessy Has Continued To Appear In Movies, Television, And Music

Following her departure from Law & Order, Hennessy has appeared in a variety of projects on the big and small screens. She has made a point to vary her roles, not becoming typecast as a particular character ever since she left the show, even appearing as Jackie Kennedy in the made-for-TV-movie Jackie, Ethel, and Joan: The Women of Camelot.

Her most notable role, however, is another TV drama. Hennessy starred as the title character in Crossing Jordan from 2001-2007 and even played the character for a handful of crossover episodes in Las Vegas. There, she was a medical examiner helping in murder investigations. While the series has a case-of-the-week format, it was less of a procedural than Law & Order, delving more into the lives of the characters.

She also wrote, starred in, and co-directed The Acting Class, about a pair of acting students looking for the perfect acting teacher. Several of her Law & Order costars also appeared in the movie alongside her, like Jerry Orbach, Chris Noth, and her twin sister.

Since then, Hennessy has continued to vary her acting choices, splitting her time between movies and guest-starring television roles. She’s appeared in such popular series as Bull, Madame Secretary, Yellowstone, and City on a Hill. Most recently, she even had a brief appearance in Madame Web.

Hennessy has also released two albums, married, and had two children since her time on Law & Order, so her life has been kept very busy.