The Biggest Lesson Ainsley Seiger Learned From Dylan McDermott On The Set Of Law & Order: Organized Crime - Exclusive

Since the inception of "Law & Order: Organized Crime," which premiered its first season in 2021, Dylan McDermott has been at the crux of the storyline. As crime boss Richard Wheatley, McDermott haunted — and taunted — Christopher Meloni's character, of course famed fictional NYPD Detective Elliot Stabler, who believes Wheatley had a hand in his wife's murder.

Assisting Stabler within the Organized Crime Task Force is hacker-turned detective Jet Slootmaekers, played by newcomer Ainsley Seiger. Together, they have tackled the Wheatley arc week after week — that is, until McDermott exited the NBC series midway through Season 2 to join CBS' "FBI: Most Wanted."

Despite Seiger being eager to see McDermott depart so that Stabler is able to "grow past this rivalry," she was also sad to see him go on a personal level. In fact, during an exclusive interview with Looper, Seiger reflected on the biggest lesson she learned from McDermott on the set of "Law & Order: Organized Crime."

It may come as a surprise, but playing Jet on "Law & Order: Organized Crime" is 23-year-old Ainsley Seiger's very first acting gig in Hollywood — a far cry from McDermott's 35-year career in the business. And therein lies the lesson Seiger learned from her former co-star.

"Dylan actually is one of the people who, when I worked with him for the first time ... I had a little conversation with him, and he was the first person to put ... into words this concept, that he's been doing it for so long and he still loves doing it," Seiger shared. "He does it because he loves it, not because he feels obligated. It was a really eye-opening conversation and such a relief to see someone like him who's still doing so well. [He's] someone who still cares about the craft as much as he does in the sense that, okay, I'm 23-years-old and I don't have to lose the love for it. This feeling doesn't have to end."

It's a state of mind that runs deep in the "Organized Crime" cast and crew, according to Seiger. "Everyone really cares," she added. "It's always nice to know that people who are making these shows and who are involved in these shows who have been doing it for as long as they have been aren't jaded, aren't uninterested, aren't just showing up for the paycheck ... I am very, very grateful to be going to work every day in an environment where I feel safe and taken care of by them."

Season 2 of "Law & Order: Organized Crime" airs Thursdays at 10:00 p.m. ET on NBC.