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An Illegitimate Law & Order Investigation with Rue McClanahan and Linus Roache
by Troy Rogers
 Throughout the years of its long running history, Law & Order has played host to a wide variety of guest stars and notable names in both film and television. For the new February 4 episode titled "Illegitimate," which takes Detectives Lupo and Bernard on an investigation into the death of a troubled NYPD officer where they find a new dead body and a trail of stolen memorabilia, the Law & Order cast welcomes veteran small-screen "golden girl" Rue McClanahan into the fold as a guest star. As actor Linus Roache's Assistant District Attorney character, Michael Cutter, searches for answers into claims of the President having an illegitimate son, he pays a visit to the younger man's mother, played by Rue McClanahan, to find the truth.
Leading up to the airing of Law & Order's "Illegitimate," we took to the telephone airwaves for a conference call with Rue McClanahan and Linus Roache to investigate the events within the latest Law & Order episode, whether Rue used any of her famous Golden Girls character for her guest stint, and whether the story was inspired by real headlines.
THE DEADBOLT: Your character is suspected of having an affair with a past President. Did you use any of Blanche Devereaux?
 RUE MCCLANAHAN: No. I play a completely different character. She might have some of Blanche Devereaux’s characteristics, however - Well, she’s a cokehead.
THE DEADBOLT: Since most of the episodes are based on current headlines, was this one based on something that really happened?
LINUS ROACHE: I think it does reference a story. I don’t know which magazine printed it. I think it came out some time ago, about someone who was claiming to be the illegitimate son of a President. But then, like a Law & Order story, it takes something real and takes it on a slightly different journey.
THE DEADBOLT: Rue, do you like being a regular on a series or do you prefer one-offs and recurring roles?
MCCLANAHAN: My darling, it depends on the series, doesn’t it? I mean, a really terrific series, sure, love to be a regular. But I also like doing various roles on various shows. But which do I prefer? Well, I guess, you know, if there was something of the caliber of Golden Girls, comedy that is, which is what I like to do, comedy as a regular. But I don’t expect another one as good as Golden Girls while I’m treading this Earth.
THE DEADBOLT: Linus, what do you like best about playing Cutter over this past season?
 ROACHE: I started last season, so this is my second season now, and what I really love - I mean, I love the show, the staff, I love the formula of the show, I love the procedural drama, and I love the moral dilemma that. As ADAs we’re always in these very challenging and difficult moral dilemmas that we have to work through. But what I love about playing this character and the way they set it up, and what the writers have continued to push, is how far will someone will go for the sake of justice and how strong is the tenant of the law, because the law doesn’t always deal with every single circumstance.
It can’t deal with it perfectly. I play a man who sometimes is almost willing, seemingly, to step outside of the bounds of the law to do something that’s truly ethical. And I love that edge of constantly being challenged with what’s appropriate and what’s really ethical in the pursuit of justice. So they started off creating an open character - and I kind of like to call him a little bit of the Jack Bauer of the judicial system - but that’s what I enjoy playing in the character. Also what’s developed over this period of time is the relationship with Jack McCoy, which working with Sam is just a complete and utter joy, and that relationship between us is a very interesting conflict, dynamic, that’s continuing to grow throughout the time I’ve been on the show. So that keeps it very alive.
THE DEADBOLT: Rue, what attracted you to the character of Lois?
MCCLANAHAN: Oh, my goodness. I thought this was one of the most well written little scenes that I’ve been presented with for some time. It’s a real cat-and-mouse scene. It’s the kind of thing I’d be proud to have written because it’s says a lot without saying anything. In other words, she is a clever little one. She leads them on a merry chase. There’s no law of dilemma in mind whatsoever. It was just fun [laughs].
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