It Still 'Shocks' Jill Hennessy When Fans Recognize Her from“ Law & Order”: 'I Feel Like Kissing Them'

Nicki CoxSun, April 5, 2026 at 7:00 PM UTC

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Jill Hennessy season 5 'Law & Order'Credit: NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty -

Jill Hennessy reflected on her time on Law & Order and how fans still recognize her decades later

She says revisiting old episodes helps her appreciate her younger self and feel more comfortable in her own skin now

Hennessy currently stars in Hope Valley: 1874, a prequel to Hallmark’s When Calls the Heart

Many viewers were first introduced to Jill Hennessy in 1993 when she joined Law & Order as prosecutor Claire Kincaid.

Over 30 years later, fans are still watching those old episodes, as the show has become one of the most successful series in television history. Although Hennessy has gone on to carve out her own path, she recently told Yahoo that she finds it "kind of exciting" to know that the 20-something-year-old version of herself is still gracing screens today.

"I’m 30, 35 years older than I was when I did that show," she said in the April 2 interview. "What shocks me is that people still recognize me from it. I feel like kissing them and thanking them and saying, 'I can’t believe you recognize me — that was so long ago!' "

Jill Hennessy in 2025.Credit: Dominik Bindl/Getty

The Canadian-born actress explained that it also allows her to "appreciate who I was then, because I’m much more comfortable in my own skin now."

"Back then, I was new to the country, 24 years old and working a bit in a vacuum," she shared. "There was no real feedback. We weren’t in front of a live audience. There was no social media."

"So it feeds my soul now. It’s like getting applause years after the performance — and I’ll take that any day," she added.

When she watches scenes from the crime drama, however, she is often more focused on what was happening in her life at the time than the actual performance.

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Jill Hennessey and Michael Moriarty on 'Law & Order' in 1993Credit: Gerry Goodstein/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty

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However, she also gets "little flashes from set."

"I’ll watch an interrogation scene with S. Epatha Merkerson and remember we were laughing about something Jerry Orbach said," she told the outlet. "The scene is very serious, but all I can think about is how Epatha and I were trying not to laugh."

Both Hennessy and Merkerson joined Law & Order ahead of season 4. In addition to Orbach, the two women starred alongside Chris Noth, Michael Moriarty, Steven Hill, Sam Waterston and more.

While Merkerson remained on the show for 17 seasons, Hennessy's character was killed at the end of season 6.

She has since amassed over 60 acting credits and currently stars in Hallmark+’s Hope Valley: 1874 as Hattie Quinn — a prequel to Hallmark’s When Calls the Heart.

on People

Original Article on Source

Source: “AOL Entertainment”