Who could have ever imagined that a modest lunch would set in motion one of television’s performances? During an interview with Harper's BAZAAR, Edie Falco of Law & Order True Crime, recalled,"Dick Wolf took me to lunch. And what he said to me was, I know you don't do network television. I was like, I don't.I never said that. I'll do whatever comes my way. But he said, I think you should do this."She continued,"And this is why. And he explained it to me. And he really kind of pushed for it. And so I was like, yeah, sure."The meeting set the wheels in motion for one of the most demanding parts of her career, as she stepped into the shoes of real-life defense attorney Leslie Abramson for NBC’s 2017 limited series.Here's the interview for your reference:A new chapter in the Law & Order franchiseWhen NBC debuted the eight‑episode limited series Law & Order True Crime: The Menendez Murders in 2017, it offered a spin on the Menendez brothers’ saga that had dominated conversation throughout the 1990s. The show then dives into the courtroom drama of Lyle and Erik Menendez, whose killing of their parents reverberated across the nation.Of the Law & Order formula, this anthology zeroes in on a lens dissecting the tangled emotional and moral webs that ensnare its participants. At its core is Falco’s portrayal of Abramson, a keen, unflinching attorney who stands for the brothers as a storm of scrutiny bears down.The lunch that changed everything for Falco in Law & OrderThe interview with Harper's BAZAAR captures Falco explaining that her casting decision boiled down to a conversation with Dick Wolf himself. The two met over lunch. During that meeting, Wolf laid out in detail why she should take the part.“He said, ‘I think you should do this, and this is why,’” Falco explained. “He really kind of pushed for it.”She admitted she had initially balked at the idea of joining another network series, yet Wolf’s steadfast belief and the story’s compelling heft eventually swayed her. Even though the "lunch" tale originates from Falco’s interview chatter, rather than any official production notes, she keeps bringing it up in conversations, whether she’s on Building Character or taking part in PaleyFest discussions.Bringing Leslie Abramson to life in Law & OrderFalco approached the role of Abramson with a mix of empathy and unflinching realism. As per TV Insider, she admitted she moved carefully, aware of the weight that comes with depicting a living individual. She said,"I feel things are a little more weighty here because there are people alive today and two that aren’t as a result of this crime, and that deserves a fair amount of attention and respect. There are real people living the ramifications of what went on during this period of time, and it’s important to be knowledgeable and respectful of that fact.”She hurled herself into the courtroom tapes, letting the raw, unedited footage seep into the alcoves of her mind. Then she waded through a sea of interviews tracking the tilt of Abramson’s posture and the flicker of fire that accompanied each utterance, careful not to shrink herself into a caricature.The result feels strikingly human, grounded in reality, laying bare both the intellect and the tender fissures hidden beneath Abramson’s facade.The transformation in Law & Order: Details that defined the roleFrom the stitching of her wardrobe to the way her hair bounced, each tiny decision nudged Falco toward becoming Abramson. In the same interview with Harper's BAZAAR, the actress cracked a laugh as she recalled her character’s curls, saying,"The perm, although I think her hair was legitimately curly like that, but it was a perm I desperately wanted. It was a look I wanted in that time. And my mother had it, too."The echo of nostalgia turned the metamorphosis into a kind of affair. Falco plunged into the role’s details, the jackets, flamboyant gestures, and that distinctive timbre- sculpting an Abramson that rose beyond mere surface mimicry.Critical response and recognitionCritics showered the series with praise for its labyrinthine storytelling, while Falco’s commanding performance captured attention. Global News and IMDb News observed that reviewers flagged her as the show’s linchpin, highlighting her knack for fusing unwavering resolve with a felt empathy.Falco’s recent turn in Law & Order- raw, nuanced, honest- netted her an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie, as listed by the Television Academy. It stakes another landmark on a career long defined by characters as they are, flawed- undeniably human, in every respect. The lingering impression clings on well after the moment has faded.Falco quickly realized that stepping into Abramson’s shoes in Law & Order turned into a tutorial on conviction and compassion. Though Law & Order: Crime: The Menendez Murders lasted a season, it still managed to carve a lasting imprint on both the franchise and Falco’s own career. The show proved that despite television’s constraints, there’s always room for depth, nuance, and reinvention.Hard to imagine that the whole saga began with a lunch!Also read: Law & Order: Organized Crime is going back to its original time slot—Here's what we know