Before ‘The Boroughs,’ Eric Edelstein terrified ‘SVU’ viewers in a role you probably missed
The supernatural sci-fi drama series 'The Boroughs' has left fans hooked with its unsettling premise. The latest project from The Duffer Brothers debuted on May 21 on Netflix. It centers on a sinister retirement community in New Mexico, where its senior residents become the target of a supernatural monster lurking in the shadows. Veteran actors like Alfred Molina, Geena Davis, Alfre Woodard, Denis O'Hare, and Clarke Peters appear as residents of the retirement community, who band together to face the otherworldly threat. The community is overseen by the intimidating head of security Hank Williams, played by Eric Edelstein. Hank is a menacing figure who plays an important role in maintaining the community's picture-perfect facade and becomes the biggest obstacle in the residents' search for the truth. The series is co-created by Jeffrey Addiss and Will Matthews and features eight episodes.
The actor may seem familiar to the audience, as he recently starred in Season 27 of 'Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (SVU).' He made his 'Law & Order' debut in episode 14 titled 'Frequency,' which aired on March 5, as the villain Costa Lykos. In the episode, Lykos came under the titular squad's radar after he kidnapped an autistic, non-verbal kid named Avery Li. The team discovered that Avery was trapped in a cage through a baby monitor and raced against time to rescue the young boy. The SVU team worked with Sgt. Amanda Rollins (Kelli Giddish) to solve the case and to act carefully to avoid alerting the perpetrator, lest he relocate the child.
Rollins entered Lykos's home under the guise of investigating his cousin and tried to stall long enough for the SVU team to reach his house. However, Lykos absconded from the scene before the team could arrest him. What followed was a high-intense chase through the streets of NYC, before the team lost him at a crowded subway station. Nevertheless, they were able to communicate with Avery over video feed, rescue him, and reunite the boy with his mother.
Moreover, throughout his decades-long career, Edelstein has made guest appearances in popular shows, such as 'Curb Your Enthusiasm,' 'Brooklyn Nine-Nine,' 'Drunk History,' 'Ugly Betty,' 'Parks and Recreation,' 'Fresh Off the Boat,' and 'The Goldbergs.' His prominent roles include playing Bobby Mallison on 'Shameless,' Detective 'Smiley' Fusco in 'Twin Peaks,' and Blackie in the crime comedy series 'The Lowdown.' Edelstein has also done extensive voice acting work, including lending his voice to B.O.B. in 'Monsters vs. Aliens,' Chad in 'Clarence,' and Grizzly 'Grizz' in 'We Bare Bears.' His film credits include the horror-thriller 'Green Room,' 'Jurassic World,' and comedy films like 'Family' and '3 Days with Dad.' Fans can watch Edelstein's villainous turn in 'The Boroughs' on Netflix.
