NBC
"Law & Order" fans know Odelya Halevi as ADA Samantha Maroun, but her acting career dates back way further than her 2022 debut on the popular procedural, which was revived that same year. Halevi snagged her first TV role in 2014, when she appeared on "New Girl," which followed the adventures of Jess Day (Zooey Deschanel) and her male roommates in Los Angeles.
Halevi's TV debut happened in the third episode of the fourth season titled "Julie Berkman's Older Sister." Full of the show's typical hijinks, the episode follows Jess' attempt to interfere with her dad's relationship with his young fiancée, who used to be her classmate. In the B-plot, Schmidt (Max Greenfield), puts his efforts toward landing a sponge ad campaign. So where does Halevi fit into the narrative? She plays the role of Hot Woman. And while it obviously wasn't a huge role, "New Girl" aligns closely with Halevi's creative interests.
Odelya Halevi wants to do more comedy work
Fox
"Law & Order" is a legal drama, so it's not exactly the place for Odelya Halevi to flex her comedy chops. But it's not like she's done much comedy at all. Aside from "New Girl" and an appearance on "Mike & Molly" and "Why Women Kill," which, despite what the name suggests, is actually a dark comedy, she hasn't spent much time making audiences laugh. Still, it's not because she doesn't want to play around on that end of the spectrum. In fact, it's the opposite.
"I'd really love to explore more comedy in the future," Halevi told The Bare Magazine in a 2025 interview. "My first two TV roles were these small guest spots on 'Mike and Molly' and 'The New Girl.' I had the best time. There's something so special about being on a comedy set, the energy is just different." Specifically, she relished the joy that came from laughing all day, improvising, and throwing out ideas. "Hearing people laugh during a take is so satisfying and fulfilling." She also revealed that part of her motivation for wanting to show that side of herself to audiences is because of her "Law & Order" character, Sam Maroun's serious nature. "I'd love to play a role that's funny, but still grounded in real emotions," she explained.
