Karen David guest stars in Law & Order: Organized Crime 3×19 “A Diplomatic Solution” as Diya Laghari, a diplomat from India who comes to New York for an emergency meeting of the UN. While this isn’t the type of work our task force usually does, they’re in a unique position to provide some backup security. More specifically, it falls to our very own Detective Stabler to play bodyguard for a day. Which, of course, goes horribly wrong…as things tend to do when it comes to international relations.
Ahead of the episode, we spoke with Karen David, who was able to tease a little bit about her character and creating some entertaining moments with series star Christopher Meloni. First up, who exactly is this person, and what makes her tick? According to the actress, Diya is “is an ambitious person, but she’s also very passionate about what she does and what she believes in. And she loves her country, just as much as Stabler loves his country.” So, “she wants to serve her country in its best interest, and sometimes, it’s not very easy to do. Especially as a woman and having to deal with the politics of bureaucracy that all comes within that.”
This makes the selection of Detective Stabler as Madam Laghari’s security detail especially fitting. Because “on those topics, they have a lot of things in common.” So, even as the main focus of the episode is trying to figure out who’s responsible for the explosion we see in the promo (below), stay tuned for some “personal moments where you see these two bond — and not bond — in some ways.”
On the fun dynamic between Laghari and Stabler
With that being said, though, don’t expect it to be smooth sailing from the start. Not by a longshot. Madam Laghari’s initial reaction to Stabler is…something. Because “in the beginning, [Laghari] completely got him wrong.” And part of this mistaken identity comes from an interesting place. Despite “coming from an extremely powerful political family back in Delhi in India,” David told us, at first, Diya doesn’t “realize that [Elliot] was actually the head of security and was there to protect her” because “I don’t think even she realized the gravity of her presence being in New York for this UN speech.”
Despite the high-stakes situation that Laghari and Stabler find themselves in, though, “there’s also been very fun moments as an actor to play with Chris, who was so wonderful and such a joy to work with.” As is usually the case for this series, it’s “these little moments in between” that are sometimes the richest. So, be on the lookout for those.
One such example — and it’s not quite a spoiler, not really — involves…water, believe it or not. Not just water but more than one mention of it. In Stabler and Laghari’s first scene together, Diya “is sizing him up and just saying, ‘well, okay, who are you with my car and do have water for me.’” Later, there’s a bit of a callback to the mixup. It’s honestly one of those scenes that makes you wonder whether or not Organized Crime is actually a comedy.
And that’s not the only spot for some relief from the political chaos. As the actress told us, “there’s things that I just love — this banter between them. And, you know, the sort of underlying…possible attraction between the two of them.” It’s the type of thing, she told us, that’s “so much fun to play against this backdrop of…all these things kicking off and happening.”
Check out the official episode synopsis and promo for “A Diplomatic Solution” below:
“The team scrambles to find the group responsible for an assassination attempt on a UN diplomat. Whelan and Reyes find a key clue in the depths of the city’s tunnel system. Stabler struggles to balance the investigation with his mother’s increasing need for support.”
(via NBC)
Stay tuned for more from Karen David after the episode! Law & Order: Organized Crime 3×19 “A Diplomatic Solution” airs on Thursday, April 27 at 10/9c on NBC.
Stop with this mistress for stabler.