Handsome, with chiseled, smooth looks and deep olive skin, Benjamin Bratt became known to TV viewers in 1995 when he joined the hit NBC series "Law & Order" in its sixth season, creating the role of Reyaldo 'Rey' Curtis, whose mestizo ancestry--mixed Latino-Indian and German background--matched Bratt's own. His character on the series, a family-oriented younger cop with conservative values, provided a marked contrast to the older, more liberal and cynical Det. Lenny Briscoe (Jerry Orbach). Bratt's insertion into the long-running series went smoothly with no loss of ratings, and audiences stuck by Rey even when he fell into the arms of another woman. After four seasons on the series, however, the actor opted to leave at the end of the 1998-1999 season in order to pursue other interests. He went on a high note, earning a supporting actor Emmy nomination.