Melissa Sagemiller Lands Lead on NBC's CHICAGO FIRE Spin-Off

Deadline reports that Melissa Sagemiller has landed the lead role in the planned spin-off of NBC's CHICAGO FIRE. The actress joins previously announced cast members Tania Raymonde and Scott Eastwood

Sagemiller will guest star in the drama's season finale which will serve as a kick-off to the possible new series. She will portray Detective Willhite, described as "a member of the Chicago PD Intelligence Unit". The role will mark the second time she has worked with Wolf Films and NBC following a recent guest arc on Law & Order: SVU.

No details have been revealed as to which Chicago Fire cast members, if any, will switch over to the new spinoff.

Most recently, Sagemiller portrayed the character Michelle Ernhardt in the TNT series Raising the Bar. After that series was cancelled, she joined Law & Order: Special Victims Unit in a recurring role as ADA Gillian Hardwicke. The actress was featured in ten episodes of the 12th season of SVU.