Jesse L. Martin on Why He Left ‘Law and Order’

*Actor and singer Jesse L. Martin says he has no regrets leaving “Law & Order” after nine years. He told the AP that he would have ended up “dimming” himself as an actor if he had stayed on the show. Martin, who played Detective Ed Green, left the NBC crime show in 2008.

Martin is now doing independent TV and film projects and has returned to the stage in New York in a production of “The Merchant of Venice.” He’s adamant he doesn’t miss the show because his craft would have suffered if he continued as the same character.

“As interesting as you can be and as hard as you can work, it starts to feel the same after a while. So I knew full well that if I didn’t get out of that position and get back on stage or explore other roles, I’d be really hurting myself. I’d be really dimming myself as an actor.”