ANNIE PARISSE DEBUTS ON NBC'S 'LAW & ORDER' WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 19 AT 10 PM ET

NEW YORK �- January 18, 2005 �- Annie Parisse ("National Treasure") makes her debut on NBC's Emmy Award-winning series "Law & Order" as the new Assistant District Attorney Alexandra Borgia, tomorrow, Wednesday, Jan. 19 at 10 p.m. ET.

Parisse, who guest-starred on "Law & Order" during the 2001-02 season, replaces Elisabeth Rohm.

"Annie is a terrific actress, and her new character (Alexandra Borgia) is an exotic beauty whose looks belie the fact that she is usually the smartest person in the room," said Dick Wolf creator and executive producer of "Law & Order."

Said Parisse: "I'm so excited to be a part of such a great show. I had so much fun when I did an episode several years ago and I'm really looking forward to working with everyone on a regular basis."

Parisse's first episode, "Fluency," centers around the mysterious deaths of nine people. Detectives Fontana (Dennis Farina) and Green (Jesse L. Martin) discover that the victims were injected with saline solution instead of the flu vaccine leading the police to arrest a career con man Elliot Peters (guest star Rob Sedgwick). But as confident new Assistant D.A. Alexandra Borgia (Parisse) joins McCoy (Sam Waterston), she boldly promises justice to the victims' relatives, a promise that will be difficult for the prosecutor to fulfill after vital search warrant evidence is tossed out. Fred Thompson and S. Epatha Merkerson also star.

Parisse guest-starred on NBC's "Friends" in an episode broadcast last January. Her previous films include "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days" and "On the Q.T." She currently stars as Agent Dawes in the blockbuster theatrical film "National Treasure," starring Nicolas Cage, and in upcoming features such as "Prime" starring Meryl Streep and Uma Thurman as well as "Monster In Law" starring Jennifer Lopez and Jane Fonda.

Parisse also portrayed Julia Lindsey Snyder on the daytime drama "As the World Turns" from 1998-2001 and again in 2002. Her other primetime guest-starring credits include NBC's "Third Watch" and "Big Apple."

Parisse was born in Anchorage, Alaska.