NBC's Law & Order SVU is keeping to their "ripped from the headlines" ethos, thanks to Anika Noni Rose.

The Dreamgirls actress will guest on Wednesday's (September 21) season premiere of Law & Order SVU  in an episode entitled “Scorched Earth." In the show, Rose will play a hotel maid accusing a powerful Italian diplomat, played by Franco Nero, of rape.

Here's a more detailed description, according to Shadow And Act:

The detectives of the Special Victims Unit are called to the scene when a hotel maid (Rose) reports being assaulted by Italian diplomat Robert Distasio (Nero). Bureau Chief Mike Cutter (Linus Roache) and ADA Alex Cabot (Stephanie March) prosecute the high-profile case, which quickly grows more complicated as the maid’s credibility is publicly questioned. Detective Amanda Rollins (Kelli Giddish) joins the Manhattan SVU from Atlanta, while Benson (Hargitay) struggles to cope with the fall-out from the shooting in the precinct.

The script is closely drawn from the New York case where former President of the IMF Bank Dominique Strauss-Kahn was accused of attempted rape against a hotel maid of African descent, Nafissatou Diallo. The charges were eventually dropped, despite DSK's questionable comments since the American court's decision. In a recent interview in France, according the New York Times, the former financial executive who had political hopes admitted that his actions with the maid were evidence of "not only an inappropriate relationship, but more than that, it was an error … I think it was a moral failing, and I'm not proud of it."

In addition to Rose, two new Law & Order SVU characters will hit the small screen, played by Danny Pino and Kelli Giddish.  Pino replaces Elliot Stabler formerly played by Christoper Meloni as Olivia’s new partner, Meloni left the show last season.

(Photo: Michael Buckner/GettyImages)