Editor's note: This article was written by a Townsquare Media Northern New England contributor and may contain the individual's views, opinions or personal experiences.

If you're even remotely a fan of crime drama television shows, you almost assuredly know the name, face or voice of actor Sam Waterston. Waterston has played district attorney Jack McCoy on NBC's original iteration of "Law & Order" for 17 seasons. The show ran from 1994 until 2010 before being revived in 2022, and Waterston's portrayal of McCoy was so popular, he's been deemed a "living landmark" in New York. But Sam Waterston also has other deep-rooted passions and one of them was on display during a visit to Maine last weekend.

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Shared on Instagram by the College of the Atlantic, Waterston was a key speaker talking about ocean conservation. Waterston is a board member for the non-profit known as Oceana, which is the largest international advocate focused solely on ocean conservation. Waterston has continued to use his celebrity status to bring attention to how vital having clean and maintained oceans are to the quality of life for humans and other species.

Waterston is no stranger to Maine. Before he found success on the silver screen and in theater, Waterston was born and raised in New England. Waterston and his three siblings all grew up in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Waterston attended the elite boarding school in Groton, Massachusetts, before going to college at Yale. Waterston still maintains a summer home in the small town of Mattapoisett, Massachusetts.

Waterston is one of a few high profile celebrities that have visited Maine in recent weeks. Writer and director J.J. Abrams was spotted at a concert in Portland recently, as well as several Steve Carell and Nancy Walls sightings the week before.

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