Hold onto your hats, folks. There was a whirlwind of speculation recently when rumors swirled that Mariska Hargitay, the one and only Olivia Benson on 'Law & Order: SVU,' might be leaving the show. But guess what? The drama queen in all of us can take a deep breath now because the mystery has been solved. Mariska isn’t going anywhere, and she’s here to tell us why.
At 53, Mariska is still in the thick of it, starring in Season 18 of the hit police procedural. She reassured everyone that her character, Olivia Benson, isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. In an interview with TV Guide, Mariska said, “I’m still here because it’s still challenging and interesting to me. I feel like we keep going deeper and mining out these new places. After 12 years of doing SVU, I thought, ‘What are we going to do after 12 years?’ It was such an education for me because I had no idea.” She added, “I’m newly invigorated and newly excited to have a new vision on the show, and the consistency and excellence of someone who understands it so deeply, and someone who loves us enough to want to join 18 years later.”
Mariska Hargitay: Why She’s Still Excited About SVU
Mariska continued, “It’s very exciting to me … and it still feels utterly fresh.” Fans might remember how the rumors reached a fever pitch last season when Olivia was asked to step down from her position in the Special Victims Unit. However, after a few nail-biting episodes, she was reinstated. It wouldn’t be the first time a main character from the show has left, though. In 2011, Detective Elliot Stabler, played by the legendary Christopher Meloni, left the show, leaving SVU loyalists heartbroken. Meloni revealed that he left due to contract negotiations breaking down. But don’t worry, he still keeps in touch with his former partner.
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On Inside the Actors Studio, Meloni said, “She was always ready for anything new…There was always an unspoken shorthand to what we were doing. That makes it just so much easier, and off camera as well.” He added, “There’s a lot to be said for that when you’re working with someone for 16 hours a day, you better get along when the cameras aren’t rolling as well as when it is. That was priceless, I think for both of us.”
View this post on Instagram#RainyDaysAndMondays #NeverGetMeDown #Happy #HappyFirstDay @chris_meloni #OnYourNewShow #Happy #LieuLove #PTL #HappyForYou #HappyNewShow #GreenIsTheNewBlack #ColorCoordinated 💁🏻 & 📸cred @cassihurdhair
What to Expect from 'SVU' This Season
As for what SVU fans can expect this season, Olivia is dealing with the death of her partner, Dodds, played by Andy Karl, who was killed last season after Olivia left him alone with a suspect. This season, with the loss of her partner, fan favorite Fin (Ice-T) will step into a leadership role on the show. The dynamics are shifting, but one thing remains the same: the show continues to tackle tough, real-world issues with its trademark intensity and compassion.
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