It’s incredibly rare for any TV show that actually makes it to series to last for more than a handful of seasons or so. Not only can even the most die-hard fans begin to lose interest once a series gets beyond the five-year mark, but we’ve all seen those shows that have maybe lost their way after getting a bit long in the tooth. Well, no such fate has befallen Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. The crime procedural began in 1999 and celebrated its 25th anniversary in early 2024. Undoubtedly, one of the reasons for the success of the drama is the tireless work of star Mariska Hargitay, who’s been there since the very beginning. Now, she’s gotten candid about starring on SVU for 25 years.
What Did Mariska Hargitay Say About Starring On Law & Order: SVU For 25 Years?
While shows like the original Law & Order, Gunsmoke (which ran from 1955-1975) and current hit NCIS (where the franchise as a whole just had its 1,000th episode) have hit or surpassed the two-decade mark as massive television hits, few shows make it as long as Law & Order: SVU with one of the original stars sticking around for the entire run. As such, Mariska Hargitay has become a TV legend, having appeared in more episodes of scripted television (550!) as detective (then lieutenant, sergeant and now captain) Olivia Benson than anyone else.
At the recent Gotham TV Awards (via Deadline), she was given an Anniversary Tribute honor and, in her speech, got really candid about being on the NBC hit for so long. She said:
The biggest thing for me to take in right now is that I get to work every day on a show that makes people feel less alone. That’s one of the most devastating effects on sexual assault and domestic violence [survivors] is the isolation. Perpetrators depend on actual, literal isolation to commit their crimes and to leave victims with the trauma of deep, psychological isolation.
As one of the Law & Order actors in the most episodes, Hargitay has spoken a lot over the years about portraying Benson and how important the show’s focus, overall, has been. She opened up earlier about being in the role for so long that she’s been able to experience a “rebirth” as the character and also can’t imagine not being on the series at this point, though she also “can’t believe it’s been 25 years.” She added:
That is a high bar, people! After 20, you’re like, ‘Twenty years?! Who gives a shit? Law & Order did that. Gunsmoke did that. Call us when you get to 25.’ Well, here I am, baby!
It’s no wonder that other stars have called Hargitay a “female powerhouse” that they “admire.” Aside from being the longtime lead of the series, she’s also known for directing some of SVU’s winning episodes, and her time portraying Benson led her to create the Joyful Heart Foundation to work for an end to “sexual assault, domestic violence, and child abuse,” as well as to her revealing her personal story about being raped when she was in her thirties. About the “importance” of the show she’s dedicated her life to for so long, Hargitay said:
I cannot tell you how gratifying it is, how important it is, that Law & Order: SVU, the longest-running scripted drama in television history, is a show that tells women’s stories. It’s a show that tells survivors stories. It tells the stories of survivors all along the spectrum of gender identity…You matter. Your story matters. And we’re going to tell it.
This is likely one of the reasons that, even though SVU can make for a deep, difficult watch on many occasions, people have stuck with it, and with Hargitay’s Olivia Benson, for a quarter of a century. Luckily, it doesn’t look like the journey will end any time soon, as the show has already been renewed for Season 26.