SVU’s Mariska Hargitay Is Trying to Get Kelli Giddish Back for Season 26
If Kelli Giddish‘s imminent Law & Order: SVU encore whets your appetite for a lot more Amanda Rollins, know that series front woman Mariska Hargitay sees you — and is doing what she can to make that happen.
Former series regular Giddish reprises her role as Rollins this Thursday, May 2, when a runaway bride calls SVU for help on the day of her wedding, and Rollins pitches in on her day off.
This will mark Giddish’s third appearance since she left SVU as a series regular in December 2022. When Giddish first returned almost a year ago, for SVU‘s Season 24 finale, Rollins was pregnant with her third child — her first with new husband ADA Dominick “Sonny” Carisi. During that episode, we learned that Rollins was teaching criminal behavior at Fordham University… and that she was very bored since leaving the squad.
Eight months later, SVU‘s Season 25 premiere opened with the christening of Rollins and Carisi’s infant son, Nicky; Benson was on hand, as the baby’s godmother.
As part of a larger feature by our sister site Variety, Hargitay affirms that she fought the decision to drop Giddish from the cast back in 2022.
“Kelli is my favorite actor to work with. Kelli is my heart,” Hargitay said. “It’s a sore subject. I have a lot of say on the show [as the star and an executive producer since Season 15], but I didn’t have enough there.”
Even so, Hargitay told Variety that she now is trying to bring Giddish back for the long-running procedural’s 26th season, premiering this fall.
“I don’t like not being listened to, especially when I’m right,” Hargitay said. “That relationship was one of the most powerful relationships in television because you saw these two badass women, so flawed and so there for each other.”
Hargitay also addressed a nixed Season 24 kiss between Benson and Chris Meloni’s Stabler; you can read more about that here.
NBC‘s SVU continues Season 25 this Thursday at 9/8c, with its finale airing May 16.
There are already too many people on the show. Yes, I like her, but just bring her back for guest appearances if anything. Definitely not as a regular. Allow other current members of the team to shine a bit. It shouldn’t always be about Mariska. She gets too much air time.
There’s only 4 series regulars
Her, Fin, Carisi, and Velasco
Did you just start watching the show? She’s been a regular since season 13… so why shouldn’t she be brought back as a regular? 🤡
The clown emoji is rude and dismissive and she’s not a series regular because she was fired. When she was a series regular she was possibly the worst character they ever had. She was a liar and a drama addict who slut shamed SVU victims.
Naw. I found her and her family insufferable and boring. What does she offer storyline wise? It’s not a romance show so spare me her and Carisi popping out more kids.
Here’s a thought why don’t Hargitay get Chris (Elliot Stabler) back on Law and Order SUV as guest star 🤔. I’m going to miss seeing his show Law and Order Organized Crime after Law and Order SUV on NBC 😢.
Stabler is too far gone to simply do desk work at SVU following years of leading his own squad.
Rumour is she left because svu was cutting cost and if she is back how many will lose their jobs? And according to the article too M doesn’t mind chis back if oc doesn’t get renewal. I’m really wondering How will that really happen? Story wise I think both Crasis and Amanda story need to have a definite closure and move on. Introduce new people with new stories.
This! What does Rollins bring that new characters don’t?
ANOTHER pregnancy? More of her awful family?
Hey as long as we get to keep Bruno. Love him! Wish they would make him a regular.
Maybe with Organized Crime not long for this world, Stabler returns to SUV for one final victory lap of a season and we move on to new creative endeavors. It’s been a great run, but just maybe… it’s time.
I’d get rid of Velasco – adds nothing to the show imo. Keep the FBI agent full time (just make her NYPD otherwise time to move on) and Bruno. On the fence about the other captain from IAB – character wise she works, title wise, makes no sense to have 2 captains in the one unit. Not really bothered about Rollins coming back full time either. Bit over her role. Decide what’s happening with Stabler before OC goes to Peacock. They take one step forward and 50 back with that dynamic to the point that they are just ruining what was one of the best will they won’t they’s. What was the point in killing off Kathy if not to bring them together?
the point of killing Kathy was simply to free up the story with new elements and characters in the Stabler family – and to give gravitas to Stabler’s further character development and a new element L&O had never done before a season long bad guy (who ended up being a 2 season bad guy – almost like a super villain)
basically to allow exploring new elements Stabler as a character – ie. the suffering widower / undercover cop and devoted son to his alzheimer mother – having Kathy around would have give him someone to leave his mom with and give him stability and IF he still went to Benson for comfort – it would have made him a wife cheater (nobody would have wanted to see that)
I would love to have her back
“I don’t like not being listened to, especially when I’m right,” What a way to sound like an egotistical princess. Just cause Mariska has been on SVU since the beginning and has been allowed to think she’s the head honcho doesn’t mean she gets to make casting decisions. If the show runners and Dick Wolf don’t want Kelli back full time then they don’t want her back.
She’s an Executive Producer…and even without that, she indeed DOES have every right to feel and express the way she feels. She’s earned it.
She IS a head honcho. She carries the show. When she retires, SVU will end.
okay, hear me out… a Rollins spin-off on Peacock where she is a professor by day and consults on serial killer cases on the side.
continue please …
Would love ❤️ to see Kellie back for Season 26. Feels like a piece is missing from the team. Kellie please reconsider. Would also like to see Olivia and Elliot finally get together . Thanks
Ice-T is 66 (& looks it). That is past mandatory retirement age at the NYPD. Trade him for her. That settles budget issues
I agree..
I love Amanda. You need to bring her back..
I didn’t like Amanda at first but, she grew on me.. Now, I miss her interactions with other characters..
Yes please! I was just starting to love her and BAM gone.
YES!! Get rid of the new Captain who throws off the balance, and diminishes FINN as Sergeant and second in command, and the FBI person. IMHO best team would be, Benson, Finn, Bruno, Carisi, Rollins.
Already explained to NBC what to do with Law & Organized Crime but will again. There are still many fans of Law & Order Crimal Intent who wpuld like nothing better than to see it rebooted. I also read that the leads would be interested in returning as well. So I am proposing a hybred of the two shows with either the Organized Crime or Crimal Intent Departments folded into the other or at least a joint task force with Vell & Emes as partners & co captains & Stabler & Goren as partners with very differing styles but a solid record of solving crimes in their old departments so they are forced to work together with Bell & Emes as their superiors. Jet can stay on as the computer wiz/occasional field officer as I don’t think Criminal Intent had one or at least not one in parricular. I think this hybred show would be fun, interesting to watch & give the viewers what they have been asking for & really, really want. Caveate here THE NEW SHOW NEEDS TO STAY PUT ON NBC & no talk of Peacock must cross any executive’s lips (or anybody elses for that matter). Hop yo it NBC & make it happen please. Sooner rather than later.
Lot of insane comments on this article but I genuinely laughed out loud at this one. C’mon, NBC, this rando already *explained* what you need to do!! Ugh, why haven’t you listened?? Whooo thank you I needed that belly laugh.
Bring Kelli back and I promise to start watching SVU again.
Oh please DON’T bring her back! Her character was nothing but a whiny, baby making machine. The storyline with her and Carisi is so ridiculous it’s unbelievable! That show needs new blood not the same old same old. I don’t see how they think she’s a decent actress in the first place.
Completely agree. Show hasn’t been the same without Kelli. There was great dynamics between the two women and also affected the stories depicted.
I do not get the love for Stabler on this show. I’ve watched it since the beginning and I like it much better without him to be honest. I tried to watch his spinoff, didn’t do it for me. As for Kelli, would love to see her come back.
Kellie Giddish should be brought back. She is the best actress for Benson. The people that she has now except for Fin is useless. They don’t work well enough together
A true fan from the beginning.
Yep it was a DUMB move to drop Kelli Giddish! Benson & Rollins were the modern day Cagney & Lacey and embodied strong confident and logical policewomen. The chick who came in and left (Molly Burnett) wasn’t a good fit. I really like Kevin Kane’s character better than Octavio Pisano’s character (he needs a better storyline) but the new female who came out of IAB is good.
Now if we could just get Stephanie March or Diane Neal back as either regular or recurring characters we’d have a great cast again.
I’m here for more Rollins! I love her friendship with Olivia. That said, I really need to know when we’re getting a crossover with OC. I need some Bensler!
Yes. Go Mariska. Amanda’s replacements haven’t worked out. Bring her back, and keep Bruno on permanently and you’ve got a decent squad again,