Law & Order: SVU Showbiz Cheat Sheet

Law & Order: SVU
Ice-T, Christopher Meloni and Mariska Hargitay filming for 'Law & Order: SVU' | Bobby Bank/WireImage
Law & Order: SVU
Law & Order: SVU is an American drama part of NBC's Law & Order franchise. It was reportedly partially inspired by the 1986 "Preppy Killer" case. The show follows the detectives of the NYPD's Special Victims Unit, who investigate crimes that are of a sexual nature. The general format is focusing on one crime per episode, which features the investigation and the legal elements too. Mariska Hargitay's Olivia Benson is the longest-running primetime drama character ever on U.S. television while co-star Ice-T's Odafin Tutuola is the longest-running Black character on primetime TV.
- Network: NBC
- Genre: Police procedural, Drama, Legal drama, Thriller, Mystery
- First Episode Air Date: Sept. 20, 1999
- Current Cast: Mariska Hargitay, Kelli Giddish, Ice-T, Peter Scanavino, Tamara Tunie
- Original Cast: Mariska Hargitay, Christopher Meloni, Richard Belzer, Dann Florek, BD Wong, Ice-T and Tammara Tunie
- Spinoffs: Law & Order: Organized Crime
Visit the NBC website for Law & Order: SVU.
Learn more about the show, its cast, and what's to come.
Entertainment
2 years ago
‘Law & Order: SVU’: Stabler and Benson’s Relationship Is Getting the White Glove Treatment
Entertainment
3 years ago
‘Law & Order: SVU’: Kelli Giddish Was Hired As Det. Rollins After Her Season 8 Cameo Spiked Ratings
Entertainment
3 years ago
‘Law & Order: SVU’: Mariska Hargitay and Christopher Meloni Share a Bond Not Even Their Spouses Can Understand
Entertainment
3 years ago
‘Law & Order: SVU’: Fans Reveal Whether They’d Watch the Series ‘Without’ Olivia Benson: ‘Sure, Because I Like the Premise of the Show, but I Would Miss Her!’
Entertainment
3 years ago
‘Law & Order: SVU’: Fans Weigh in on ‘How Different’ the Series Would Be Had Elliot Stabler Never Left: ‘He Definitely Would’ve Been the One to Kill Lewis’

NBC

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‘SVU’ Star Mariska Hargitay Pauses Filming to Help Little Girl Who Mistook Her for a Cop

'Law & Order: SVU' star Mariska Hargitay stepped into protector mode while filming an episode of the NBC drama in New York City.

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Mariska Hargitay Was In Tears on Her First Date With ‘Law & Order: SVU’ Co-Star Peter Herman

Mariska Hargitay met her husband Peter Hermann while working on 'Law & Order: SVU.' And she recalls how he ;eft her in tears on their first date.

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‘Law & Order SVU’: Mariska Hargitay’s On-Set Injury Caused Her to Focus on Her ‘Blessings’

Law & Order: SVU star Mariska Hargitay was in a terrifying accident on the set. She discussed how that day changed her perspective on life.

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Mariska Hargitay Shied Away From Sexual Roles Because of Her Mother

Mariska Hargitay surprised herself when she realized she was avoiding more sexual roles in movies because of her mother.

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Mariska Hargitay filming by a police car in an episode of 'Law & Order SVU'

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Mariska Hargitay Told Dick Wolf to Send Her Competition Home When She Auditioned for ‘Law & Order: SVU’

Mariska Hargitay wanted Dick Wolf to get rid of all the other actors auditioning for her ‘Law & Order: SVU’ role.

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Mariska Hargitay posing on the set of 'Law & Order SVU' wearing a tan trench coat.

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‘Law & Order SVU’: Who Mariska Hargitay Called a Kindred Spirit After Chris Meloni Left

Mariska Hargitay was worried about 'Law & Order SVU' after Chris Meloni left until her 'kindred spirit' came into the picture.

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‘Law & Order SVU’: Mariska Hargitay Faced Doubt That She Could Lead the Show on Her Own

Mariska Hargitay's Olivia Benson became front and center in 'Law & Order SVU' after Chris Meloni's departure.

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Mariska Hargitay walking in a suit and trench coat on the set of "Law and Order: Special Victims Unit".

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Mariska Hargitay Once Shared the ‘Law & Order SVU’ Episode More Terrifying Than ‘Surrender Benson’

Mariska Hargitay's Olivia Benson found herself held captive once again after the 'Law & Order SVU' episode 'Surrender Benson' under even more terrifying circumstances.

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Mariska Hargitay walking around wearing a black outfit on 'Law & Order SVU'.

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‘Law & Order SVU: How the Show Tried to Write Around Mariska Hargitay’s Pregnancy

Mariska Hargitay's pregnancy meant that either a major change would happen to her 'Law & Order' character, or she'd have to go missing for a few episodes.

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Chris Meloni and Mariska Hargitay posing alongside each other at the Emmys.

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How Mariska Hargitay Reacted to Being Called Chris Meloni’s Second Wife

Mariska Hargitay once shared what she thought about fans constantly linking her together with her 'Law & Order' co-star Chris Meloni.

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Mariska Hargitay posing in a silver dress at "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" 25th Anniversary Celebration.

1 Showrunner Felt Mariska Hargitay Was the Only Person Who Could End ‘Law & Order SVU’

'Law & Order SVU' might not be able to go on without Mariska Hargitay according to 1 familiar showrunner.

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Mariska Hargitay posing as her 'Law & Order' character Olivia Benson.

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Mariska Hargitay Once Joked About the ‘Law & Order SVU’ Season That She Wanted to ‘Phone in’

Mariska Hargitay once joked about not wanting to take this season of ‘Law & Order SVU’ too seriously.

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Kelli Giddish posing in a dress at the "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" 25th Anniversary Celebration.

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‘Law & Order SVU’: Ice-T Taught Kelli Giddish an Important Lesson About TV Acting

‘Law & Order SVU’ star Kelli Giddish once described what it was like having to adjust her acting for the long-running television series.

by Antonio Stallings

Mariska Hargitay standing with fellow police officers on the set of "Law and Order: Special Victims Unit".

Mariska Hargitay Felt She Was in a Completely Different Series When These Two Co-Stars Came On

Mariska Hargitay once opened up about how difficult it was readjusting to a new cast of 'Law & Order SVU' characters after Chris Meloni left.

by Antonio Stallings

Mariska Hargitay posing in a silver dress at the "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" 25th Anniversary Celebration.

Celebrity

Mariska Hargitay Joked That Johnny Depp Was Her Get out of Marriage Free Card

‘Law & Order SVU’ star Mariska Hargitay once shared what made actor Johnny Depp attractive enough to step out her marriage for.

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Mariska Hargitay and Chris Noth posing next to each other at "Talk Radio" Broadway Opening Night at The Longacre Theatre and Bar Americain in New York City.

Chris Noth Once Told Mariska Hargitay to Turn Down ‘Law & Order SVU’

Chris Noth was glad that Mariska Hargitay didn’t take the actor’s ‘Law & Order’ advice, which would’ve set her career down a different path.

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Mariska Hargitay smiling at the Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony.

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‘Law & Order SVU’: Mariska Hargitay Reveals Her Favorite Hairstyle

Mariska Hargitay explained the meanings behind her different ‘Law & Order SVU’ hairstyles over the years.

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Chris Meloni posing in an episode of 'Law & Order Organized Crime' wearing a jacket and hat.

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Chris Meloni Had an Emotional Breakdown Going From ‘Oz’ to ‘Law & Order SVU’

Chris Meloni remembered what it was like being on two successful television shows at the same time in ‘Law & Order SVU’ and ‘Oz’.

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Mariska Hargitay Revealed Why Sometimes She Went Home and Cried After Filming ‘Law & Order SVU’

Mariska Hargitay gave a little insight into what it was like coming home after working long hours on the set of ‘Law & Order SVU’.

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‘Law & Order SVU’: This Difficult Episode Changed Mariska Hargitay’s DNA

‘Law & Order SVU’ showrunner explained how 1 of the show’s darkest episodes impacted both Mariska Hargitay and her character.

by Antonio Stallings

‘Law & Order: SVU’ Mariska Hargitay Once Shared the Episode That Wrecked Her

It once took days for Mariska Hargitay to recover after starring in this ‘Law & Order SVU’ episode.

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‘Law & Order SVU’: Mariska Hargitay Reveals the Adoption Story the Show Turned Down

Mariska Hargitay had high hopes of using her own personal experiences to help develop her character Olivia Benson for ‘Law & Order SVU’.

by Antonio Stallings

Ice-T as his 'Law and Order' character posing in a blue outfit.

‘Law & Order: SVU’ Ice-T Makes Sure He Doesn’t Die After Reading Every Script

Ice-T recently opened up about his longevity on ‘Law & Order SVU’, and how he hopes he’ll last as long as the show does.

by Antonio Stallings

Law & Order: SVU

Learn more about the show, its cast, and what's to come.