Series star and producer Mariska Hargitay comments on when she’ll end her stint as Olivia Benson inLaw & Order: SVU. The iconic Dick Wolf procedural continues to follow the detectives in the Manhattan Special Victims Unit as they solve heinous crimes in the city. Starting as a detective in 1999, Benson has gradually climbed the professional ladder and is now serving as the office’s captaininLaw & Order: SVUseason 26. Considering how long she has been on the job, however, there is understandable curiosity about how long Hargitay will continue to play Benson.
In a new interview withE! Online, Hargitay addresses questions about how long she still plans to continue portraying Benson. She admits that while she has thought about walking away from her iconic role, she reveals thatit isn’t happening in the near future. Hargitay does have a special announcement scheduled for 2025, but it doesn’t sound like it will hamper her job as the lead star ofLaw & Order: SVU. Read her full quote below:
I have thought about that. Not yet. Just thought about it for way later. But I’m open.
I’m a very active person with a lot of irons in the fire. I am somebody who follows the signs. I trust that the future will be right and that I will be where I’m supposed to be. I’m very engaged and fulfilled atSVUright now and there’s definitely things that I want to do and achieve challenge myself with.
Will Law & Order: SVU Survive Benson’s Exit?
Benson Leaving Will Likely Be The End Of Law & Order: SVU
It has been a couple of years since Hargitay’s character has become a captain, but it’s only inLaw & Order: SVUseason 26 that Benson got a full team. Aside from solving cases, the long-running police procedural is still in the process of establishing the unit, so it can operate in the long run. That said, when the inevitable time comes that Hargitay decides to retire from the Wolf franchise, it’s interesting to think about how that will impact the show. While it is technically an ensemble series, there is no doubt that Benson is its true protagonist.
Law & Order: SVUis synonymous with Benson.
Because of this, it would be difficult, if not impossible, to continue the series without Hargitay’s character. Everyone in her team plays an important role in solving cases, and some of them even have compelling personal arcs. That said,Law & Order: SVUis synonymous with Benson. She is at the center of it. Through her own history, she effectively handles the most heinous cases. In the real world,Hargitay has also become an advocate for sexual abuse survivors,mirroring her character’s commitment in the show.
Our Take On Law & Order: SVU’s Potential Future Without Benson
There’s No Law & Order: SVU Without Hargitay’s Benson
As an avid viewer ofLaw & Order: SVUthroughout the years, I have watched so many great characters leave the show. Some of those departures were more difficult than others, but I always thought that the show would continue, and it did every time. Benson leaving, however, is entirely different. At this point, it’s difficult to think about the project without her at the forefront. So, when Hargitay finally announces that she is leaving as a maincast member ofLaw & Order: SVU, perhaps it would be best if they just end the show altogether.
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Cast
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit is a television series that premiered in 1999. Set in the criminal justice system of New York City, it follows an elite team of detectives who investigate sexually-based offenses, focusing on their efforts to solve complex cases and seek justice for victims.
