‘Law & Order SVU: How the Show Tried to Write Around Mariska Hargitay’s Pregnancy
Law & Order SVU star Mariska Hargitay experienced her first pregnancy while still being a part of her long-running series. Since her character Olivia Benson wasn’t expecting in real life, SVU had to find a way around Hargitay’s clear physical changes.
How Mariska Hargitay’s pregnancy affected ‘Law & Order SVU’
Hargitay was preparing to welcome a new member to her family in 2006. In an interview with People, she confided that she couldn’t have been happier. But being pregnant for the first time presented a few significant challenges while working on SVU. Dealing with the stress and her impending motherhood led Hargitay to gain 54 pounds.
“First time pregnant, you’re like, I gotta eat more! I have to make sure he has enough of every single food group! I did get into eating too much. This pregnancy was really hard for me at the end. I wasn’t mobile. Next time, I want to keep myself as strong as possible, so everything will go easier for me,” she said.
She once gave fans a personal glimpse into how a typical work day was during her pregnancy.
“In the beginning of 2006, I was like a lot of women in America — pregnant and still on the job,” she posted on TV Guide. “Of course, lots of actresses do that. Some even have it written into the script. That wasn’t going to be the case for Olivia Benson on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. There’s no time for morning sickness when you’re running through the streets of New York lugging a gun, and there are only so many ways one can conceal a swelling belly.”
Given Hargitay’s physical changes, SVU eventually had to find a way to work around the star’s pregnancy. Producers didn’t want to make Olivia Benson a mother back then, so they decided to temporarily write her out of the show.
“Not sure if you’ve heard, but the producers have decided not to make Olivia pregnant, so I won’t be in a few episodes,” she once wrote according to New York Post. “But don’t worry, the writers are working on some really great storylines, and there will be a special guest star filling in for me.”
What changed for Mariska Hargitay after her pregnancy
Hargitay has been very candid about how she was changed by her her impending motherhood. Her body never felt the same after having to share it with another person.
“After getting pregnant I felt so different about my body. I felt like it was a sanctuary, like August’s house. It was like, somebody lives there now—I’ve got to keep it nice and strong and healthy for him. And so now I’m thinking that someone else is going to live there someday soon, so I’ve got to get it ready. It’s very exciting,” she said.
It also changed Hargitay on an emotional level, showing her just how much she could love someone.
“Sometimes when I wake up to feed him in the middle of the night, I just stay up and look at him in awe and admiration,” she said. “Why sleep when you can spend time with such an amazing little guy?”
Hargitay’s life on Law & Order SVU was familiar for the most part. The only exception was that the actor sometimes had extra company while filming on set.
When I came back to the show in September, it was like I had never been away. The only difference: I had a 9 mm Glock on one hip and August on the other. August is with me 24/7, so no matter how long or demanding or emotional the work is, I have him to help me put everything in perspective. Just looking at him refreshes and replenishes my spirit.”
