‘Law & Order SVU’ Turns 25: See the Cast, Then And Now
Law & Order: SVU just hit a major milestone. The police procedural is heading into its 25th season, and the show’s cast decided to celebrate the occasion in style. Mariska Hargitay, Ice-T, and other stars of the NBC drama, past and present, gathered at Edge at Hudson Yards in New York City on Jan. 16 to mark the show’s birthday ahead of the season 25 premiere on Jan. 18.
It’s been a long journey for the special victims unit squad. The show launched in 1999 as a spinoff of Law & Order. Since then, more than 500 episodes have aired, and the show has become the second-longest-running scripted primetime drama after The Simpsons (based on the number of seasons). Let’s take a look at some of the Law & Order: SVU cast, then and now.
As NYPD Captain Olivia Benson, Hargitay is the heart and soul of Law & Order: SVU. On screen, the actor plays a cop dedicated to finding justice for victims of sexual violence. Her time on the show – and the emotional response she received from viewers – prompted her to start the Joyful Heart Foundation, which is dedicated to healing and empowering survivors of sexual assault and violence.
For SVU’s 25th anniversary celebration, Hargitay brought the glam, dazzling in a sequined silver gown. “Oh what a night….. #SVU25 I’m swimming in gratitude,” she wrote on Instagram.
For SVU’s first 12 seasons, Benson’s partner in investigating NYC’s most heinous crimes was Detective Elliot Stabler, played by Christopher Meloni. Meloni left the show in 2011 but returned (with much fanfare) in season 22 for an episode that helped launch his new series, Law & Order: Organized Crime. He continues to appear on SVU occasionally.
After Benson, no character has appeared in more episodes of SVU than Fin Tutuola. He’s portrayed by Ice-T, who joined the show in season 2. The actor and rapper attended the 25th anniversary party, and when someone showed him a photo from his early days on the show (seen above), his reaction was perfect.
“That’s some pimp s*** right there,” he said in a video shared on Instagram. “That’s when I had my perm and my ponytail … I’ve been fly every year of my life. Since I was born. You’ll never find a bad picture of me.”
Dann Florek played squad captain Donald Cragen on SVU for 15 seasons. (Before that, the character appeared on the first three seasons of Law & Order. )Though Florek left the show a decade ago, he couldn’t be prouder of how long it’s lasted.
“[H]aving been there from the very beginning? When I started SVU, a lot of people said is there room for two Law & Orders? Well, we made it past that,” he said at the 25th anniversary part (via People). “Then I said, I hope we can make five [years]. Then I made 15 [years] and here we are for 25. It’s crazy but good. Crazy because it should be.”
Kelli Giddish joined Law & Order: SVU in season 13 as Detective Amanda Rollins. Giddish left the show in the 2022 mid-season finale when her character tied the knot with Sonny Carisi (Peter Scanavino). But she didn’t leave SVU behind for good. Giddish will appear in the season 25 premiere.
Tamara Tunie made her SVU debut as medical examiner Melinda Warner in season 2. She played the character off and on through season 23. For the 25th anniversary party, she paired a silver sequined jacket with leather pants.
Sadly, one beloved SVU character wasn’t in attendance at the show’s 25th anniversary bash. Richard Belzer played Detective John Munch in seasons 1-15. Before that, the character appeared occasionally on Law & Order and was a major presence on Homicide: Life on the Streets. Belzer died in February 2023.
After 25 years, SVU still manages to keep viewers glued to the TV thanks to intense, emotional storytelling.
“It was pretty early on that I realized how impactful the show was,” Hargitay said in a behind-the-scenes video shared by NBC. “That was really exciting to go from being on a show that was primarily entertainment to a show that was profoundly affecting people’s lives.”
“When I got on this show, people were walking up to me and saying, ‘Thank you,’” Ice-T said. “I realized, with the cop I play, I’m playing the hero for them, someone that’s gonna get the justice that maybe they didn’t get.”
Law & Order: SVU kicks off its strike-shortened 25th season on Thursday, Jan. 18 at 9 p.m. ET on NBC. Episodes stream the next day on Peacock.
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