Mariska Hargitay Allegedly Feels a ‘Responsibility’ to Stay on ‘Law & Order’
Law & Order SVU star Mariska Hargitay has remained a centerpiece on a hit show where so many stars came and went. And according to a new report, she may last on SVU as long as the show does.
Why Mariska Hargitay most likely won’t retire from ‘Law & Order SVU’
The only cast member who’s stayed on SVU as long as Hargitay has been her on-screen partner Ice-T. The pair have been a part of the series from the beginning, enjoying the show’s highs and weathering some of its darkest moments. Hargitay has only been tempted to leave the show less than a handful of times. Speaking with People, her commitment wavered a bit when Chris Meloni left the series. But after some time, she realized she couldn’t walk away.
“I did a lot of soul-searching of whether I wanted to go on,” she said regarding her dilemma. “I was on my way to being at peace to be done.”
Her decision to stick around resulted in Hargitay leading SVU to this day. And after more than two decades on the show, a recent report suggested that retirement is still a long time away for Hargitay.
“She refuses to retire and is prepared to take this show as far as she can go,” an insider said in a recent interview with Closer. “She doesn’t know what she’d do without SVU.”
But Hargitay’s decision to remain on the show also has a selfless element to it as well. She’s formed a strong bond with the show’s cast and crew. Her retirement might mean putting a lot of her close friends out of work.
“She feels a responsibility to them,” she said. “They’d be out of a job without her.”
Mariska Hargitay is surprised that she’s still learning on ‘Law & Order SVU’
Given how long the show has been on air, it’s easy for the show to repeat certain familiar beats. Hargitay can usually notice when the show is recycling itself, which can make her feel like she’s acting on autopilot. But at the same time, the show still manages to introduce fresh new ideas that surprise its star. This often leaves Hargitay feeling reinvigorated.
“It is so challenging to me. People think, Okay, you’ve done it. And yes, there are scenes where I’m like, ‘I’ve done this scene. I’ve done this scene 5,000 times and I can do it in my sleep and in Chinese.’ And then there’s something else, or another moment where I go, ‘I don’t know what to do.’ And I get so happy of how nervous I am,” Hargitay said.
The show’s ability to keep Hargitay guessing for so long played a huge factor in keeping her on the show.
“But with all the new things that I’ve learned, I go, ‘I can’t leave the show.’ I’m learning how to direct, I’m learning how to executive produce, I’m learning how to produce-produce. I’m learning about the puzzle of putting things together and weather and actor availability,” she said.
“All of a sudden, in a time when you think we’ve done it all, I should be like, ‘Bring her back to the barn, baby.’ I am so invigorated by the unknown. I’m as invested as [SVU creator] Dick Wolf in the milestone. But newly, for some reason,” Hargitay added.
Mariska Hargitay wants the best for Olivia Benson when her story ends
Retirement may be far away for Hargitay, but nothing lasts forever. There still may come a time when Hargitay bids farewell to SVU and Benson. When that time comes, she hopes her character is rewarded with a very serene conclusion.
“I hope that she can get to a point where she feels like she’s done enough service and it’s time to rest and be and see the best that life has to offer,” she once told E! News. “Because she’s spent so much time in the darkest of what life has to offer.”
