Mariska Hargitay Gives Update on Her Feelings Towards a ‘Law & Order SVU’ Exit
Law & Order SVU star Mariska Hargitay has been a part of the series since its inception and hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down. However, not even Hargitay can do this forever, and she’s recently opened up again about her theoretical departure from the show.
How Mariska Hargitay feels about leaving ‘Law & Order SVU’
Hargitay might be on SVU for as long as the show is on air. Although the long-running franchise has seen many of its cast come and go, Hargitay has stuck with it from the beginning. Still, she hasn’t grown tired of the show yet.
But that doesn’t mean she hasn’t imagined an ending for her SVU counterpart Olivia Benson. Back in 2022, Hargitay teased what she thought would be an ideal way to ride off into the sunset.
“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 told E! News. “Because she’s spent so much time in the darkest of what life has to offer.”
Similarly to what Hargitay has experienced in real life with current husband Peter Hermann, the actor envisions Benson settling down with a family one day. And as of the show’s recent season 26, it seems that Hargitay is still picturing what her future exit might look like.
“I have thought about that,” Hargitay said in a separate interview with E! News. “Not yet. Just thought about it for way later. But I’m open.”
However or whenever Hargitay ends up leaving SVU, she feels she’ll instinctively know when to make the decision.
“I’m a very active person with a lot of irons in the fire,” she said. “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 at SVU right now and there’s definitely things that I want to do and achieve challenge myself with.”
Sources recently shared that Mariska Hargitay is contemplating retiring from ‘Law & Order SVU’ after season 26
Hargitay’s statement regarding SVU might disprove recent claims insiders have made about the actor’s intentions. Sources claimed to Closer Weekly that Hargitay was leaning towards making her exit sooner rather than later. Several changes happening to the studio behind SVU, NBC, allegedly inspired the actor’s new plans.
“NBC was slashing jobs to make up for the hundreds of millions they lost,” a source said. “But they spared Mariska because they figured they wouldn’t have an SVU without her.”
Although Hargitay’s salary wasn’t affected, it was noted that she was still mulling over her options.
“Mariska hasn’t totally made up her mind yet, but she says she’s shooting her current episodes of SVU as if they are her last,” the source added. “And that has a lot of the cast and crew sweating bullets because they fear network execs would cancel the show rather than go on without her!”
Ironically, another source close to Closer claimed that Hargitay’s concern for the cast and crew was what partially kept her from retiring.
“She is Olivia Benson, and Olivia Benson is her,” the source said. “She feels a responsibility to them. They’d be out of a job without her.”
How much does Mariska Hargitay make on ‘Law & Order SVU’
If the rumors are true, it’s easy to see why Hargitay wouldn’t want the network to start interfering with her salary. Hargitay reportedly pulls in $500,000 per episode on SVU. With the majority of the series’ seasons airing over 20 episodes, Hargitay’s salary has added nicely to her reported $100 million net worth.
