‘It Was A Rebirth’: Law And Order: SVU’s Mariska Hargitay Discusses Benson’s Evolution And Reveals How Much Longer She Would Play The Role

Mariska Hargitay looking exasperated as Olivia Benson in Law and Order SVU

As shows slowly start to come back following the strikes, Law & Order: SVU is heading for a major anniversary. The upcoming season of the long-running procedural will be its 25th season, which is a serious deal for the beloved NBC procedural, to say the least. The great thing about this long run is that viewers have been able to see Mariska Hargitay’s Olivia Benson grow as a character. Now, as the new episodes loom, the actress is discussing Benson’s evolution as well as how much longer she’d stick with the show.

When SVU began, Mariska Hargitay’s Benson was just a detective. Since then, she has been promoted numerous times, having held the titles of Lieutenant, Sergeant and now Captain, and it has definitely been incredible to see those changes. The actress spoke to People about Benson’s journey and about getting to the point where she experienced a “rebirth” of the character: