Who Was In The Original Cast of Law And Order: Special Victims Unit?

With over 20 years on the air, the cast of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit has become mythic.

The smash spin-off of Law & Order has had a chokehold on audiences since its 1999 debut for its addictive criminal cases and mesmerizing storylines. It’s impossible to get to 24 nail-biting seasons without a powerhouse cast of detectives and, again and again, SVU has delivered.

There have been several cast shake-ups throughout the years, but the addictive Law & Order formula stays the same — and it’s thanks to the original cast of Law & Order: SVU that we now have hundreds of episodes.

Look back at the O.G. SVU cast to see just how far the NBC nail-biter has come.

Who was in the original cast of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit?

It may surprise fans just how many current beloved SVU characters entered the Law & Order universe after the first season.

The original cast of Law & Order included Mariska Hargitay, Christopher Meloni, Dann Florek, Richard Belzer, Michelle Hurd, and Dean Winters.

Each SVU detective since had brought something new to the Squad, but many fans would agree that the original cast of Law & Order: SVU was responsible for instantly getting fans hooked.

Mariska Hargitay as Olivia Benson

Mariska Hargitay has starred as Olivia Benson for all 24 seasons, and instantly charmed audiences with her introduction in Season 1, Episode 1 (“Payback”).

Benson climbed the ranks of the SVU by closing countless criminal cases and was promoted to Captain of the Squad in Season 21, Episode 1 (“I’m Going To Make You a Star”). Whether Benson is connecting with her detectives or interrogating an especially heinous criminal, Hargitay delivers a grand-slam performance.

Before her SVU debut, Hargitay had guest starred in several television projects, including Baywatch(1989), Seinfeld (1993), and Ellen (1996). Hargitay also starred in the 1999 cult horror flick Lake Placid. Since SVU’s series premiere, Hargitay has appeared in over 500 SVU episodes and served as a director on several occasions.