See Mariska Hargitay’s Photo Debut with (Most) of SVU’s New Season 26 Cast

Filming is underway on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and Mariska Hargitay has a tantalizing behind-the-scenes cast photo to show off!
In an August 5 Instagram post, Hargitay shared a group picture of her co-stars. We spot SVU vets Ice T and Octavio Pisano, newly promoted series regular Kevin Kane, and inaugural cast member Juliana Aidén Martinez posing alongside the iconic Hargitay! It’s an impressive-looking group, to say the least.

“Back at it with my #Squad #SVU26,” Hargitay said.

Peter Scanavino, who portrays assistant district attorney Dominick Carisi, Jr., is conspicuously absent. But there’s no cause for alarm: There’s on-set footage of him and Hargitay filming already!

Unfortunately for many fans, Ice T’s adorable daughter Chanel is nowhere to be found. The 8-year-old social media sensation recently visited the set with her mom and dad during filming and had the time of her life, eventually settling in at Olivia Benson’s desk! (Don’t worry; Hargitay didn’t mind.)

Law & Order: SVU Season 26 premieres in October 2024

Hargitay’s photo shared on Instagram gives fans a glimpse of what the star believes to be the “sixth or seventh character” of SVU: the Big Apple itself! The streets of New York City have just as significant a role in the show as Hargitay or Chris Meloni has had over the last two-and-a-half decades.

In a January 2024 interview with Hemisphere Magazine, Hargitay revealed what New York City means to her in the context of the show.
“I love it,” she said. “We always view New York City as, like, the sixth or seventh character because it informs so much of what we do. It’s been beautiful for me to shoot in so many places and get to know the city so intimately. I can hardly go anywhere without going, ‘Oh, I did a scene there with Sam Waterston,’ or having these memories of Chris [Meloni] and I doing this beautiful scene at the New York Public Library. It’s also a pretty incredible experience to be embraced by the city in such a loving way.”

 

As one of television’s most memorable characters, Hargitay’s Olivia Benson has evolved over the years in ways that reflect society’s changing culture. This fact isn’t lost on Hargitay, and fans can expect more moments in Benson’s journey as one of the great icons of feminism in modern history.

“[25 seasons] has given us this very unique opportunity to do something unprecedented,” Hargitay explained. “It’s the longest-running show in history, and it’s not by accident that Benson’s progression mirrors the exact evolution of women in broader society. She’s kind of the greatest feminist character ever, in that way… She rose up through the ranks, became a leader, and now captain — all while being a mother. Let’s see how far we can take it, you know?”