Lead actress Mariska Hargitay’s tease about a big announcement has sparked rumors that she is leavingLaw & Order: SVU.Hargitay is one of two original cast members who remain in theLaw & Order: SVUseason 26 cast. Her character,Olivia Benson, has been central from the beginning, rising in the ranks from a rookie detective to a captainwho is now in charge of the unit. Both Benson and the actress who portrays her are advocates for sexual assault survivors; Hargitay has also spoken up in favor of legislation that would make it easier to prosecute rape cases.
In recent years, there have been several rumors that Hargitay was ready to move on from the series, which she has always vigorously denied. The most recent debate began after Hargitay made a comment about her future plans in an interview. This again sparked speculation that Hargitay would step back fromLaw & Order: SVUseason 27if the series were again to be renewed, and what it would mean for the series if she did so.
Olivia Benson Leaving Law & Order: SVU Rumor Explained
Hargitay Has Plans For A Big Project She Hasn’t Revealed Yet
The latest rumors about Hargitay leavingSVUbegan when she made some cryptic statements during an interview (viaE! News).Hargitay teased that she has a"big, big announcement in January"and that she"trusted"that she would be where she is"supposed to be.“WhileHargitay clarified that she was working on some other projects in addition toLaw & Order: SVU,this announcement sparked speculation that she may be leaving the flagship series.
Rollins' SVU Season 26 Appearance Proves That She Is Better Joining A Different Law & Order Spinoff
Amanda Rollins' return to Law & Order: SVU in season 26, episode 3 demonstrates that she is the perfect candidate to join a different spinoff.
The second half of her statement is likely the cause of the rumors. It’s not unusual for actors to have more than one project in the works, and Hargitay has worked on documentaries about sexual assault before. However, her particularly worded comment that she had to"trust […] she would be in the right place"could be interpreted as her having taken a leap of faith by deciding to leaveLaw & Order: SVUbehind for another project.
It is also unsurprising that this statement sparked rumors of Hargitay leaving Law & Order: SVU, considering that she has been the lead actress for 26 years.
It is also unsurprising that this statement sparked rumors of Hargitay leavingLaw & Order: SVU,considering that she has been the lead actress for 26 years. Most TV stars eventually decide they want to branch out and leave their shows to seek other opportunities, andmany people have left theLaw & Orderfranchise over the years for this reason.Every year, there is an open question of whether Hargitay and Ice-T, who are the only two original cast members left, will decide to retire from the series.
Mariska Hargitay Confirms She Isn’t Leaving SVU Yet (But Admits She Has Thought About It)
Hargitay’s SVU Comments Came In The Context Of A Hypothetical Future Retirement
Hargitay’s tease was the tail end of a discussion about whether she was ready to leaveLaw & Order: SVU,in which she confirmed that she was not. She admitted that she has thought about it, but that her retirement is still in the far-off future, while right now, she continues to feel"fulfilled"by her role onLaw & Order: SVU. However, when pressed about the issue, she explained that she plans to do many other projects once she leavesLaw & Order: SVU.
Hargitay did not announce a new project and then backtrack to reassure the audience that she was not leavingLaw & Order: SVU,instead mentioning the new project as an example of the other “irons [she] has in the fire.”
Therefore, Hargitay did not announce a new project and then backtrack to reassure the audience that she was not leavingLaw & Order: SVU,instead mentioning the new project as an example of the other"irons [she has] in the fire.“However, she was preparing the audience for the idea that, eventually, she would likely move on to other projects (assuming the series continues to be renewed in years to come), so the rumors aren’t entirely without merit.
Will Law & Order: SVU Survive Without Hargitay’s Benson?
Law & Order: SVU Would Be A Different Show Without Her
Theoretically,Law & Order: SVUcould go on after Hargitay retires.The series has endured many cast changes over the years without it negatively impacting the show, most notably when Stabler departed after season 12 and the showrunners ofLaw & Order: SVUwrote Rollins outin the middle of season 24. A new cop could be chosen to lead the SVU unit, similar to the way that Benson was tapped to do so after Captain Cragen retired.
Jordana Spiro
July 07, 2025
However, Benson is more the heart ofLaw & Order: SVUthan any other character. The series' popularity isn’t due solely to its police procedural elements; it is appreciable that Benson works hard not only to get justice but to empower survivors and help them put their lives back together. Therefore, it would be better to end the series if and when Hargitay decides to retire than try to focus on the procedural elements without offering the support she is known for.
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Cast
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit is a television series that premiered in 1999. Set in the criminal justice system of New York City, it follows an elite team of detectives who investigate sexually-based offenses, focusing on their efforts to solve complex cases and seek justice for victims.
