How Long Has Mariska Hargitay Been on Law & Order: SVU?
"It's so beautiful to have the privilege to actually watch the evolution," Hargitay said.
When Law & Order: Special Victims Unit premiered in 1999, no one could have predicted that the show would become the longest-running primetime live-action series in television history. Even more astonishing is the woman at the center of the NBC nail-biter, Mariska Hargitay.
Captain Olivia Benson has not only defined the smash series but transformed Hargitay into one of TV's most beloved detectives. Now in its 26th season, SVU continues to be a primetime powerhouse, and Hargitay remains the heartbeat of the show. The Emmy-winner has shaped the detective-turned-captain into a beacon of strength, empathy, and justice, with fans never tiring of witnessing Benson's growth along the way.
"It's so beautiful to have the privilege to actually watch the evolution," Hargitay told TODAY co-anchors while looking back on her many years of playing Benson. "As I see it and look back, Olivia Benson is sort of a perfect feminist story because we actually see this woman grow into her power."
RELATED: 12 Times Mariska Hargitay Proved Just How Connected She Is to Olivia Benson
While SVU viewers nowadays are used to Benson calling the shots around the squad room, that only came after decades of hard work. So, how long has Benson been hustling in the 16th precinct? As the reigning primetime champion, we're looking back on Hargitay's incredible legacy on SVU.
How long has Mariska Hargitay been on Law & Order: SVU?
Hargitay has been on SVU since the show's premiere in 1999, meaning she's been closing cases for the squad for 26 years (and counting). That's literally hundreds of criminals put behind bars!
Hargitay stepped into the young Detective Benson's shoes at 35 years old, and from the very first episode, brought depth and empathy to the role that instantly set her apart from typical TV cops. Benson, along with her partner Elliot Stabler (Chris Meloni), soon became one of the most iconic police partnerships in the genre, with fans far and wide falling in love with "Bensler." Stabler may have left the SVU in Season 13, but that's never stopped Benson from thriving in the squad.
"People ask me, '25 years! 25 years!' And as we shot [the season], they talked about it, and it was so difficult for me to really take in," Hargitay told NBC Insider following Season 25's wrap party. "I've been doing this for 25 years, and it was the other night as I was going to the wrap party with my son, it just hit me: 'I am going to the wrap party for my show that has been on for 25 seasons.' And it just hit me and it was so beautiful for so many reasons."
"I love my job," Hargitay gushed. "I love going to work every day. I love the community that I'm in. I love my cast, my crew, and I love the intimacy of it all and the fact that we work in a culture that says, 'Let's do the work, let's have a fun time, and best idea wins.' It is such a team. It is such an incredible team, and we rely so much on each other. We're a unit. It's so sacred to me."
RELATED: Mariska Hargitay Knew Chris Meloni Was "the Guy" Right Away: "I Sort of Sized Him Up"
Watch Law & Order: Special Victims Unit on Thursdays at 9/8c on NBC and the next day on Peacock.
