Regulation & Order: SVU is gearing up for its 27th season on the 2025 TV schedule, premiering this Thursday on NBC. With the present’s return, Mariska Hargitay continues her reign as not solely the longest-running Regulation & Order franchise star, but additionally because the actress behind the longest-running primetime live-action character of all time: Olivia Benson. Nonetheless, these information virtually didn’t occur due to a call the Emmy-winning actress made about her hair approach again in Season 3, and she or he lastly advised the story.
Contemplating SVU has been on for 26 seasons, there have been some adjustments in terms of the solid, from who has come and gone, to even look transformations. This consists of hair, and only a few seasons in, Hargitay revealed she was coaxed right into a change. She recalled to Attract how her pixie lower throughout Season 3 took place, and it sounds prefer it wasn’t even her concept.
My hairstylist had a glass of wine, and I actually ought to have identified higher. Possibly he’d thought I’d be aerodynamic once I was chasing perps. I don’t know.
By means of the course of the present, Olivia Benson’s signature look has included medium-long hair, however the pixie lower was drastically totally different for the character. Positive, it was early within the present’s run, however it was a drastic change, and when you’ve been watching the present because it’s inception, I would be prepared to guess your bear in mind it. And it got here across the time another well-known names like Keri Russell infamously lower their hair for TV.
In fact, it’s not like a haircut modified something with Benson’s storyline, and her hairstylist in all probability didn’t assume backlash would ensue. However there have been some tense moments…
We went actual brief — shorter than anticipated. I virtually acquired fired.
Say it aint’ so! Hargitay has been on SVU because the present’s inception in 1999, and at this level, it’s laborious to think about the present with out her. Longtime star Ice-T has even gotten actual about how lengthy the collection may final, noting that its longevity is because of the actress’ devotion and selection to proceed nowadays. Nonetheless, throughout SVU’s early years, that energy and involvement wasn’t all the time the case, as evidenced by Hargitay’s story. It’s fairly loopy she virtually acquired fired over a haircut, however fortunately, she stayed on, and it’s positively a great factor she did.
I can not say for sure what would have occurred had Hargitay truly gotten fired from SVU, however I would be prepared to guess the present would have turned out utterly in a different way and, greater than doubtless, wouldn’t have reached 27 seasons.
Some time again, Ice-T did reveal what may occur “when you die on SVU,” saying you possibly can both come again relying on circumstances surrounding your character, and even transfer on to a distinct Dick Wolf present. I do assume it could have been enjoyable to see her on a distinct present within the Wolf Universe, particularly if she have been enjoying a distinct character. But when they fired her, who is aware of what may have occurred on that entrance?
Since virtually getting fired, Olivia’s hair hasn’t been almost as brief, so she in all probability realized a lesson from the shock lower. That being stated, it’s by no means too late for an additional change, even when it’s a delicate one. Possibly producers will let her get down with a extra attention-grabbing lower once more sooner or later.