The cast of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit came together on Tuesday for the show’s 25th anniversary special in New York City, and shared their love and support for series stalwart Mariska Hargitay.
Hargitay’s adoring co-stars spoke with ET’s Rachel Smith on the carpet and reflected on her recent editorial for People, in which she candidly revealed that she’d been sexually attacked by an unnamed friend in her 30s.
Longtime friend and co-star Christopher Meloni — who starred for years as Detective Elliot Stabler, partner to Hargitay’s Olivia Benson — praised her openness and strong vulnerability.
“When I first heard the story, it took me aback and I was amazed by her bravery,” Meloni said of the editorial. “She did it with clarity and with grace and with a lot of thought… [it was] a personal story meant for a greater audience and a greater impact for that audience.”
“So I thought it was — as she does most things — well thought out and [done] with bravery,” Meloni added.
The actor said that the show itself has been a success because of Hargitay’s “steely determination and commitment to tell these stories.”
“[She] struck a chord with the public and they’ve carried it on through variety of regimes and writers and actors, But she’s been the core member,” Meloni marveled.
Meanwhile, Ice-T — who stars as Detective Odafin “Fin” Tutuola on SVU — said he only learned about the editorial shortly before it was published and he’s giving her the respect of space and time.
“I told her, ‘I’m really lost for words. I don’t know what to say.’ It happened so recently we haven’t talked about it,” he said. “It’s powerful for her to say it and it’s one of those types of things that she’ll tell me [about] when she’s ready to, if she’s ready to.”
Additionally, SVU alum Dann Florek — who portrayed Capt. Donald Cragen — reflected on how Hargitay’s powerful editorial adds a previously unknown depth and impact to her character and her performance.
“She is the heartbeat and the soul of this show, and to realize that that nugget was in there, it only [serves as a] testament to why she was, and is, so incredible,” Florek shared.
Peter Scanavino — who stars as Assistant District Attorney Dominick “Sonny” Carisi, Jr. — reflected on how the cast has supported Hargitay, explaining, “You just just try to give her all the love and comfort that she rightly deserves.”
“I think there is something about it where it was a secret that she had kind of kept for so long,” he said,” [and] she’s big and famous and all that, so if she could be that honest with herself I hope [for] other people, it inspires them to honest with themselves as well.”
Hargitay also spoke with ET and shared her love for her fellow actors, as well as the show’s creators and crew.
“There’s a lot of love in the people that created this show and a lot of intimacy and an incredible amount of respect and trust and honor,” Hargitay said. “So I think that we all honor and respect each other.”
“It’s been a privilege for me to work with them and to have such an incredibly intimate relationship with all of them,” she added. “So this feels like family tonight.”
