A missing child in NYC mistakes Mariska Hargitay for being a real police officer while filming as Olivia Benson for Law & Order: SVU season 25.
Olivia Benson sitting in her office in Law and Order SVU.
SUMMARY
Mariska Hargitay’s portrayal of Olivia Benson has made her the face of Law & Order: SVU after 25 seasons.
Filming on location in New York led to Hargitay being mistaken for a real officer by a lost child.
Despite cast changes, Hargitay’s Benson remains a constant and iconic character on the show.
Mariska Hargitay was mistaken as a real police officer by a child while filming Law & Order: SVU season 25. For more than two decades, Hargitay has played Manhattan SVU’s Olivia Benson. Through the years, she has risen through the ranks and is currently the captain of the squad she has been part of for so long. Despite being a spinoff, Law & Order: SVU has arguably become the poster series of the New York City-pocket of Dick Wolf’s TV franchise, and with that comes the spotlight on Hargitay, who has also expanded her role in the show beyond just playing Benson.
Aside from the brilliant acting and solid stories, one of the best things about Law & Order: SVU is that it films on location in New York. Because of this, it was only a matter of time before Hargitay was mistaken for a real police officer out on the streets, which is exactly what happened, per People. According to the outlet, a missing child approached Hargitay thinking that she was on patrol while in the middle of filming. Hargitay opted to suspend the shoot to help the kid reunite with her mother.
How Mariska Hargitay’s Benson Became The Face Of Law & Order: SVU
Benson Has Risen Through The Ranks And Is Now SVU’s Captain
After 25 seasons, Law & Order: SVU has had its fair share of cast reshuffles over the years. Christopher Meloni’s exit as Elliot Stabler is arguably the biggest one, but one cannot discount all the great characters that the series has lost since then. Throughout the departures and arrivals, not to mention the constant changes in its storytelling environment, one thing remains constant — Hargitay’s Benson. She is the only original cast member who is still on Law & Order: SVU, with Ice-T’s Fin Tutuola as the second-longest player on the project.
Law & Order: SVU will forever be associated with Hargitay. That said, the character itself and what she represents are also integral to how Benson is perceived. Despite all the personal and professional trauma she has endured, the current Manhattan SVU captain remains true to her principles and committed to doing good. The missing child reaching out to Hargitay may have seen the show on TV several times; aside from its Thursday night timeslot, Law & Order: SVU is also constantly on re-runs, not to mention available to stream on various platforms.
Raul Esparza as Rafael Barba in Law & Order: SVU
Arguably the best ADA that the Manhattan SVU has had thus far, it’s curious why Rafael Barba left Law & Order: SVU after just six seasons.
As filming for Law & Order: SVU season 25 winds down, Benson and her team are confirmed to return for the 2024-2025 TV season. That’s a relief, considering that, like the majority of scripted series, it is ending with significantly fewer episodes than it typically has. In any case, the renewal is a testament to the show’s staying power, especially as its fellow Law & Order series go through changes to keep up with the times.
