Mariska Hargitay on 25 Years of SVU and Friendship with Chris Meloni and Kelli G
Category
✨
PeopleTranscript
00:00 25 years on this show and you're also now the longest live action character on television.
00:06 What do these milestones mean to you Mariska? The milestones come when they come.
00:10 Usually you know when you're running a marathon you're just focused on the step in front of you
00:14 and that's what this has felt like. This beautiful marathon and there's just certain moments that
00:24 hit me and I had one of them today where you sort of like the penny drops and you realize how
00:31 you know what a this is nothing shy of a miracle and when you get to do a show
00:37 like this for so many years there's so many unprecedented moments there's so much of it
00:42 is unprecedented and in that way we really feel like we're pioneers because we've done what
00:51 what no show has done and I'm so proud of that and I'm so proud of I was just saying this yesterday
00:58 you know obviously in the 25th season you're sort of forced to take it in when somebody says season
01:04 25 you know it's wait what season 20 what how does that happen and yet I am so deeply proud
01:16 and grateful to be working with such incredible artists that care so much and you know one of the
01:27 things that I hear from guest stars is is it really always like this do you guys really
01:33 like each other that much do you really I just can't believe you still care right and it's things
01:40 like that where we just keep digging we just keep excavating even 25 seasons 25 seasons in and I
01:51 think that's why we're still here yeah and it's still satisfying so satisfying not only for you
01:56 but for fans the storylines I mean last season alone we have the sweet moment ending compass
02:05 Elliot this is beautiful this is supposed to uh to lead me somewhere
02:14 to something
02:17 lead you to happiness live as lived you feel like Elliot is a part of lives
02:26 happiness oh are you hopeful god yes I think it um you know listen again
02:33 25 years again unprecedented there is no show in the history of television when characters have
02:42 been together so long that the relationships are truly earned are truly organic so Chris and I can
02:54 go to places that no one else can because we've lived it right everything is so much deeper and
03:01 you know Kelly and I talk about this all the time like just the where we've come from to where we
03:07 landed and this organic friendship that is so deep and so intimate and so maternal and loving and
03:15 cozy and yet with so much respect right and it's just exciting to do a show you know I think again
03:25 one of the things about this show is um a true feminist story this is a true feminist story
03:34 it's one of the longest feminist stories this is you know 25 years ago I started the show as
03:41 you know a new cop who was the second cop you know Elliot Stabler was further along in his career and
03:51 I was sort of looking up to him and he was leading it and trying to figure out and sort of where we
03:56 were culturally again about female and male roles and this is a character who has truly
04:03 grown into herself and grown into all of herself and into her power over these 25 years very much
04:13 like our society has done so to be on a show that parallels this cultural moment is uh
04:21 pretty awesome it is and I have to mention the Joyful Heart Foundation because I feel like
04:27 and you tell me had this character not existed would we have the Joyful Heart Foundation
04:32 and we would not right we would not there have been so many gifts and uh you know I've been
04:40 somebody in my life who um has sort of uh people say like what's your motto what's your creed and I
04:48 sort of you know follow the signs I try to live by my gut and that's another thing as a woman that
04:53 we learn to do I think that's where true wisdom comes from is becoming still enough that we can
04:59 listen to our wisdom listen to our guts listen to our inner knowing and um that was something
05:08 that came to me in a moment but only because I was exposed to these issues and learned about
05:13 domestic violence and sexual assault and child abuse and through Liv Benson yeah and I I um was
05:21 given this beautiful beautiful platform to do something with it and luckily um
05:28 I was brave enough to to start something yeah and your work there is just beginning so yeah thank
05:35 you for your time today and thank you for introducing us to karma because that was a
05:38 full circle moment the world needed and we went wild over and even taylor swift did so very sweet
05:44 I mean it was only right it was only fair you had to return the favor Olivia Benson so good and yet
05:50 there was no other name that was even an option right karma is my cat and you girl the lyrics and
05:55 everything so good