<p id=”par-1_46″><em><a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/tag/law-and-order-svu/”>Law & Order SVU</a> </em>star Mariska Hargitay has been a part of the series <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/law-order-svu-turns-25-see-cast-then-now.html/”>since its inception</a> and hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down. However, not even Hargitay can do this forever, and she’s recently opened up again about her theoretical departure from the show.</p>
<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-how-mariska-hargitay-feels-about-leaving-law-amp-order-svu”>How Mariska Hargitay feels about leaving ‘Law & Order SVU’</h2>
<figure class=”wp-block-image size-full” id=”emb-1″><img decoding=”async” src=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Mariska-Hargitay-Law-and-Order-SVU.webp?strip=all&quality=80″ alt=”Mariska Hargitay smiling on the ‘Today’ show.” class=”wp-image-3725991″><figcaption class=”wp-element-caption”>Mariska Hargitay | Nathan Congleton/Getty Images</figcaption></figure>
<p id=”par-2_44″>Hargitay might be on <em>SVU </em>for as long as the show is on air. Although the long-running franchise has seen many of <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/law-order-svu-mariska-hargitay-felt-kelli-giddishs-exit.html/”>its cast come and go</a>, Hargitay has stuck with it from the beginning. Still, she hasn’t grown tired of the show yet.</p>
<p id=”par-3_34″>But that doesn’t mean she hasn’t imagined an ending for her <em>SVU </em>counterpart Olivia Benson. Back in 2022, Hargitay teased what she thought would be an ideal way to ride off into the sunset.</p>
<p id=”par-4_52″>“I hope that she can get to a point where she feels like she’s done enough service and it’s time to rest and be and see the best that life has to offer,” she told <a href=”https://www.eonline.com/news/1347087/how-mariska-hargitay-wants-olivia-bensons-law-order-svu-story-to-end”>E! News</a>. “Because she’s spent so much time in the darkest of what life has to offer.”</p>
<p id=”par-5_47″>Similarly to what Hargitay has experienced in real life with <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/peter-hermann-mariska-hargitay-much-different-reactions.html/”>current husband Peter Hermann</a>, the actor envisions Benson settling down with a family one day. And as of the show’s recent season 26, it seems that Hargitay is still picturing what her future exit might look like.</p>
<p id=”par-6_26″>“I have thought about that,” Hargitay said in a separate interview with <a href=”https://www.eonline.com/news/1408829/is-mariska-hargitay-ready-to-retire-from-law-order-svu-she-says”>E! New</a>s. “Not yet. Just thought about it for way later. But I’m open.”</p>
<p id=”par-7_18″>However or whenever Hargitay ends up leaving <em>SVU</em>, she feels she’ll instinctively know when to make the decision.</p>
<p id=”par-8_63″>“I’m a very active person with a lot of irons in the fire,” she said. “I am somebody who follows the signs. I trust that the future will be right and that I will be where I’m supposed to be. I’m very engaged and fulfilled at <em>SVU </em>right now and there’s definitely things that I want to do and achieve challenge myself with.”</p>
<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-sources-recently-shared-that-mariska-hargitay-is-contemplating-retiring-from-law-amp-order-svu-after-season-26″>Sources recently shared that Mariska Hargitay is contemplating retiring from ‘Law & Order SVU’ after season 26</h2>
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<iframe title=”Law & Order: SVU: Mariska Hargitay Season 15 Episode 12 On Set Interview | ScreenSlam” width=”925″ height=”520″ src=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/56-QqETLveM?feature=oembed” frameborder=”0″ allow=”accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share” referrerpolicy=”strict-origin-when-cross-origin” allowfullscreen></iframe>
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<p id=”par-9_75″>Hargitay’s statement regarding <em>SVU </em>might disprove recent claims insiders have made about the actor’s intentions. Sources claimed to <a href=”https://www.closerweekly.com/posts/mariska-hargitay-wants-to-leave-law-order-on-own-terms-excl/”>Closer Weekly</a> that Hargitay was leaning towards making her exit sooner rather than later. Several changes happening to the studio behind <em>SVU</em>, NBC, allegedly inspired the actor’s new plans.<br><br>“NBC was slashing jobs to make up for the hundreds of millions they lost,” a source said. “But they spared Mariska because they figured they wouldn’t have an <em>SVU</em> without her.”</p>
<p id=”par-10_16″>Although Hargitay’s salary wasn’t affected, it was noted that she was still mulling over her options.</p>
<p id=”par-11_75″>“Mariska hasn’t totally made up her mind yet, but she says she’s shooting her current episodes of <em>SVU </em>as if they are her last,” the source added. “And that has a lot of the cast and crew sweating bullets because they fear network execs would cancel the show rather than go on without her!”<br><br>Ironically, another source close to <a href=”https://www.closerweekly.com/posts/mariska-hargitay-refuses-to-retire-from-law-order-svu/”>Closer</a> claimed that Hargitay’s concern for the cast and crew was what partially kept her from retiring.</p>
<p id=”par-12_26″>“<a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/mariska-hargitay-didnt-mind-playing-olivia-benson-long.html/”>She is Olivia Benson</a>, and Olivia Benson is her,” the source said. “She feels a responsibility to them. They’d be out of a job without her.”</p>
<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-how-much-does-mariska-hargitay-make-on-law-amp-order-svu”>How much does Mariska Hargitay make on ‘Law & Order SVU’</h2>
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<iframe title=”Top 25 Badass Benson Lines Over 25 Seasons | Law & Order: SVU | NBC” width=”925″ height=”520″ src=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/KJMnJ-2KqzU?feature=oembed” frameborder=”0″ allow=”accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share” referrerpolicy=”strict-origin-when-cross-origin” allowfullscreen></iframe>
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<p id=”par-13_53″>If the rumors are true, it’s easy to see why Hargitay wouldn’t want the network to start interfering with her salary. Hargitay reportedly<a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/law-order-svu-mariska-hargitay-salary.html/”> pulls in $500,000 per episode</a> on <em>SVU</em>. With the majority of the series’ seasons airing over 20 episodes, Hargitay’s salary has added nicely to her reported $100 million net worth.</p>