Two 'Law & Order: SVU' Characters Leaving Show
Two beloved Law & Order: SVU characters are leaving the show this season.
The longtime show, created by Dick Wolf, has been on the air for more than 25 seasons. However, two longtime stars of the program are officially leaving following Season 26.
Juliana Aidén Martinez, who plays detective Kate Silva, and Octavio Pisano, who plays detective Joe Velasco, will not be returning for another season. The two beloved characters are leaving following Season 26, it was confirmed this week.
Martinez had just joined the cast this season. However, Pisano had been with the show since Season 23. The show has undergone a lot of cast changes over the years, having been on the air since September of 1999.
The show, which focuses on some of the most heinous crimes in New York City and its surrounding areas, has not been officially renewed for Season 27. However, it sounds like that is more of a formality than anything.
Mariska Hargitay, who plays the beloved Olivia Benson, has appeared in all 26 seasons. She isn't planning on leaving anytime soon, either.
“Not yet. Just thought about it for way later,” Hargitay told E! News. “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 ‘SVU’ right now.”
Ice-T, who has also appeared in all 26 seasons, is of a similar mindset.
“RETIRE??? I’m lucky enough to Act and do Music…. As an Artist, those are jobs you simply NEVER want to stop doing.. Ever," he wrote.
Meanwhile, Deadline reported that the reason for the departures from the cast is unclear.
NBC.
"It is unclear whether the decision was made for creative or financial reasons — or both. There has been a pattern of budget reductions currently underway across multiple NBC shows, impacting cast, episodes, and other areas ahead of renewal decisions leading up to the network’s upfront presentation on Monday," Deadline reported of the cast decisions.
The season finale of the show, titled “Post-Rage,” was directed by Norberto Barba. It will air on May 15.