Mariska Hargitay, returning as Captain Olivia Benson, Ice-T as Sergeant Fin, and Peter Scanavino as Assistant DA Carisi.
Giddish first ed Giddish would not be reprising the role of Detective Rollins, fans were shocked by the news. However, several outlets confirmed that Giddish didn't decide to exit the show. Instead, it seems NBC and the show's executive producers made the final call.
Once it became clear that Giddish did not leave SVU of her own volition, fans began questioning executive producer Dick Wolf's decision to let go of the beloved series regular. While fans are disappointed by Giddish's departure, the sense of secrecy surrounding the decision is ripe for speculation and outrage. Check out some reactions below:
Law & Order: SVU fans are organizing an online campaign for her character's return. Nearly 2,500 fans have already signed an online petition titled "Kelli Giddish Deserves Better" that calls out Dick Wolf and Wolf Entertainment for its alleged mistreatment of actors. The petition owner claims this is a part of a larger pattern of firings from Wolf Entertainment, specifically regarding contract negotiations. Fans also call out the hypocrisies of Wolf for creating a show that explores the abuse women endure and overcome while allegedly treating his female cast poorly.
Law & Order: SVU has experienced several notable cast departures in the show's 23-year run. It is always difficult for fans to say goodbye to a beloved character they watched grow over the last decade. Christopher Meloni, who played fan-favorite Detective Stabler, left the series after season 12 due to a similar contract negotiation situation. Meloni is now a recurring character on the spinoff series, Law & Order: Organized Crime, giving fans some hope that Giddish could reprise her role as Detective Rollins somewhere down the line. Giddish returns as Detective Rollins for a nine-episode run on season 24 of Law & Order: SVU.
Source: Twitter (Various, See Above)
