Kelli Giddish Discusses Her Return to SVU and the Bond Between Rollins and Benson (Exclusive)
Amanda Rollins is making her return, and Kelli Giddish is sharing all the details about her character’s exciting comeback in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.
“I’m beyond excited to be back,” Giddish told Us Weekly exclusively ahead of her appearance in the show’s latest episode, which aired on Thursday, October 16.
“We have such incredible showrunners, and now we’ve got Michele Fazekas at the helm. It’s a fantastic time for the audience to witness the evolution of Benson and Rollins’ relationship,” Giddish elaborated. “It’s a perfect moment for us to delve deeper.”
She hinted that there’s “so much more we can delve into” with Rollins — and there’s no better time than now.
Giddish also commended Fazekas for having “a deep appreciation” for Rollins, allowing the character to showcase her growth and transformation.
“She understands how essential the Benson and Rollins dynamic is to us personally and to the audience,” Giddish noted about the showrunner. “I believe she’s truly embracing that.”
The fourth episode of the NBC show’s groundbreaking 27th season, titled “Clickbait,” concludes with a scene familiar to SVU viewers — Giddish’s Rollins and Mariska Hargitay’s Olivia Benson sharing a heart-to-heart in the squad room. Giddish and Hargitay felt just as emotional filming it as we did watching.
“There are a lot of spontaneous hugs. We’re all just relieved,” Giddish explained. “It’s been wonderful. The crew expresses such kind sentiments. They exhale, saying, ‘Oh, you’re back,’ which feels amazing.”
Giddish cherishes the fans who share her excitement about her return.
“Everyone is happy to be here and eager to tell these stories. It’s a lot of fun,” she noted. “While the subject matter is heavy, portraying the darker sides of humanity, our cast and crew is a solid group, making it a joyful experience.”
With the show’s first-ever female showrunner (Us was just as surprised), Giddish hinted that she, Hargitay, and Aimé Donna Kelly (Captain Renee Curry) are the “modern-day Charlie’s Angels” on set.
“Having three strong women is empowering, and we welcome that comparison,” Giddish mentioned, teasing a “powerful partnership” between Rollins and Curry on the horizon.
“There’s mutual respect, and she’s an incredibly strong character on the show,” Giddish added. (Kelly previously likened Giddish’s return to SVU to having “another family member back home” during an interview with Us.)
As for Rollins and Carisi? Yes, fans can expect more moments between Giddish and Peter Scanavino.
“It’s so effortless with Peter,” Giddish praised. “Whatever challenges come our way, our chemistry is undeniable, and our friendship off-screen translates into our performances.”
Law & Order: SVU continues to air new episodes on NBC Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET.
