After playing not one, not two, but five different characters across the Law & Order franchise, it’s even more impressive to learn that Special Victims Unit icon Peter Scanavino can still remember his first line as the steadfast Sonny Carisi. But few can deny the SVU star’s introduction was iconic in part thanks to the dynamite mustache he was rocking at the time.
In a 2022 behind-the-scenes video among the Law & Order stars, Scanavino was happy to look back on the pantheon of different characters he’s played in and out of the squad room, but couldn’t hide how much he cherishes his longtime role of detective turned A.D.A. Carisi.
“Well, I’ve done quite a few Law & Orders in the different iterations,” Scanavino reflected, confessing that he couldn’t remember his first lines from his appearances on the original Law & Order, Criminal Intent, Trial by Jury, or even his previous character on SVU because he was playing such a “different character” from the A.D.A. he’d one day come to play.
“But my first line as Carisi, I do remember,” Scanavino clarified with confidence. “And I think it was, ‘They shot at us right outside of the station, so they want us to know they’re crazy.'” This dramatic introduction took place in Season 16’s “Girls Disappeared,” right after a group of perps swarmed the precinct with a flurry of bullets. In the midst of the chaos, Carisi still managed to deliver pastries for his new squad room colleagues, hoping to make a good impression on his new boss, Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay), by bringing “a bunch of zeppoles and a mustache,” Carisi recalled with a grin.
Peter Scanavino Reminisces Over Carisi’s “Awesome” Mustache on SVU
Reflecting on that exciting first day as a member of the regular cast, Scanavino admitted his nerves led him to bring a charged energy to the set. “What was happening that day, I was nervous ’cause I didn’t want to blow it, and I was making sure I knew my lines,” Scanavino explained. “I kind of remember walking; it was like, ‘This is how a cop would walk.’ I don’t know, doing some character stuff and trying to really get into it in the way that you would when you’re really, really amped up.”
Yet, even amidst the high stakes of the scene, Scanavino couldn’t help but chuckle at Carisi’s mustache, which he ultimately ditched in later seasons. “The mustache — yeah, that was awesome,” Scanavino said with humor. “I can’t believe they let me do that. Then we decided maybe that wasn’t the best idea.”
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Kelli Giddish Also Played a Different Character Before Rollins on SVU
Similar to Scanavino, his on-screen wife and squad room colleague Kelli Giddish also appeared on SVU as a different character before settling in as Detective Amanda Rollins. Giddish made her first appearance in Season 8, Episode 12 of SVU (“Outside”) as Kara Bawson, an assault survivor.
While Giddish couldn’t recall her first line as Kara, she fondly remembered connecting with Ice-T behind the scenes during her Law & Order debut. “I played a victim on SVU before I ever got cast as a detective. I do know that I worked with Ice-T for most of it,” Giddish recalled. While her memory of playing Kara remains foggy, she clearly remembers her first scene as Amanda Rollins, where she was eager to get to work alongside Captain Donald Cragen (Dann Florek).
“The very first scene I shot on SVU as a detective was me carrying a box of things and being a little eager beaver to say, ‘Hi, I’m here. I’m ready to learn. You know, I’ve heard a lot about you. Hey, I’m Detective Rollins!'” Giddish recalled with a smile. She accurately guessed the gist of her Season 13 arrival at the 16th Precinct, where she continues to kick criminal butt to this day.
Mariska Hargitay Could Also Still Remember Her First SVU Line
When Hargitay was asked if she could remember the first words Olivia Benson said during her 1999 debut on SVU, she was dubious. “No. That was what, 62 years ago?” Hargitay quipped, before thinking it over seriously.
“My first lines. Hold on, hold on, hold on. I do remember that scene,” Hargitay contemplated, asking, “Did Chris Meloni remember his first lines? ‘Cause if he did, I’m gonna be so jealous.” After the playful joke about her former partner, Hargitay continued to ponder the series’ 1999 premiere.
“Is it possible that my first lines were my name?” she mused, speculating that her introduction involved a crime scene where she introduced herself and Stabler as sex crimes detectives. After some reminiscing, Hargitay was delighted to discover she was right: her first line was indeed to introduce herself as Olivia Benson. “What?!” she exclaimed, elated at her uncanny recall after spending three decades solving crimes in the role.
Law & Order: SVU returns on Thursday, January 8 with a two-hour crossover event on NBC. In the meantime, you can stream every episode of SVU on Peacock.