An era is about to come to a close this season on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. After twelve seasons and over two hundred episodes on the crime drama, Kelli Giddish is set to leave the show during the upcoming season. She has also played the character on the spin-offs Chicago P.D. and Chicago Fire.
Giddish first joined the series as Detective Amanda Rollins at the beginning of Season 13 in 2011 as a new officer transferred to SVU. She was brought into the series, with Danny Pino, to help fill the void after fan favorite Christopher Meloni’s exit. Since then Giddish has stepped up into the hearts of fans and become one of the biggest faces of the series alongside Mariska Hargitay and Ice-T.
Giddish announced her impending exit from the series in an Instagram post that read:
“I wanted to address the chatter I’ve seen online and let everyone know that this will, indeed, be my last season on Law & Order: SVU. Playing Rollins has been one of the greatest joys and privileges of my life. I’ve been so fortunate to be a part of the Law & Order family for the last 12 years. There is simply no other character on TV like Rollins. She’s grown and changed, and I have as well. I started on this show when I was in my late 20s and I’m grateful I got to spend so many of my adult years with Rollins in my life.
I want to thank Dick Wolf, Mariska Hargitay, Peter Jankowski, NBC, Universal Television, all of my co-stars, every single member on the crew and all the writers here for our incredible work together these last 12 years. I’m so excited to take all the things I have learned in my time on ‘SVU’ and put them toward everything that’s next to come.”
While it will be hard for many fans to say their goodbyes to Detective Rollins, they will not have to do so just yet. Which episode will be the actress’ last is unknown, but she is expected to stay with the series at least through the middle of Season 24. Additionally, she will be a part of the upcoming three-part cross-over event that will bring together Law & Order, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and Law & Order: Organized Crime.
Giddish is likely also known for her recurring role in another critically acclaimed crime drama, The Good Wife. Before her time on SVU, she starred in a number of other dramas like Chase and Past Life and had a supporting role in the classic soap opera All My Children.
Watch Giddish in action as Detective Rollins when Season 24 of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit kicks off in the three-part cross-over on Thursday, September 22 on NBC.