For the fans of Law & Order: SVU, the show is nothing without the captain Olivia Benson. Mariska, who is playing the character of Olivia, joined the show in its initial days, and till today’s date, she has become an essential part of the show.
She joined as a normal detective and then got promoted to Lieutenant, and then she became the captain of the highly professional SVU. Also, she has become the longest-running female character in any Television show, which says a lot about the character.
In season 10, Olivia wasn’t there in one episode, and the reason was her lung issue. But before season 10, she wasn’t appearing in a few episodes of season 8, so what was the reason? The diehard SVU fans might or might not know the actual reason behind her disappearance. Therefore, in this article, we are going to answer the most-asked question for SVU; Why Did Olivia Leave SVU In Season 8? Read On
Who is Mariska Hargitay?
Mariska Hargitay, or Mariska Magdolna Hargitay, is an amazing American actress, philanthropist, director, and a daughter of a bodybuilder. SVU fame Olivia was born to an American actor and bodybuilder, Mickey Hargitay, and actress Jayne Mansfield.
Mariska lost her mother very early, so she said in an interview that her mother’s dismissal had left a hole in her life which can never be filled again. She hates when she is compared to her mother, but yes, she would love to be Miss Universe as her father owns the title of Mr. Universe.
In 2008, Hargitay fell while performing a stunt on the set of SVU, and that was something not good at all. She suffered a partially collapsed lung. Due to her chest issue, she had to drop one episode of SVU’s tenth season.
When she was in school, she was an active member of different clubs in her school. She used to do cheerleading, athletics, and theatre programs as well. Also, she used to take part in the elections of the student government. Among all the extra curriculum activities, she enjoyed the most.
As a result, she joined UCLA after her graduation in 1982, and later that year, she was crowned Miss Beverly Hills USA. Apart from her acting talent, she is fluent in different languages too. She can speak English, Hungarian, Italian, Spanish, and French. In 2004, Mariska married the love of her life, Peter Hermann. He is an actor too. The couple met each other on the set of Law & Order: SVU. They share an amazing bond till today’s day.
Also Read: Who Does Olivia Benson End Up With in Law & Order?
Why Did Olivia Leave SVU In Season 8?
Mariska Hargitay joined the show Law & Order: SVU in its first season as a detective. She was a passionate actor and carried the show very well. As we know, the show is all about criminals and detectives, where detectives investigate heinous cases so that the right culprit gets the harsh punishment. In Today’s date, Olivia (Mariska) from Law & Order: SVU is the longest-running female character, not only in SVU but in any primetime series.
Olivia’s journey from detective to Lieutenant and then to Captain is the favorite part of all the fans. Fans love to see her in every episode as she has become one of the essential souls of the show. Marishka once opened up about her feeling regarding the show.
She told in an interview that her co-star Christopher Meloni who was in 12 seasons of SVU, left the show. Since such a close co-actor left the show, she was struggling if she wanted to continue or not. She wanted some space and was losing interest in the show. Mariska gave herself enough time and decided not to quit.
But what happened in season 8? Did she leave because of some inner disputes? No! She was pregnant. Her belly was getting bigger, and it was difficult to hide, so the show maker decided to give Mariska some rest.
So, Mariska, aka Olivia, didn’t appear in SVU season 8 and had quality time with her first child. Till that time, the show makers wrote the more exciting and great storyline for the upcoming seasons of which Mariska was a part; an important part, I should say.
Also Read: Is Kelli Giddish Pregnant In Real Life? Amanda Rollins From Law & Order: SVU Sparks Expecting Rumors
