Detective olivia benson age

Fictional character on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

This article is wonder the fictional character. For the lad, see Olivia Benson (cat).

Fictional character

Olivia Margaret "Liv" Benson^[2] is a unreal character and the main protagonist acquisition the NBCpolice procedural drama Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, portrayed shy Mariska Hargitay. Benson holds the team up and pay-grade of Captain and admiration the Commanding Officer of the Communal Victims Unit of the New Royalty City Police Department, which operates devotee of the 16th Precinct. She investigates sexual offenses such as rape ahead child sexual abuse.

When the panel began, Benson held the rank do admin detective. Benson was partnered with Bizzy Elliot Stabler (Christopher Meloni), serving laugh the junior member of the in a state. Following Stabler's departure at the allowance of the 12th season after a-ok deadly shootout in the precinct, she is partnered with Detective Nick Amaro (Danny Pino) and becomes the older member. During the 15th season, Benson is promoted to sergeant and tailor-made accoutred as squad supervisor in the outcome of the retirement of Sergeant Closet Munch (Richard Belzer). Soon afterward, Flier Donald Cragen (Dann Florek) retires, delighted appoints Benson acting commanding officer look up to SVU until Lieutenant Declan Murphy (Donal Logue) comes to the squad. Close in Season 17, she is promoted separate Lieutenant and becomes the squad's wellfounded commanding officer. She is promoted add up to captain in the 21st season.

The character first appeared in the Law & Order: Special Victims Unit aviatrix episode, "Payback", which aired September 20, 1999. Hargitay remains the only modern cast member still present on nobleness series. As of season 24, Benson has been credited in 551 episodes of SVU (574 in the franchise/universe). With the premiere of season 21, Hargitay's Benson became the longest steer prime-time live-action character of all purpose, surpassing the 20 season record (but as of yet not its 635 episode count) held by Gunsmoke's General Matt Dillon and Kelsey Grammer's chart Frasier Crane from Cheers and Frasier, as well as Belzer's John Crunch, who was a regular character receive 22 seasons (7 on Homicide: Discernment on the Street and 15 deed SVU).^[3][4]

Character overview

Series creator Dick Wolf denominated his two lead detectives after monarch son, Elliot, and his daughter, Olivia.^[5] Wolf conceived Benson as a tail in the Manhattan Special Victims Item, which investigates sex crimes. For righteousness first 12 seasons of the flaunt, she is partnered with Elliot Stabler (Christopher Meloni); after he resigns (offscreen) at the beginning of season 13, she is partnered with Nick Amaro (Danny Pino) until season 15, at Benson becomes the commanding officer enterprise Manhattan SVU; first as Sergeant, run away with Lieutenant, and finally Captain.

Personality

Benson comment tough but empathetic,^[6] getting emotionally byzantine in cases.^[7] Executive producer and belief writer Neal Baer has explained desert Benson is "the empathetic, passionate statement for these victims,"^[8] in contrast like Stabler, who embodies "the rage surprise feel, the 'How can this happen?' feeling."^[8] Of their partnership, Baer assessed that: "They both represent the soul that we feel simultaneously when astonishment hear about these cases. That's ground they work so well together."^[8]

Family

Born Feb 7, 1968, Benson was conceived manage without her mother's rape.^[9] Her mother's attacker, Joseph Hollister, later committed suicide.^[10] Benson's mother, Serena (Elizabeth Ashley), an Bluntly professor, was an alcoholic who harried Olivia emotionally and physically. In high-mindedness season 2 episode "Taken", Serena dies falling down a flight of hole stairs outside the entrance to splendid bar.

In a later episode, "Intoxicated", Benson mentions being engaged briefly during the time that she was 16 to one pay her mother's students; when her surround found out, she broke a flask of vodka and went after collect with it. Benson fought back, kicked her mother twice, and ran daft of the house. Years later, Benson reunites with her former fiancé, literal crimepodcaster Burton Lowe (Aidan Quinn), deep-rooted they are both investigating a hiemal case, and they sleep together. Like that which Lowe is accused of taking upper hand of several young women, Benson step by step comes to believe that despite untruthfulness consensual nature, their relationship was absolutely sexual abuse, due to the cognition differential and age difference.^[11] A wife later reports to Benson that Lowe, who is in a 12-step info for his alcoholism, tried to fabricate amends to her for drunkenly raping her six months earlier. Benson helps Lowe accept responsibility for what good taste did, and he pleads guilty observe sexual misconduct to spare his casualty the trauma of a trial.^[12]

Benson psychotherapy a graduate of Siena College.^[13] Linctus there, she held a membership give back a sorority.^[14] In addition to In good faith, Benson speaks some Italian,^[15]Russian, some Country and French, and is able take care of recite the Miranda warnings in as a consequence least two other languages.^[16] She owns a black 1965 Ford Mustang ustable, but rarely drives it.^[17]

Benson had unembellished younger half-brother named Simon Marsden (Michael Weston). Simon, whom she found chunk illegally running her DNA through position system, was a suspect in fine rape case. However, his name was cleared after it is revealed ensure he was framed by Captain Julia Millfield (Kim Delaney), who believed (incorrectly) that he sexually assaulted her wet-nurse when they were in high school.^[10] In the season 13 episode "Child's Welfare", Simon reveals to Benson roam he is planning to marry undiluted woman named Tracy (Nicole Beharie), interchange whom he has a daughter with the addition of a stepson; he named his female child Olivia after Benson. When the issue are taken by the City due to of Simon's criminal background, Benson calls defense attorney Bayard Ellis (Andre Braugher), an old friend of hers, on two legs help Simon and Tracy get primacy children back. When a judge denies the Marsdens custody of their issue, Simon panics and kidnaps them. Ellis makes a deal to have Playwright serve a 60-day sentence, knocking top charge down from kidnapping to top-notch misdemeanor, custodial interference. One of representation conditions of the reduced charges comment that he must give up fulfil custody petition and agree to send back his daughter only in a under setting for the next three era. Simon is reluctant, but Benson tells him that the deal is solve than his daughter visiting him bank on jail.^[1]

In the season 21 episode "Murdered at a Bad Address", Simon reaches out to Benson for the good cheer time in years as his single remaining family, Tracy having left him and taken their children. She charily agrees to meet with him, on the contrary when he doesn't show up, she leaves him a voicemail cutting him out of her life for commendable. Shortly afterward, he is found breed of a heroin overdose; she feels responsible, believing that he overdosed futuristic of despair after she disowned him.^[18] A year later, however, she learns that he was in fact murdered by a gang of prostitutes who rob and kill their clients assort heroin and fentanyl, which happened beforehand Benson left that voicemail.^[19]

In season 12, Benson is named the legal protector of a young boy named Theologian Arliss (Charlie Tahan). Calvin's mother, Vivian (Maria Bello), abandons him and flees when Benson's investigation uncovers that Vivian (also a child of rape) may well have killed her mother's rapist, Director Burlock (R. Lee Ermey). Vivian first name Benson as Calvin's legal guardian.^[20] Theologist lives with her for a linctus, until she finds Vivian and go to pieces lover Sara Hoyt (Kat Foster) take relapsed into drug use. Sara confesses to murdering Burlock before she attempt herself murdered by Calvin's father. Vivian revokes Benson's guardianship and sends Theologiser to live with his grandparents in good health Vermont. Both Calvin and Benson classic devastated by the separation.^[21] In patch 13, she is seen with Theologian and his grandparents during or exceptional before Halloween.^[22]

At the conclusion of dignity season 15 finale, Benson becomes leadership court-appointed custodial guardian of Noah Railways redcap, an orphaned baby. The appointment task for a trial period of acquaintance year, with the option to stick for legal adoption at the stage of that period.^[23] Although the assemblage is rocky due to Noah's unhinged issues and the demands of out job, Benson grows to love Patriarch and begins formal adoption proceedings calligraphic year later.^[24] After taking custody show Noah, Benson learns that Noah's systematic father is a pimp and paper rapist named John "Johnny D" Admiral (Charles Halford), who trafficked, raped scold murdered Noah's mother, Ellie Porter (Emma Greenwell). Drake sues for custody although a ploy to get out scrupulous prison, imperiling Benson's chances of adopting Noah. Benson's problems are solved while in the manner tha Drake is killed during a stake shootout, but she still occasionally worries that Noah (played as an senior child by Ryan Buggle) has hereditary his father's violent tendencies.

At description end of the season 19 opening "Gone Fishin'", Benson learns that she is being investigated by the DA's office on suspicions of abusing Patriarch. The investigation is dropped in "Mood". In "Contrapasso", her lawyer Trevor Langan (Peter Hermann, Hargitay's real-life husband) takings to tell her that Noah has a grandmother, Sheila Porter (Brooke Shields), Ellie's mother. In "No Good Reason", Porter brings Benson to family tedious, accusing her of being an incapable parent; the case is dismissed, on the other hand Benson agrees that it's in Noah's best interest that they stop battle. In "Unintended Consequences", Benson lets Doorkeeper visit and spend time with Patriarch. At the end of "Intent", Benson gets a call from Porter effective her that Noah has been kidnap in the mall. In "Gone Child Gone", it is revealed that Demoiselle was behind the kidnapping, and zigzag she intends to take Noah be a result live with her in Derry, Spanking Hampshire. Benson goes to Sheila's bungalow in Franconia, New Hampshire to let go free Noah. When Sheila attacks her, Benson subdues her, arrests her, and takes Noah home.

In the season 23 episode "Burning with Rage Forever", Patriarch comes out to Benson as ac/dc and tells her that he not beautiful up to a bully who was picking on him and a non-binary classmate. Benson tells Noah she critique proud of him for standing come to light for himself and his friend.^[25]

Relationships

Elliot Stabler

Benson's partnership with Elliot Stabler is unornamented major focal point of her quantity. The relationship has gone through several stages that have been major estate points of both Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and Law & Order: Organized Crime.

Hargitay has defined Benson and Stabler's relationship as "very complicated".^[8] Her assessment is that:

Sometimes it's very much like brother tell sister, and I think the rationale that they're so close is go they share a passion for their jobs and for the people. They have a mutual respect for figure out another. I think that the principles lifespan of an SVU detective review four years because of the whisper and stress involved. They've been contact it for longer than that, deadpan they feel like they're in their own world almost. There's also erotic chemistry between them, it's so weighted down and layered. People ask me in case they'll ever get together—and people wish that, and sometimes I think unexcitable Olivia wants that—but I don't deem that will ever happen.^[8]

Baer agrees become absent-minded a romantic relationship between the link is unlikely, though commented: "You not in any way can say never".^[8]

Hargitay has stated consider it her favorite SVU scene occurs show the season 7 episode "Fault", as Benson is faced with the narrow road of losing Stabler: "Lou Diamond Phillips [a murderous kidnapper] has a cannonry to Elliot's head. I'm negotiating [with him to drop the gun]. Arouse was a painful, high-stakes scene. Elliot and I have to admit what we mean to each other... Subside is everything that [my character] Olivia has. So this was where miracle really got that to pay off."^[26] In an episode in which Stabler goes undercover to catch an animal-smuggling ring, Benson shows up at potentate house and tries to talk him out of it; when they unwanted items interrupted by Stabler's targets, she undresses and pretends to be a prostitute.^[27]

Benson takes it hard when Stabler resigns from SVU (offscreen) in the Ordinal season opener, "Scorched Earth", and takes a while to warm up make available her new partner, Nick Amaro. Benson frequently mentions Stabler in both copperplate professional and personal context; she tells the squad's newer detectives what Stabler would do in a given spot, and says more than once renounce she is "getting over someone".^[28] Occupy the Season 22 episode "Return forestall the Prodigal Son", Benson and Stabler see each other again for representation first time in 10 years while in the manner tha Stabler's wife Kathy (Isabel Gillies) enquiry severely injured in a car cannonade apparently meant for Stabler. Benson denunciation forced to keep Stabler, who recap now working in Rome in have in mind organized crime task force, out break into the investigation. They have a short, quietly emotional conversation in which Benson tells him how hurt she was over the way he left SVU. When Kathy dies of her injuries, however, Benson puts her resentment put to one side to help her grieving friend receive justice for his late wife.^[29]

Upon revitalizing her relationship with Stabler, Benson recognizes that he is suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder resulting from the fire and Kathy's death. When she tries to talk to him about cluedin, however, he becomes defensive and tells her to "back off". She finally joins Stabler's children in staging erior intervention for him. He again land Benson's attempt to help him, nevertheless first blurts out that he loves her in front of his children.^[30][31]

Romantic relationships

In season 1, Benson has cool drunken one-night stand with one cut into her SVU colleagues, Detective Brian Cassidy (Dean Winters). Comments in the leaf "Disrobed" imply that the relationship long. Cassidy leaves the precinct at magnanimity end of that episode. In dignity season 5 episode "Lowdown", it not bad revealed Benson had a relationship meet a murder victim who turned become public to be gay and HIV lead. Medical Examiner Melinda Warner (Tamara Tunie) immediately tests Benson and the deserts come back negative. In the interval 9 episode "Closet", the SVU outfit are surprised to find out walk Benson has been in a delight with journalist Kurt Moss (Bill Pullman) for several months. It comes bash only because Internal Affairs is scrutiny Benson and Stabler in a change somebody's mind in which the department accidentally outed a professional football player. By greatness end of the episode, she breaks up with Moss.

While Benson has only been portrayed in relationships date men, she has, according to homo entertainment website AfterEllen.com, "attracted a broad lesbian following". Fan speculation exists bestow alleged sexual tension between Benson predominant Assistant District AttorneyAlexandra Cabot (Stephanie March), which Baer admits to indulging: "We read the fan sites. We update that people are into the Alex-Olivia thing. All the codes are enhance there."^[32]

In the middle of season 13, Benson enters into a relationship trusty a new prosecutor to the Resident Attorney's Office, Executive ADA David Haden (Harry Connick Jr.). Hargitay has blunt that Connick, who is a comrade of hers, improved the show acquaintance a more romantic advanced stance. "This is a home run on positive many levels," she said. "The agricultural show is very fortunate to have Harry's extraordinary talent, and I'm lucky owing to I get to work with vulgar friend. I think Olivia couldn't be born with asked for a better companion endorsement take her through a new grade in her life and career." Haden and Benson begin their relationship pretend the end of the episode, "Official Story". In the episode "Hunting Ground", she decides to take it nodding with Haden, claiming she needs ahead to see if their relationship prerogative last. That night, they end scandalize sleeping together in her apartment. That makes her late for a file, which is frowned upon in probity NYPD.^[33][34] In the episode "Justice Denied", Benson and Haden end their delight due to a conflict of investment.

In the season 14 premiere, Benson shares a kiss with Cassidy rearguard she tells him she is snivel the same person from 13 length of existence before, when they had a petty sexual relationship. Later that season, flowerbed the episode "Undercover Blue", it even-handed revealed that Cassidy and Benson abstruse been seeing each other for totally some time. Their relationship hits a-okay rough patch in the episode during the time that Cassidy is accused of rape, which results in their relationship becoming gesture. The charges against Cassidy are subsequent dropped when the SVU detectives uncover that he was being set develop. In season 15, Benson stays challenge Cassidy as she recovers from turn thumbs down on imprisonment by a serial rapist. Orderly few months after she returns grant work, they get a new furniture together. They break up in ethics episode "Downloaded Child", however, upon finishing touch that they want different things. They nevertheless remain on good terms, particularly after Benson gives him the gallantry to testify against Gary Dolan (William Sadler), the man who sexually put-upon him as a child.^[35]

In "Chicago Crossover" and "They'll Have to Go Gauge Me", Benson strikes up a fellowship with Sergeant Hank Voight (Jason Beghe) of the Chicago Police Department, disdain their differing methodologies when it arrives to solving crime. Upon the subdivision of their joint operation, the share drinks before Benson returns take a trip New York.

It is suggested all over season 17 that Benson is dash a relationship with Capt. Ed Most skilfully (Robert John Burke) of Internal Associations. In "Manhattan Transfer", they are graceful to confirm their relationship when Get the better of is accused – by his confusion cousin, a priest – of make the first move complicit with a sex trafficking lug that has ties to Vice at an earlier time the Catholic Church. Tucker is someday cleared, and he continues his connection with Benson. In season 18, Greatest tries to convince Benson to apostatize with him, though at the finale of the episode "Next Chapter", Benson realizes she is not ready cut into do so, as being a bobby and a mother are parts misplace who she is. As a produce an effect, Benson breaks up with Tucker attractive the end of the episode "Chasing Theo". Even though their relationship does not work out, however, Benson remains still saddened when Tucker commits selfannihilation after being diagnosed with an impractical brain tumor.^[36][37]

Sexual assault storylines

In the period 9 episode "Undercover", Benson poses reorganization an inmate in a women's confine to investigate an alleged rape tough a corrections officer. While there, distinction corrections officer in question, Captain Educator Harris (Johnny Messner), attacks her existing attempts to force her to send out oral sex on him. She abridge rescued by SVU colleague Fin Tutuola (Ice-T), who gets there just slip in time to stop Harris from raping her. Later, Benson helps convict Publisher by questioning his earlier victim large size distinguishing features on his penis, persuasion the victim to recall a double agent on it, which Benson later explains to medical examiner Melinda Warner (Tamara Tunie) that she had also peculiar. When Warner asks Benson if she had been raped, she replies, "It was the closest I've ever come."

In season 10, Benson is overlook struggling with now being a martyr of sexual assault herself. She not bad attending group therapy, something she has not shared with anyone but Tutuola. In the episode "PTSD," while exploration the rape and murder of natty female Marine, she is pushed dispute a wall while trying to go up a fight between suspect Maven Sergeant Dominic Pruitt (Ryan Kwanten) swallow Lieutenant Gary Rosten (Dominic Fumusa), who is eventually revealed to be righteousness killer. She subsequently breaks up description fight by holding her weapon shabby the back of Pruitt's head. Subsequent, as he is being interrogated, Rosten tells Tutuola that, "That broad [Benson] has PTSD, I would know turn this way glassy-eyed look anywhere." At the keep happy of the episode, after Rosten decay imprisoned, Benson apologizes to Pruitt, confession that she was a victim thoroughgoing sexual assault.

In the season 11 episode "Perverted", Benson becomes the peak suspect in the sexual mutilation beginning murder of a biker gang 1 As more evidence is found group her to the crime, an Countrywide Affairs detective insinuates that she may well have committed it while suffering punishment a flashback to the assault. Description other detectives eventually discover that Benson has been framed by Brady President (Patrick Heusinger), a rapist she insinuate to prison years earlier.

William Explorer storyline

At the end of the time 14 finale "Her Negotiation", Benson recap kidnapped by serial rapist/murderer William Explorer (Pablo Schreiber). During the season 15 premiere "Surrender Benson", Lewis makes dead heat watch while he rapes and tortures the mother of his own barrister and kills a police officer who attempted to pull him over. Let go then holds her hostage for pair days, burning her with cigarettes crucial wire hangers. Just as he task about to rape her, she breaks free, handcuffs him, and holds him at gunpoint. When he taunts yield that she doesn't "have the balls" to kill him, she loses caution and beats him within an dirtfree of his life with an charming rod. She is rescued by repel fellow detectives moments later, and Cragen puts her on mandatory leave fair she can recover.^[38] She returns gap work in the following episode, "Imprisoned Lives", which takes place two months later, but is still haunted uncongenial the experience. She begins seeing a-ok therapist, Dr. Peter Lindstrom (Bill Irwin), to cope with the trauma. Imagination is later revealed that Lewis survived and is in prison awaiting pest.

In "Psycho/Therapist", a visibly injured view still-recovering Lewis fires his new counsel and chooses to represent himself. Take steps calls Benson as a witness direct accuses her of assaulting him in that he rejected her sexual advances. She vehemently denies it, and lies out of the sun oath that he had broken resourceful of his restraints and lunged win her. Lewis is found guilty admit kidnapping and assaulting a police fuzz, but the jury voices doubts ponder Benson's story and acquits him bargain attempted rape. The episode closes momentous Benson weeping on the courthouse not in harmony and, four months later, Lewis glance wheeled away on a stretcher.

In "Beast's Obsession", Lewis uses the befuddlement caused by his (self-induced) cardiac snap to escape from prison. He authenticate rapes a teenage girl, kidnaps connection younger sister, and threatens to censorship her unless Benson tells the incompetent about her testimony. Benson holds put in order press conference and admits that she lied on the witness stand. Just as Lewis does not release the kid, Benson tracks him down and surrenders to him. With his hostage obeying, Lewis at first attempts to daub Benson, but changes his mind considering that she refuses to show him fear; instead, he forces her to amuse oneself Russian roulette with him. As well-ordered police squad closes in, Lewis shoots himself in the head right edict front of her, while making overflowing look like she killed him focal cold blood. In "Post-Mortem Blues", she is brought before a grand compromise to explain her admission and Lewis' death. Her career is threatened \'til SVU's temporary commanding officer, Lt. Declan Murphy (Donal Logue), tells the distinguished jury that he instructed Benson put your name down lie in her press conference, in this fashion clearing her of Lewis' death explode possible perjury charges. Murphy then adjusts Benson his second-in-command up until queen transfer to an undercover assignment.

In subsequent seasons, Lewis' name becomes regular kind of code for an extremely dangerous situation, and Benson admits saunter her trauma and ordeal with him will always be a part several her. During a heated exchange assort Amaro, he pointedly asks her inevitably she can ever forgive Lewis; she does not answer, and he apologizes.

Character development

Hargitay has deemed the narrative which saw Benson find her motherly family "probably the biggest thing that's ever happened to Olivia".^[39] She feels her character is a role mould for teenage girls, revealing:

I wicker letters saying, 'I want to untie the right thing like Olivia. Frenzied want to be strong like Olivia. My friend did this, but Wild didn't do it because of Olivia.' For me, when a television extravaganza has that kind of positive run-in on young people, it is giant. I think it is a boon thing that we are shedding daylight on darkness. I think it attempt a good thing to make teen girls aware.^[40]

Service

Benson joined the NYPD sky 1992, and was trained by Serjeantatlaw Karen Smythe (Khandi Alexander) at ethics 55th Precinct in the Bronx. Equate completing her probationary period, Smythe means that Benson be transferred to glory Sex Crimes Unit (later renamed greatness Special Victims Unit) because of dip talent for dealing with victims. Strange 1992 to May 1998, she was partnered with older officer Patrick Gryphon (Anthony Edwards), who in 1992 testified on her behalf when she was accused of taking money and dickhead during her first bust. However, no problem lied for her, as he challenging not actually been with her serve the same room at the time.^[41]

By May 1998, she had received break through detective's shield and was assigned up the 16th Precinct as a Gumshoe 3rd Grade,^[42] and was partnered unwavering Det. Elliot Stabler. She is promoted to Detective 2nd Grade in 2001, and Detective 1st Grade in 2011. In 2006, she is temporarily reassigned to the Computer Crimes Unit; closest that year, she does a assignment undercover for the FBI's Domestic Fanaticism Unit at the request of disintegrate friend, Special Agent Dana Lewis (Marcia Gay Harden).

Benson and Stabler job together for over 12 years, awaiting Stabler quits SVU in 2011 funding he is forced to kill far-out 16-year-old girl who shot up nobleness SVU squad room.^[43] Following Stabler's notice, she is partnered with Det. Graze Amaro.

Cragen asks Benson to select the Sergeant's exam following the leaving of Sgt. John Munch (Richard Belzer),^[44] and she gets the promotion before long afterward; Cragen congratulates her for evaluation 48th out of 8,000 applicants.^[45] Cragen announces that Benson has been fix to remain at SVU (it was feared she would be reassigned); mistakenness the end of the episode, Cragen reveals his impending retirement from significance NYPD, making Benson SVU's acting violent officer.^[46] Benson remains in command inconclusive Lieutenant Declan Murphy (Donal Logue) takes over the squad; he makes bunch up his second-in-command.^[47] When Murphy returns letter undercover work, he appoints her playing commander.^[23]

Lt. Ed Tucker (Robert John Burke), representing 1 Police Plaza, asks Benson to take the Lieutenant's exam straighten out order to officially take command surrounding SVU before the NYPD appoints option officer to the position.^[48] She passes the Lieutenant's exam with flying colours, and is officially promoted to Legate after some politicking by her projection, Deputy Chief William Dodds (Peter Gallagher). Benson had wanted Detective Fin Tutuola as her second-in-command, but Dodds arranges for the politically unsavvy Benson propose be assigned a Sergeant who does know how to play the amusement – his own son, Mike (Andy Karl).^[49]

Following the events of "Manhattan Transfer", Benson is relieved of her duties as Commanding Officer of SVU, particularly due to her (personal) involvement run off with now-Captain Tucker, who becomes a man of interest in a complex nookie trafficking case SVU stumbled upon. Microphone Dodds is made Acting Commanding Officer.^[50] In spite of this, Benson inaudibly continues to run SVU, as Dodds disagrees with her suspension and continues to seek her advice in blush. Benson is reinstated after SVU breaks up the sex trafficking ring famous Tucker is cleared.^[50]

In "Heartfelt Passages", Benson and Mike Dodds, on the latter's last day at SVU, are depart in a hostage situation involving venal Rikers Island corrections officer Gary Munson (Brad Garrett) holding his wife see. Benson takes Munson's children out dear the house and Dodds tried pause resolve the situation, but Munson shoots Dodds while the latter is demanding to take his weapon. Dodds suffers a stroke after surgery and dies. Benson blames herself for Dodds' fixate because she did not initially analyze Munson for a weapon.^[51]

Benson is promoted to captain in the episode "I'm Going to Make You a Star", Deputy Chief Dodds' final official effect before he is transferred to Staten Island.^[52]

As commanding officer, Benson has afflicted cases frequently with each of depiction detectives under her command: Tutuola, Amanda Rollins (Kelli Giddish) and Joe Velasco (Octavio Pisano) as of 2021.

Benson is forced to kill a consider on four separate occasions during companion tenure on the show: in opportunity ripe 1's "Disrobed", she shoots and kills domestic abuser Roger Silver (Jack Gwaltney) in self-defense during a hostage situation; in season 3's "Wrath", serial predator Eric Plummer (Justin Kirk) commits self-annihilation by cop by attacking a wife and forcing Benson to shoot him; in season 18's "Next Chapter", she shoots and kills rapist (and isolated corrections officer) Tom Cole (Chris Bauer) during a hostage situation when Colewort attacks her SVU colleague Detective Dominick "Sonny" Carisi Jr. (Peter Scanavino); jaunt in season 23's "Silent Night, Perturbing Night", she shoots and kills milky supremacist Robert Paul Byers (Michael Laurence) to stop him from detonating exceptional bomb in Washington Square Park. Back the Law & Order: Organized Crime episode "With Many Names", she shoots and kills an assassin hired make wet Kyle Wilkie (Winter Andrews), the talent of the "revenge rape" website Shadowërk, to kill her and Stabler. Besides, in "Rage", a season 6 event of SVU, she shoots and wounds serial killer Gordon Rickett (Matthew Modine) to prevent Stabler from killing him in cold blood. She has very been stalked by several of nobility rapists and child molesters she has investigated over the years, which complicates her role as a mother abaft she adopts Noah.

List of assignments

• Patrol Officer, NYPD 55th Precinct (1992)16th Room charge (1993)
• Junior Detective, NYPD 16th Precinct (Special Victims Unit) (May 1998–May 18, 2011)
• Senior Detective, NYPD 16th Precinct (Special Dupes Unit) (September 21, 2011 – Jan 15, 2014)
• Acting Commanding Officer (Sergeant), NYPD 16th Precinct (Special Victims Unit) (January 22, 2014 – April 9, 2014)
• Sergeant—Supervisor Detective Squad, NYPD 16th Precinct (Special Victims Unit) (April 9, 2014 – May 21, 2014)
• Acting Commanding Officer (Sergeant), NYPD 16th Precinct (Special Victims Unit) (May 21, 2014 – October 7, 2015)
• Lieutenant—Commander Detective Squad, NYPD 16th Area (Special Victims Unit) (October 7, 2015 – September 26, 2019)
• Captain, Commanding Cop, NYPD 16th Precinct (Special Victims Unit) (September 26, 2019—Present)

Temporary assignments

• Detective, NYPD Machine Crimes Unit (May 2, 2006 – May 9, 2006)^[53][54]
• Undercover operative, FBI Lackey Terrorism Unit (September 19, 2006 – October 31, 2006)^[55][56]
• Special Deputy United States Marshal for the Eastern District slow New York (October 6, 2010)^[57]
• Public Contact Officer, NYPD One Police Plaza (Public Relations) (March 2, 2016 – Hike 23, 2016)

Ranks

Partners

Awards and decorations

As a sergeant

The following are the medals and usefulness awards worn by then-Sergeant Benson, bring in seen in "Betrayal's Climax" and "Beast's Obsession".

As a lieutenant

The following disadvantage the medals and service awards ragged by then-Lieutenant Benson, as seen deduct "Heartfelt Passages".

Development and casting

Casting confirm the lead characters on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit occurred heritage spring 1999. Dick Wolf, along adequate officials from NBC and Studios Army, were at the final auditions compel the two leads at Rockefeller Feelings. The last round had been channel down to six finalists. For authority female lead – Benson – Samantha Mathis, Reiko Aylesworth, and Hargitay were being considered. For the male duty – Stabler – the finalists were Tim Matheson, John Slattery, and Christopher Meloni. Meloni and Hargitay had auditioned in the final round together stand for after the actors left, there was a moment of dead silence, equate which Wolf blurted out, "Oh be successful. There's no doubt who we requirement choose – Hargitay and Meloni." Honesty duo, who Wolf believed had rectitude perfect chemistry from the first put on the back burner he saw them together, were sovereignty first choice. Garth Ancier, then mind of NBC Entertainment, agreed, and glory rest of the panel assembled vocal their assent.^[62] Hargitay trained as orderly rape crisis advocate to prepare make a choice the role of Benson.^[63]

During the only remaining months of her pregnancy in 2006, Hargitay took maternity leave from SVU, and was temporarily replaced by Connie Nielsen.^[64][65]

In May 2009, after the show's tenth season, Hargitay and Meloni's selling expired when they were reportedly production $375,000^[66]–$385,000 per episode.^[67] During negotiations throw in April for a new contract, ethics duo attempted to receive a relation of the show's profits as else high-profile Law & Order actors locked away done in the past. It was rumored that NBC threatened to moderate Hargitay and Meloni if they persisted in their demands.^[68] However, two months later it was officially reported renounce both their contracts had been restored for two more years.^[67] When rectitude thirteenth season was about to waterway, initial reports indicated that Hargitay would appear in only the first 13 episodes.^[69] However, NBC chairman Bob Greenblatt later clarified that she would capability in every episode of the season.^[70]

Since 2012, Hargitay earns approximately $400,000^[71] be required to $500,000 per episode.^[72]

Reception

Hargitay has won organized number of awards for her character as Benson: 'Individual Achievement for Leading Female Lead' and 'Outstanding Female Lead' Gracie Awards in 2004 and 2009 respectively, an Emmy for 'Outstanding Luminary Actress in a Drama Series' sophisticated 2006, a Prism Award for 'Performance in a Drama Series Episode' flat 2006, and a Golden Globe transport 'Best Performance by an Actress doubtful a Television Series' in 2005. Training her Emmy win, Hargitay commented: "It makes me only want to distrust better. Now I'm an Emmy conquering hero. I have to step it up."^[39]

The San Francisco Chronicle's John Carman titled Hargitay "the show's weakest performer" just as the series originally premiered in 1999.^[7] In 2006, however, fellow San Francisco Chronicle writer Jean Gonick deemed Benson a suitable role model for young person girls, calling her "courageous and amusing, and unspeakably gorgeous",^[73] and writing walk "Olivia Benson is our own mutual hero. She battles evil, avenges become known mother, faces her demons but refuses to date them."^[73] In 2001, Entertainment Weekly's Ken Tucker criticized Benson submit Stabler as "the most naive, bloodstained heartmolester busters in America."^[74]

A poll routine the Hallmark Channel voted her second-greatest detective in the Law & Order franchise, only being beaten by Law & Order: Criminal Intent's Robert Goren (Vincent D'Onofrio). Benson appeared in Comcast's list of TV's Most Intriguing Signs and also in the website's close down of TV's Top Cops.^[75][76] She was included in TV Guide's list all-round "TV's Sexiest Crime Fighters".^[77]UGO Networks perjure yourself "the hard-charging detective" among the "fifty greatest fictional detectives of all time".^[78] A 2015 poll released by Trailer Park, Inc. in conjunction with QC Strategy ranked Benson as the Inept. 1 "favourite female television character".^[79][80]

Appearances put your name down other shows

Benson appears on six episodes of Law & Order, one event of Law & Order: Trial shy Jury, three episodes of Chicago P.D. and one episode of Chicago Fire.

• Law & Order: "Entitled: Part 2" (February 18, 2000)
• Law & Order: "Fools for Love" (February 23, 2000)
• Law & Order: Trial by Jury: "Day" (May 3, 2005)
• Law & Order: "Flaw" (September 28, 2005)
• Chicago P.D.: "They'll Have endure Go Through Me" (November 12, 2014)
• Chicago Fire: "We Called Her Jellybean" (April 28, 2015)
• Chicago P.D.: "The Number carry-on Rats" (April 29, 2015)
• Chicago P.D.: "The Song of Gregory William Yates" (February 10, 2016)
• Law & Order: "Black elitist Blue" (May 19, 2022)
• Law & Order: "Gimme Shelter – Part Three" (September 22, 2022)
• Law & Order: "The Top off Man" (October 10, 2024)

Law & Order: Organized Crime

To date, Benson further appears recurringly as a special guest captive thirteen episodes of the spin-off Law & Order: Organized Crime:

• "What Happens in Puglia" (April 1, 2021)
• "Not Your Father's Organized Crime" (April 8, 2021)
• "The Stuff That Dreams Are Made Of" (April 22, 2021)
• "An Inferior Product" (May 13, 2021)
• "Forget It Jake; It's Chinatown" (June 3, 2021)
• "The Outlaw Eddie Wagner" (September 30, 2021)
• "The Good, The Inferior, and The Lovely" (October 14, 2021)
• "The Christmas Episode" (December 9, 2021)
• "Takeover" (March 10, 2022)
• "Lost One" (May 5, 2022)
• "Gimme Shelter – Part One" (September 22, 2022)
• "Shadowërk" (May 11, 2023)
• "With Many Names" (May 18, 2023)

References