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ADA Dominick “Sonny” Carisi has a close on-screen relationship with Olivia Benson, but also Law and Order: Special Victims Unit actors Peter Scanavino and Mariška Hargitayová.
“I think my relationship with Mariska really reflects their relationship,” Scanavino, 44, said. My Weekly exclusively before SVU winter premiere on Thursday, January 16. “When I came to the show, I always respected her. I looked up to her as an actor and even as a friend. I think even Carisi as a detective.”
When Scanavino joined SVU during the 2014 season 16 premiere, Carisi was an “inexperienced detective” and worked his way up the team. It has since become ADA v Law and order universe.
“As their relationship grew, so did mine with Mariska,” he continued. “It’s one of the most important relationships I have in my life. She is one of my best friends. We can be very honest with each other in real life, just like Benson and Carisi can be very honest with each other.”
Thursday’s winter premiere SVU was semi-Carisi-centric, as the character struggles to come to terms with her trauma as a result the show’s fall finale in November 2024. The episode, titled “First Light”, is Carisi’s first time in a courtroom after being held at gunpoint in his local deli. During one scene — after declaring several times that he’s “fine” — Carisi seemingly drops the case after fumbling in court. He and Benson have a pretty tense but rewarding heart-to-heart after the fact.
Peter Scanavino, Mariska Hargitay.
Virginia Sherwood/NBC“Especially that one scene, it’s nice how it kind of follows (the path). It’s all very well deserved,” Scanavino said Our. “Nothing was forced, nothing pushed. It was just an organic relationship that evolved into this thing where they’re very, very close now.”
Another relationship introduced during Thursday’s episode is apparently that of Carisi and his wife Amanda Rollins (I had Giddish). Scanavino said Our that Carisi is “in good hands” with Rollins when it comes to getting through these tough times.
The family scenes between him and Giddish that appeared in Thursday’s episode “felt very real to Scanavino,” he said.
So many big names have appeared on Law & Order: SVU over the years — and some have even played more than one character. Peter Scanavino appeared as Johnny Dubcek in two episodes in Season 14 in 2013 before landing a series regular role as Detective Dominick “Sonny” Carisi Jr. in season 16 which (…)
“I have a family and I think Carisi and I are very similar in that respect. I think we really value family above all else,” he said Our. “Working with Kelli, who I personally respect so much, and I think Rollins as a character — who’s obviously been through a lot — is very well suited to deal with someone else who’s going through something.”
Scanavino also said he’s “not entirely sure” how Carisi will overcome his trauma SVU season 26 continues.
“At the end of this episode, you can see that he’s starting on the road. The clouds part just for a moment and you see the way forward,” he said. “We’ll see what happens if he encounters it again. If he’s going to have to re-examine it in the process or whatever form it may take.”
Law and Order: SVU season 26 airs on NBC on Thursdays at 9:00 PM ET and airs the next day on Peacock.
