‘Law & Order: SVU’: Kelli Giddish Praises Fan Response to Exit, Teases Door for Future Return is Open

Law & Order: SVU viewers bid adieu to Det. Amanda Rollins (Kelli Giddish) after a highly anticipated season 24 finale. Giddish confirmed her exit in an Instagram post on Aug. 24, captioning it in part: “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.” Her exit came as a shock, and it was later revealed that it was not her decision. Even her co-stars Mariska Hargitay and Ice-T championed for her to stay, but executives had other plans. Giddish is now speaking about her long run on the show and what she’ll miss the most.

In an interview with ET Canada, she even hinted at a possible return in the future. But she says she’ll miss Hargitay the most. “I’m going to miss the camaraderie,” she said. But she’s happy her character got a happy ending, with a wedding and a new position elsewhere. “Well, right now, I’m basking in the glow of a happy ending, you know, but the door is always open,” shredded.

Giddish says characters who aren’t killed off can always make a comeback. “[‘Law & Order’] creator Dick Wolf has created a world in which characters can kind of come and go,” she explained. “And I don’t think the audience would be sad to see a little more of it.”

After 12 years on the show, Giddish says despite the challenge at times, she was up for it, and everything was worth it. “I welcomed every challenge that they threw at me like I always wanted the challenge,” she said. “Any time something was a little out of the box or like, I think, they put it on the tumble cycle, that that’s when I got excited and I thrived, and I was even more invested in the script. So any kind of challenging thing I would embrace with open arms.”

More than anything, she appreciates the fans. “The audience and the fans’ reaction when they found out that Rollins was leaving was so amazing and overwhelmingly just sweet,” she said. “Boosted my confidence, how Rollins was received all these years, so I just want to thank them for that.”