Why Is Kelli Giddish Leaving ‘SVU’? What to Know About the ‘Law & Order’ Star’s Exit

Amanda Rollins’ fans are preparing to bid her farewell on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. NBC’s SVU is losing its third longest-serving series regular with the 24th season’s departure of Kelli Giddish. Giddish announced her departure on Instagram back in August. “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,” she wrote. “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,” Giddish continued. “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.” NBC has not commented on Giddish’s exit. Sources told TVLine it’s unclear how she will be written out, but one insider said she would experience a “traumatic event” early in the new season. Her final episode will air on Dec. 8, though she will return for a later season of Law & Order: Organized Crime. What is the reason for the star’s departure? For more information on her exit, read on.

The order came “from above”

Kelli Giddish’s departure was neither her decision nor that of showrunner David Graziano, according to Variety. According to multiple sources, the cast shake-up was ordered from above, with one insider noting that NBC is always interested in keeping the show current. It is alleged that Mariska Hargitay, who is both the star and an executive producer on the Dick Wolf drama, and at least one other producer pushed to keep Giddish on the procedural, but the decision was already made. Further, salary negotiations and her future on the show were reportedly discussed, but no compromise was reached.

Showrunner David Graziano responds

David Graziano, who took over as showrunner after Warren Leight’s departure, responded to angry social media comments after users tagged him. “You might take a moment to entertain the idea that things are more complex than they appear in a world of emojis and tweets. All I’ll say is Kelli has handled this with the most incredibly classy comportment,” Giddish commented on Giddish’s Instagram post. “She is, without a doubt, one of the finest industry professionals I’ve come across in my 24 years of writing television. I’m saddened by her looming exit. It’ll be my lucky day if I ever get to write for her again.”

Mariska Hargitay pays tribute to Giddish

SVU star Mariska Hargitay paid tribute to Giddish at an event celebrating the series’ 24th season premiere in September. “She is one of my favorite actors that I’ve ever worked with, and we got to build something really beautiful together and really learned together because our characters had quite a journey,” Hargitay told Entertainment Tonight. Hargitay, who has starred in the show since its debut in 1999, said their journey together has been special. “It wasn’t so easy at the beginning, and then we just fell into this beautiful safety, trust,” she explained. “I’m gonna miss her a lot, but she’s a lifelong friend, and I’m just glad that our paths crossed, and I know they’ll continue to cross.”

Ice-T says decision ‘came from the top of the mountain’

Costar Ice-T expressed similar sentiments about Giddish’s departure to PEOPLE. “It’s a sad thing. Me and Kelli were friends.” He said the decision of Giddish’s exit came “from higher up,” adding, “It came from the top of the mountain, you know?” It’s something he initially did not believe. “When I heard about it, I called to check on my pulse, like, ‘What’s going on?’ But this is the business we’re in, and they shuffle the deck occasionally,” he said.

Octavio Pisano calls Giddish’s exit ‘bittersweet’

It’s “bittersweet” to say goodbye to Giddish, according to fellow SVU star Octavio Pisano. He explained to PEOPLE, “When I came to the show last season, Kelli was the first one to kind of take me under her wing, and most of my scenes in the earlier episodes were with her. So her and I have a bond. Her dressing room is right next to mine, so we connected.” Pisano added, “Obviously, I’m really sad, but I’m truly excited about the next chapter in her life because she’s an amazing talent. “I’ve learned so much from her in terms of acting and all kinds of things,” he said. “So more than anything, I’m excited, but obviously, it’s bittersweet.”

Kelli Giddish on Amanda Rollins

Giddish joined  Law & Order: SVU for Season 13 in 2011, and At the end of Season 13 of Law & Order: SVU, she weighed in on her debut character with TV Guide in 2011. Giddish said about her character, “My character is in complete awe of Olivia, Amanda’s really eager to get in there because she knows her stuff and really eager to learn. She has come from Atlanta and there was a ceiling there, so she’s come up to New York.” Giddish was thrilled to be joining the series, saying, “I couldn’t feel better about it. … There’s no intimidation, what attracted me was the prospect of re-invigorating a franchise that’s been so well-known and so well-liked, and then to be the shaker and mover.” She expressed her confidence that Rollins and fellow newcomer Nick Amaro (Danny Pino) would be well received. “They’re going to love us because it’s not being forced in their faces,” she says. “The more you know about us and the more you see us in your living room, the more you’re hopefully going to love us.” 

How will Amanda Rollins’ storyline end?

Law & Order: SVU fans are on the edge of their seats about the fate of Det. Amanda Rollins, pleading with producers on social media to give the character a proper send-off. Following the announcement, one of the executive producers on the show, Julie Martin, reassured angry fans that Rollins and her love interest, Assistant District Attorney Dominick “Sonny” Carisi Jr. (Peter Scanavino), would have their happy ending. “#Rollisi will have a happy ending,” Martin wrote. “Stay tuned.” Recent promo appears to support that remark, with a sneak peek of the Dec. 8 episode seeming to imply that Rollins may accept a job as a teacher. “A Better Person” features Rollins walking into her boyfriend Sonny Carisi’s (Peter Scanavino’s) office to discover him opening a bottle of champagne. But instead of celebrating a big break in a case, he tells her it’s for something else. 

“We are celebrating,” he explains. “You blew those kids at Fordham away, and my old college roommate was impressed.” The school is now seeking to hire Rollins as a teacher. However, she is not thrilled about the prospect. “I’m not a teacher,” Rollins protests. However, Carisi notes that she has experience in forensic psychology, and she has hinted that she needs a change after getting shot. She quickly reminds him, “I didn’t mean leaving SVU.” He implores her to think about it rather than say no immediately. This preview focuses on Rollins’ farewell, including her introduction to the squad and her reluctance to inform Benson that she will be leaving — with a quick look at Rollins and Carisi’s wedding. Giddish’s final episode of Law & Order: SVU airs on Dec. 8 at 9 p.m. ET on NBC.