‘Law & Order SVU: How the Show Tried to Write Around Mariska Hargitay’s Pregnancy

During her tenure on Law & Order: SVU, Mariska Hargitay experienced her first pregnancy, presenting unique challenges for both her and the show’s production team. Since her character, Olivia Benson, wasn’t pregnant, the series had to creatively navigate Hargitay’s visible physical changes.

In 2006, as she prepared to welcome her first child, Hargitay shared her joy and the difficulties of being pregnant while working on SVU. In an interview with People, she expressed her happiness but also candidly discussed the challenges. The stress of the job and impending motherhood contributed to her gaining 54 pounds.

“First time pregnant, you’re like, I gotta eat more! I have to make sure he has enough of every single food group! I did get into eating too much. This pregnancy was really hard for me at the end. I wasn’t mobile. Next time, I want to keep myself as strong as possible, so everything will go easier for me,” she said.

Hargitay once shared a personal glimpse into a typical workday during her pregnancy.

“In the beginning of 2006, I was like a lot of women in America — pregnant and still on the job,” she posted on TV Guide. “Of course, lots of actresses do that. Some even have it written into the script. That wasn’t going to be the case for Olivia Benson on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. There’s no time for morning sickness when you’re running through the streets of New York lugging a gun, and there are only so many ways one can conceal a swelling belly.”

Given Hargitay’s physical changes, SVU eventually had to address her pregnancy. Producers decided not to make Olivia Benson a mother at that time, opting instead to temporarily write her out of the show.

“Not sure if you’ve heard, but the producers have decided not to make Olivia pregnant, so I won’t be in a few episodes,” she once wrote according to New York Post. “But don’t worry, the writers are working on some really great storylines, and there will be a special guest star filling in for me.”

Hargitay has been open about how impending motherhood transformed her perspective. She felt a profound connection to her body, viewing it as a sanctuary for her child.

“After getting pregnant I felt so different about my body. I felt like it was a sanctuary, like August’s house. It was like, somebody lives there now—I’ve got to keep it nice and strong and healthy for him. And so now I’m thinking that someone else is going to live there someday soon, so I’ve got to get it ready. It’s very exciting,” she said.

Emotionally, motherhood showed Hargitay the depth of her love.

“Sometimes when I wake up to feed him in the middle of the night, I just stay up and look at him in awe and admiration,” she said. “Why sleep when you can spend time with such an amazing little guy?”

Returning to Law & Order: SVU after her maternity leave, Hargitay found that her life on set was mostly the same, with one notable exception: she often had extra company.

“When I came back to the show in September, it was like I had never been away. The only difference: I had a 9 mm Glock on one hip and August on the other. August is with me 24/7, so no matter how long or demanding or emotional the work is, I have him to help me put everything in perspective. Just looking at him refreshes and replenishes my spirit.”