Mariska Hargitay honored the franchise’s guest stars like Timothée Chalamet, Bradley Cooper and Zoe Saldaña at the 31st annual Screen Actors Guild Awards on Feb. 23

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‘Law & Order’ alums Tony Hale (left), Zoe Saldaña and Timothée Chalamet

The New York City crime scene has seen a lot of famous actors pass through — on the Law & Order universe.

At the 2025 SAG Awards on Sunday, Feb. 23, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit star Mariska Hargitay paid tribute to the many stars who appeared in the crime franchise in the beginning of their careers.

“In the Law & Order universe, the dedicated actors who bring these stories to life are members of an elite squad known as the guest stars,” Hargitay, 61, said in a pre-taped video, imitating the iconic lines recited at the beginning of every episode. “These are their stories.”

Related: SAG Awards 2025 Winners List: Timothée Chalamet, Only Murders and More Among the Biggest Surprises

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Mariska Hargitay with Ryan Buggle on ‘Law & Order: Special Victims Unit’ season 19
The segment proceed to show stars such as Bradley Cooper, Viola Davis, David Harbour and Keke Palmer appearing in the series before they hit their big break.

“So many amazing actors were guest stars early in their careers in the Law & Order universe: Kerry Washington, Sebastian Stan, Leighton Meester, Adam Driver, Sam Rockwell, Elizabeth Banks, Zoe Saldaña, Pedro Pascal, Tony Hale, Abigail Breslin, Sabrina Carpenter,” continued Hargitay, who has played SVU‘s Olivia Benson since 1999.

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Zoe Saldaña on ‘Law & Order’
Liza Colón-Zayas reflected on her experience as a guest star on Law & Order. “I played five different characters in six episodes,” the Bear actress, 52, said. “I discovered two bodies. It was so satisfying. It was a very big deal to be on Law & Order and it’s a right of passage”

Hale, 54, said he didn’t think “I’m an authority” on Law & Order “because I only did one episode” — before being reminded he appeared in two episodes of the procedural.

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Tony Hale on ‘Law & Order’
“How did I get my role on Law & Order? I don’t know, I give really good trauma face?” Hale joked. “To this day, Law & Order is the only show my parents have understood. ‘Hey Mom, Dad, I got an Emmy, I got SAG award!’ ‘Oh that’s so great son! When are you going to be on Law & Order again?’”

Palmer, 31, and Colman Domingo, who also guest starred on Law & Order, then took the stage at the 31st annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall in Los Angeles to introduce the award for outstanding performance by a female actor in a supporting role.

“I came up with a game,” Palmer said. “You know what? What if we told everyone to take a drink if they’ve ever been an episode of Law & Order?”

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Keke Palmer and Colman Domingo the 31st annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall in Los Angeles on Feb. 23, 2025
Related: See Every Star Arriving on the Red Carpet at the 2025 SAG Awards

“Then this whole room would be lit!” Domingo, 55, responded.

So Palmer decided to move forward with her idea, asking the audience to “take a drink now” if they ever appeared in the Law & Order series. Timothée Chalamet took a sip of his beer and Saldaña, 46, reached for her wine glass before Domingo and Palmer named her the winner of the outstanding performance by a female actor in a supporting role category for her tole in Emilia Pérez.

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