Express Premium Banner Law and Order SVU’s Mariska Hargitay Pays Tribute to Favorite Late Co-Star: ‘Huge Heart’
LAW AND ORDER: SVU star Mariska Hargitay fondly remembered working with one of the NBC crime drama’s most iconic guest stars from 2008. By LUCAS HILL-PAUL
03:01, Thu, Mar 10, 2022
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The long-running NBC hit has welcomed some of Hollywood’s biggest A-listers, including Alec Baldwin, Zoe Saldana, and Whoopi Goldberg. In 2008, beloved comedian and actor Robin Williams took a turn as one of Law and Order’s most complex villains. Olivia Benson star Mariska Hargitay recently paid tribute to his unforgettable performance.
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Mariska confirmed that Robin Williams was her favorite guest star throughout her long tenure as the lead of Law and Order: Special Victims Unit. Best known for his comedic roles in films like Mrs. Doubtfire and Aladdin, Williams explored darker characters later in his career.
One such role was Merritt Rook, an anti-authoritarian activist who spirals after the loss of his wife and child. In the 200th episode of the hit spin-off, Authority, Merritt kidnaps Olivia and fakes torturing her to test her partner, Elliot Stabler (played by Christopher Meloni). Merritt flees after an explosion, presumably drowning in the East River.
In a conversation with TV Insider about the show’s legacy, Mariska praised Robin’s stirring and sympathetic performance as a one-off villain. When asked about her favorite guest star, she confirmed, “Robin Williams. It was like being in the presence of true greatness.”
Not only did the comedy legend deliver one of the best guest performances in the show’s history, but he was also a joy to work with off-camera. “He had this huge heart,” Mariska recalled. “The set photographer captured Robin playing with my son, August, smiling from ear to ear.”
Robin Williams passed away in 2014 at the age of 63, remembered fondly by friends and co-stars. His final roles included voicing Dennis the Dog in Terry Jones’ Absolutely Anything and appearing in Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb, both released posthumously.
Mariska also highlighted another memorable guest spot in 2002, an episode that introduced her to her husband, Peter Hermann of Younger. “John Ritter was another great light,” she said. “I met my husband on that episode!”
Sitcom star John Ritter, best known for his role in Three’s Company and as the voice of Clifford the Big Red Dog, played a darker character in his Law and Order episode. Ritter portrayed Richard Manning, who unknowingly kills his own child in the season three episode Monogamy.
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SVU has become the longest-running primetime drama in the US, with another season confirmed after this year’s finale. The crime drama has recently featured guest stars like Donal Logue, Tamara Tunie, and former SVU regulars Danny Pino and Dann Florek.
As the series continues, fans can look forward to more familiar faces and possibly even more memorable guest stars. With its enduring success, Law and Order: SVU promises to deliver gripping storylines and powerful performances for years to come.