If you recognize Mariska Hargitay, it’s likely from her iconic role as Detective Olivia Benson on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. For 24 years, she has portrayed the commanding officer of the Special Victims Unit, helping the show become the third longest-running scripted primetime TV series in the U.S., trailing only The Simpsons and South Park. But before her SVU fame, Hargitay starred as Didi Edelstein in the short-lived sitcom Can’t Hurry Love. Recently, a photo of her as Didi posted on Instagram has sparked interest among her fans.
In Can’t Hurry Love, Mariska Hargitay’s character, Didi, was a “sexy divorcee” who offered dating advice to her friends Annie O’Donnell (Nancy McKeon), Roger Carlucci (Louis Mandylor), and Elliot Tanny (Kevin Crowley). Hargitay appeared in every episode of the show, although the series only lasted for a single 19-episode season. Despite Hargitay’s presence, Can’t Hurry Love remains relatively obscure. It is not available on any streaming platforms, and there are no Blu-Ray, DVD, or VHS releases of its episodes. Currently, the only way to watch the show is through episodes uploaded to YouTube, likely without proper authorization.
Given the show’s limited success, it’s unsurprising that most of its cast didn’t achieve widespread fame. Nancy McKeon, who had top billing in the show, arguably had the most successful career after Can’t Hurry Love, starring in the Lifetime police drama The Division and appearing in other series like Style & Substance, Sonny with a Chance, and Panic on Amazon Prime.
The other main actors continued working but didn’t find the same level of success. Louis Mandylor appeared in the 1998 martial arts series Martial Law and the 2003 sitcom My Big Fat Greek Life, with his most notable recent role being the sheriff in 2019’s Rambo: Last Blood. Kevin Crowley’s career had fewer highlights, with his most significant post-Can’t Hurry Love role being a supporting part in the 2015 romantic drama Carol.
Mariska Hargitay, on the other hand, found steady work between the end of Can’t Hurry Love and the start of SVU. She appeared in two seasons of the medical drama ER, six episodes of the crime drama Prince Street, and the horror film Lake Placid. Since taking on the role of Olivia Benson, Hargitay’s career has largely revolved around Law & Order: SVU. Her character has also made guest appearances on Law & Order, Chicago Fire, Chicago P.D., Law & Order: Trial by Jury, and Law & Order: Organized Crime.
Outside of SVU, Mariska Hargitay has taken on a few other projects. She lent her voice to the video game True Crime: New York City, voiced Tenar in the English version of Tales from Earthsea, and played Darcy in the lesser-known comedy-drama Perfume. Despite these roles, Hargitay’s legacy is undeniably tied to her portrayal of Olivia Benson, a character that has resonated with audiences for over two decades.