Ice-T’s Longevity on Law & Order: SVU
Law & Order: SVU has seen many characters come and go, but few have had the staying power of Ice-T. Despite his tenure, the rapper-turned-actor still harbors concerns about being written off the series from time to time.
The Unexpected Journey
Ice-T never expected to become one of Law & Order‘s longest-running cast members. Initially brought on board by creator Dick Wolf, Ice-T anticipated a brief stint on the show, expecting to last only four episodes. Transitioning from a guest role to a permanent fixture took some adjusting.
“It was difficult because they had written a character for me. I was wearing suits. There was a backstory that was strange. Once they decided to keep me on the show, Dick Wolf ripped away that backstory,” Ice-T recently recalled in an interview with Entertainment Weekly.
After 25 seasons, Ice-T remains enthusiastic about the show. He hopes that both he and the series continue their historic runs. Each time he receives a script, his first concern is whether his character, Detective Odafin Tutuola, survives.
“So when I get the script, I’m just looking at it making sure I didn’t get shot and bleed out. But I don’t know the arc of the season,” Ice-T said.
He recounted a particularly nerve-wracking moment in season 6 when his character was shot. “I want to make sure I don’t die. I got shot in this episode, and as soon as I read it, I went like this, ‘Mariska,’” he recalled, referencing his co-star Mariska Hargitay. After panicking and frantically reading through the script, he calmed down when he realized his character was still alive.
The Power of Residuals
One of the factors that solidified Ice-T’s desire to stay on SVU was the lucrative residuals. The show’s widespread syndication and streaming presence, particularly on platforms like Peacock, ensure that reruns are almost always airing somewhere.
“We’re on Peacock,” Ice-T once said on Late Night With Seth Meyers. “We’re on now. Right now.”
Ice-T admitted that he didn’t fully understand residuals when he first joined the show. Early in his career, the potential earnings from residuals made him want to stay on SVU indefinitely.
“When I first got on the show, I was doing movies and stuff, and I didn’t understand residuals,” he said. “The first year I did the show, I’m like, ‘I don’t know how long I’ll do this show.’ Then my accountant showed me this number after a year, and I’m like, ‘What’s that number?’ and she said, ‘That’s residuals.’ You don’t make residuals from movies unless you’re, like, Brad Pitt. You get, like, a dollar for a movie.”
A Blaze of Glory
Despite his character’s seeming invincibility, Ice-T has given thought to how he’d like to exit the show if it ever came to that. Rather than a quiet departure, Ice-T envisions a dramatic end.
“Oh, if I got to go, I want to go in a blaze of glory. Blow me up in a car. I want to be murdered,” Ice-T once told Mashed.
However, he acknowledged the possibility of continuing within the broader Wolf Universe, even if SVU ends. “I say that, but [I’m] in the Wolf Universe. You understand? Law & Order could end and I could be climbing a ladder on Chicago Fire. I could be over on Criminal Intent, so maybe I don’t want to die,” he said.
Ice-T’s journey on Law & Order: SVU is a testament to his versatility and commitment, ensuring his place as a beloved and enduring character in television history.
