Peter Scanavino says he and Mariska Hargitay are like ‘SVU’ characters

Ada Dominique “Sonny” Carisi was close to Olivia Benson on screen, but also Law & Order: Special Victims Unit actor Peter Scanavino and Mariska Hargitay.

“I think my relationship with Mariska really reflects their relationship,” Scanavino, 44, told us us weekly completely ahead of SVU Winter premiere on Thursday, January 16th. I see her as an actor and even as a friend. I thought Carisi also did a great job as a detective.

When Scanavino joined SVU During the 2014 Season 16 premiere, Carisi was an “inexperienced detective” working his way up the ranks. Thereafter, he became an ADA law and order universe.

“As their relationship grew, so did Mariska’s relationship,” he continued. “This is one of the most important relationships of my life. She’s one of my best friends. We can talk to each other very honestly in real life, just like Benson and Carisi can talk to each other very honestly.” .

Thursday winter premiere SVU The show is semi-centered on Carisi, as the character is uncovering his own trauma following the show’s November 2024 fall finale. The episode, titled “First Light,” marks Carisi’s first time back in court since being held at gunpoint at a local deli. In one scene — after repeatedly declaring that he’s “fine” — Carisi appears to fumble the case in court. Afterward, he and Benson had a rather tense but helpful heart-to-heart.

“Especially that scene, I’m really happy with the next scene [journey]. It all feels very worthwhile,” Scanavino said us. “Nothing was forced, nothing was pushed. It was just an organic relationship that evolved into the very, very close relationship they have now.

Another relationship shown on Thursday’s episode was apparently Carisi’s with his wife, Amanda Rollins (Kelly Giddish). cacanavino told us Carisi and Rollins are in “good hands” while overcoming these difficult times.

He said the domestic scenes between him and Giddish in Thursday’s episode “feel very real” to Scanavino.

Related: Actors who play multiple roles in “Law & Order: SVU”

There have been a lot of big-name guest appearances on Law & Order: SVU over the years, some even playing multiple roles. Peter Scanavino appeared in two episodes of Season 14 as Johnny Dubcek in 2013, before reprising his role as Detective Dominic “Sonny” Dubcek in Season 16. Dominick “Sonny” Carisi Jr. […]

“I have a family, and I think Carisi and myself are very similar in that way. I think we really value family above everything else,” he shared us. “Working with Kelly, I have a lot of respect for her personally, and I just think Rollins as a character – who’s obviously been through a lot – is very well-suited to deal with other people who are going through certain things.”

Scanavino also said he’s “not quite sure” how Carisi will overcome his trauma SVU Season 26 continues.

“At the end of the episode, you can see him starting to go down that path. The clouds part for a moment and you can see the path forward,” he said. “We’ll see what happens if he finds himself in this situation again. If he has to revisit this at trial or whatever form that might take.

Law & Order: SVU Season 26 airs Thursdays at 9 pm ET on NBC and the following day on Peacock.