Kelli Giddish Says She'd Be 'Thrilled' If aLaw & OrderSpinoff Series 'Came My Way' (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

Kelli Giddish at the Season 25 Premiere Party for SVU on January 16 in New York City.Photo:Todd Williamson/NBC via Getty

Todd Williamson/NBC via Getty

Kelli Giddishis no stranger to theLaw & Orderuniverse after playing Det. Amanda Rollins for more than a decade onLaw & Order:Special Victims Unit.

Since herdeparture midway through the show’s 24th season, Giddish has returned for numerous cameos and guest appearances, includingthe season 24 finale, which was part of a crossover withLaw & OrderandLaw & Order: Organized Crime,and the season 25premiere ofSVUin January.

Now, on Oct. 17, she’s back once again. This time, with a promotion to sergeant — and a new gig working for the NYPD Intelligence Unit.

“I got pitched that idea from the writers and I was so excited to actually do that and to know that they were developing Rollins in that way,” Giddish, 44, tells PEOPLE. “And as Rollins tells Benson, it’s like getting to eavesdrop on the whole wide world!”

Kelli Giddish as Amanda Rollins, Mariska Hargitay as Capt. Olivia Benson for “Divide & Conquer”.Peter Kramer/NBC

Peter Kramer/NBC

In an exclusive sneak peek of Thursday’s episode, titled “Divide & Conquer,” Rollins and Olivia Benson can be seen reuniting ahead of a briefing.

“Sergeant!” says Benson.

“Captain,” Rollins responds as the two embrace.

“Your first city-wide briefing in the intelligence division, huh?” says Benson.

“Have we met?” she asks.

“No,” says Corgan, “but I am with the Intelligence Division.” After Corgan heads into the briefing, Benson asks Rollins how her new gig has been treating her.

“Don’t take this the wrong way,” says Rollins, “but I love it. It’s like getting to eavesdrop on the whole world.”

Rollins then thanks Benson for “steering” her in the “right direction.”

“It’s so good to see this version of you again,” says Benson with a smile.

Mariska Hargitay and Kelli Giddish for “Divide & Conquer”.Peter Kramer/NBC

And, as happy as Benson is to have Rollins back, perhaps nobody is more pleased to have Giddish home on set thanMariska Hargitayherself.

“She is happy. I’ve gotten a lot of good hugs filming there,” Giddish says with a laugh of her longtime friend. “And I was just on set today — I’m doing another episode that’ll air in November. And it was such an intense day, but you just go right back to knowing that they have you. It’s a net that you can fall back on.”

“It’s like going back and playing in the sandbox with all your friends — Mariska, and Peter, andIce, and Octavio,” Giddish adds. “And all my crew there, I get to see them and check on how their kids are doing.”

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And, while Giddish admits fans will miss out on some “Rollisi” moments in “Divide & Conquer” — “They don’t get to see Carisi being at home as a dad, and I think that’s something really special that the audience likes,” she says, noting that she does have high hopes for the future “bouquet” of episodes she’ll be back for.

Mariska Hargitay as Capt. Olivia Benson, Ice T as Sgt. Odafin “Fin” Tutuola, John Clarence Stewart as Det. Corgan, Kelli Giddish as Amanda Rollins for “Divide & Conquer”.Peter Kramer/NBC

The question looms, then, of whether or not Rollins would ever get her own spinoff series, similar to that of Elliot Stabler(Christopher Meloni) onOrganized Crime.

“If enough people talk about it, let’s see!” quips Giddish. “I mean, I love this character. I love being on this show and in this world and in the universe that Dick and company have created. So, gosh, if that came my way, I’d be thrilled.”

Law & Order: Special Victims Unitairs Thursdays at 9 p.m. on NBC.

source: people.com