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ADA Dominick “Sonny” Carisi has a close relationship with Olivia Benson on screen, but so does Law and Order: Special Victims Unit actors Peter Scanavino a Mariska Hargitay.
“I think my relationship with Mariska really mirrors their relationship,” says Scanavino, 44. Us Weekly only in front of the SVU winter premiere on Thursday, January 16. “When I came on the show, I always respected her. I looked up to her as an actor and even as a friend. I think Carisi did so well, as a detective.”
When Scanavino joined SVU during the 16th season premiere in 2014, Carisi was a “novice detective” who worked his way up within the squad. Since then he has turned to being an ADA in the Law and Order universe.
“As her relationship grew, so did mine with Mariska,” he continued. “It’s one of the most important relationships I have in my life. She is one of my best friends. We can be very honest with each other in real life, just like Benson and Carisi can be very honest with each other.”
Thursday’s winter premiere of SVU is half Carisi-centric as the character deals with revealing his trauma following the the show’s fall finale in November 2024. The episode, titled “First Light,” is Carisi’s first time back in the courtroom after being held at gunpoint in his local deli. During one scene – after declaring several times that he was “okay” – Carisi apparently blew the case after fumbling in court. He and Benson have a tense but rewarding heart-to-heart after the fact.
Peter Scanavino, Mariska Hargitay.
Virginia Sherwood/NBC“That one scene in particular, it’s nice how it follows that (journey). It all feels very earned,” Scanavino said Us. “Nothing was forced, nothing pushed. It was just an organic relationship that evolved into this thing where they’re very, very close now.”
Another relationship shown during Thursday’s episode is obviously that of Carisi and his wife, Amanda Rollins (I had Giddish). Scanavino said Us that Carisi is “in good hands” with Rollins when it comes to overcoming these hard times.
The family scenes between him and Giddish in Thursday’s episode “feel very real” to Scanavino, he said.
So many notable names have made guest appearances on Law & Order: SVU over the years – and some have even played more than one character. Peter Scanavino appeared as Johnny Dubcek for two episodes in season 14 in 2013 before landing a series regular role as Detective Dominick “Sonny” Carisi Jr. in season 16, and (…)
“I have a family and I think that Carisi and myself are very similar in that way. I believe we really value family above all else,” he shared Us. “Working with Kelli, who I have so much respect for personally, and I think that Rollins as a character – who’s obviously been through a lot – she’s very suitable to deal with someone else who going through something.”
Scanavino also said he’s “not quite sure” how Carisi will overcome his trauma playing out SVU season 26 continues.
“At the end of this episode, what you can see is that he starts on the path. The clouds have parted for a moment and you can see a way forward,” he said. “We’ll see what happens if he faces this again. If he has to revisit this in a trial or in whatever form that takes.”
Law and Order: SVU season 26 airs Thursdays on NBC at 9 pm ET and streams the next day on Peacock.
