Kelli Giddish’s ‘SVU’ Exit: A Deep Dive Into Rollins’ Story, Controversy & Future
Fans of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit are preparing to bid farewell to Amanda Rollins. Kelli Giddish, the third longest-serving current SVU series regular, is leaving the NBC show in this 24th season. Her last episode is slated for December 8 (though she’ll be back for an episode of Law & Order: Organized Crime later in the season).
“Playing Rollins has been one of the greatest joys and privileges of my life,” Giddish wrote on Instagram this August, when she announced her impending exit. “I’ve been so fortunate to be a part of the Law & Order family for the last 12 years. There is simply no other character on TV like Rollins. She’s grown and changed, and I have as well. I started on this show when I was in my late 20s, and I’m grateful I got to spend so many of my adult years with Rollins in my life.”
Kelli Giddish joined SVU after Christopher Meloni’s exit
After Christopher Meloni departed Law & Order: SVU at the end of its 12th season — reportedly turning down an $8 million salary offer — SVU producers added both Giddish and Danny Pino to the mix in June 2011. (Jennifer Love Hewitt was also in contention for a role on the show before Giddish’s casting, according to The Hollywood Reporter.)
“I’m very pleased that we have two amazing actors joining the cast,” executive producer and creator Dick Wolf said in a statement at the time. “I know this combination will give us the opportunity to explore the world of SVU with new eyes.”
Rollins debuted in the Season 13 premiere — and her troubled past has haunted her
In the Season 13 premiere, “Scorched Earth,” Rollins arrived at the Manhattan SVU and joined a case literally eight seconds after getting off the elevator. As SVU’s writers developed the character, viewers learned the reason Rollins had transferred from Atlanta: She had been raped by a deputy chief who used her sister’s arrest as leverage.
That sister, Kim (Lindsay Pulsipher), has been a frequent thorn in Rollins’ side. Rollins is protective toward Kim — especially since they both survived a childhood with an abusive father — but her sister exploited the detective’s devotion by getting her to shoot Kim’s ex-boyfriend in what was ultimately a scheme for Kim could cash in on a life insurance policy.
Those aren’t even all of Rollins’ troubles: She also became addicted to gambling and ended up $20,000 in debt. And she’s been shot on the job twice now, with her second brush with death especially traumatizing.
It’s not all doom and gloom, though. Rollins has two children — one with Declan Murphy (Donal Logue) and one with Al Pollack (George Newbern) — and she’s currently in a relationship with ADA Dominick “Sonny” Carisi Jr. (Peter Scanavino).
Giddish’s exit was reportedly a decision from above
In her Instagram post on August 24, Giddish confirmed that she and SVU would soon be parting ways. “This will, indeed, be my last season on Law & Order: SVU,” she wrote.
In a comment on that post, SVU showrunner David Graziano alluded to “complex” reasons for Giddish’s departure from the show. “All I’ll say is Kelli has handled this with the most incredibly classy comportment,” he added.
A day after that Instagram update, Variety reported that Rollins’ exit was neither Giddish’s nor Graziano’s idea. Instead, Variety said, the decision was “a call made from above” and “the company is always looking to keep the show as up to date and current as possible.” The report also claimed that salary negotiations were a factor in the decision — and that Mariska Hargitay and at least one other producer pushed to keep Giddish on SVU.
Some viewers aren’t sorry to see Rollins go
Tributes to Amanda Rollins are all over YouTube and social media, but not everyone shares the love. “This writer won’t miss Giddish’s Detective Amanda Rollins and her legacy of victim-blaming and slut-shaming,” Scarlett Harris wrote for Polygon, “and her departure shows just how far the Law & Order universe has to go. … She quickly (and often) became an example of the limits of cop shows to truly protect and serve their communities. She’s judgmental, reproachful, and probably more conservative than we know, if her defense of an Ann Coulter-like political pundit in the season 19 episode ‘Info Wars’ is any indication.”
Some fans have similar critiques, including the viewer who observed in a 2019 Reddit post that Rollins “seems to see all victims as inherently weak in some way.”
“It finally occurred to me that, in some way, she sees the victims at fault for their own victimization,” that Reddit user wrote. “She sees them as weak, and therefore [they] allowed themselves to be victimized.”
“I’ve noticed this, too,” another viewer commented. “Especially in cases where sex workers are victims, she feels no sympathy whatsoever.”
Fans are already speculating about how Rollins will leave
In a Reddit thread about Rollins’ exit, one fan speculated that the character and her family could have another run-in with psychopathic antagonist Henry Mesner (Ethan Cutkosky) as Season 24 progresses. “Maybe work becomes too dangerous and the girls get threatened, or one may be abducted, and [Rollins] decides it’s easier to keep them safe if she quits,” that Reddit user wrote.
Another commenter “immediately thought of the Mesner situation as being most likely,” as well. They added, “I could see the kids being threatened and Carisi wanting the best for her. Pretty sure we’re getting a wedding and then she’s out. That’s probably the best we can hope for.”
And a third Reddit user wrote, “The most plausible theory is that [Rollins and Carisi] do get married, but something forces Amanda’s retirement from the NYPD and moves her to an entirely offscreen character. I don’t know that I like this, because, at some point, it would strain credulity that we never see her, but it’s probably the best option, as it leaves the door open to guest appearances and keeps Amanda alive in the L&O universe.”
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pretty disgusting to focus on the few fans in the fandom that complain constantly and stopped watching after meloni left. really disrespectful to the actress considering there are legitimate misogynistic and ageists accusations at the root of her firing. but sure let’s ignore the deep rooted issues in the industry so you can put a woman down
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Shippers (particularly Bensler) strike again. It happens to every show. They take over the community, make demands, whine about everything, and then wonder why everyone thinks they're annoying. It's ruined the One Chicago community, too.
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It's like I said she came on and dealt with an old boss in a POLICE office who was forcing her to have sex with him because he had something hanging over her head. She finally escaped him and he followed her to SVU. Where do they get she is week? I am going to miss her. Her leaving the show is a bad decision especially over $$. Get up over the dead presidents NBC. This is why ppl are leaving cable TV. I see them having a marriage and him getting a offer for bigger bucks in Boston or up that way, safer for the girls, This way the door is open for both of them.
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I never saw her as a victim, nor did I ever think she blamed the victim. I saw her go to bat for the victim all the way and get angry when they lied to her, that's something every one would get upset at. In the same respect I never saw her turn her back on a victim either.
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I THINK SHE SHOULD STAY AND FIGHT FOR HER PLACE SHE EARNED IT ,NOW GROW A SET AND TUFF IT OUT .IT'LL BE LIKE 12yrs DOWN THE DRAIN LIKE SHE WAS NEVER THERE.THE SHOW HAS YO BE MAKING MONEY ITS BEEN ON 24 SEASON PAY HER WHAT SHE'S WORTH .SHE BRINGS A LOT TO THE SHOW..AND BESIDES SHE BANGS OR HOOKS UP WITH ALL KINDS OF MEN (makes the show seem real) NOT ALL GOODIE GOODIE...I WISH OR HOPE SHE STICK AROUND ...
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I am not happy that they have fired Kelli. I love Rollins and am NOT liking the new female detective, what’s her name(?). SVU will not be the same. Makes me not want to watch anymore. And who exactly are the people “overhead”? They obviously don’t know what they’re doing!
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I will miss her! I guess you have to deal with change
I don’t like the two new detectives, it’s like the are rookies that are going to take over the show 😟
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I’ve been a fan of the show since it’s inception. Cast members have come and gone but I have to tell you Kelli is part of the team and with her gone, it is not a team anymore.
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Well, recently I can't "take: to the two new detectives that have joined SVU.. ( I will miss Amanda)
I know things change...unfortunately I may stop watching L&O SVU..
Olivia, Finn, & Carisi 👏 Bravo!
You guys r great.
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I disagree with the commenters who feel that she is negative and doesn’t treat the victims she deals with the most respect. I have seen every episode of SVU and since she joined the show she has evolved into a character that is much more caring. At first I didn’t like her, I thought she was kind of easy and raw. But as the years went on, especially after she had her kids, she softened a bit. I also think Carisi is very good for her, and in the episodes where she has admitted to him that she doesn’t love easily and that she’s not super great in relationships, and she wants it to work out, You see her vulnerability. I will miss her on the show, and I hope that she has some guest appearances later because I’m assuming they’ll keep Carisi and Rollins together. One can only hope…
I think we have to remember that she has a lot of baggage… And has gone through quite a bit. We also have to remember that we have seen times when Benson hasn’t chosen to say or do the right thing. She’s human.
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I hate to see Amanda leave the show. She and Oliva have complex characters that are ldifferent, yet compliment each other. I think it's a big loss to SVU. I have been a fan for years. I will be rethinking watching the show now. FAREWELL AMANDA! I WILL MISS YOU!
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I am gonna miss Amanda, she is a special person and what is gonna happen to creasy and her, I wish the Best, just wish she wasn't leaving!!
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I am disappointed! I really like Kelli and the show will not be the same without her.
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I was truly hoping that she and Carisi would get married 💕
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The way they are writing this season for her, I’m assuming she’s going to say she can’t deal with being a detective anymore and retire. They are making her lol really weak.
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I think it is a mistake to let her go. She plays the part great I wish her a lot luck in her future. She is a great actress.
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I'm finished with law& order SVU. I can't believe Rollins is gone. Do not like the actress replacing Kelli. Every time a show is successful, they mess up and change everything. Who is this new actress? Her hair and outfits are a mess. After 20+ years, I'm done watching.
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Once I heard they were firing one of their longest and best cops, I haven't watched SVU since then!
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Plus I thought she has been sexually assaulted herself or at least her sister has. The whole message on the show is that the victims are not to blame for being assaulted and I think she forwards that message. Her main flaw is/was she was bad at relationships and picked the wrong guys, especially as fathers of her kids.
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Yo no estoy de acuerdo con su salida
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I won’t watch it
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Tampoco me gusta que la señorita Giddish se vaya, pero por lo que dice el artículo, podría haber algo "detrás de escena" que nunca sabremos.
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The new Rollins 2.0 has not really been developed as a character. It seems she was put there to appeal to Millenials. She is ok but we will have to see if she gets more personality as the show goes on. I like the new guy though.
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Well said. I watched the first episode of this season and haven't watched another episode since.
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I'm not sorry to see her go. She had a good run and honestly I think Carisi could do better.
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