Mariska Hargitay Details How 1st Female ‘Law & Order: SVU’ Showrunner Changed Set Culture

“It’s new and coming home at the same time,” she explained. “There are emotional beats and comedy beats that are so specific to me and to the origins of the character. Obviously, it was time. It’s what SVU needed more than anything, and it was the perfect fit. It’s all the elements coming together in a perfect way.”

She continued, “I want to highlight that word: Team. That is the difference now. There’s such a sense of lock arm, ladies. Let’s do this together — and, at the same time, push each other to be excellent, to be great, and we know that we can do it and we will figure it out.”

While the on-set collaboration and non-toxic work environment certainly aided everyone on- and off-set, Fazekas couldn’t help but point out how hard Hargitay continues to work since making her SVU debut back in 1999.

“She does not phone it in,” Fazekas told Variety of Hargitay’s work ethic. “She is not just collecting a paycheck. She makes everyone better.”

After wrapping season 27 — yes, Fazekas did write the season’s finale — Hargitay told Variety she couldn’t help but grow emotional when considering all she has accomplished on the show.

“Twenty-seven years in and I’m thinking, that’s one of my favorite episodes — that Michele could dig in and write this story that’s haunting me,” Hargitay said of the season’s finale. “Brenna is elevating details and tweaking constantly. We all play hard and play our best.”