Law & Order: SVU's 'Most Memorable' Guest Star, According To Mariska Hargitay
Of all the A-list actors to guest-star on Law & Order: SVU, one in particular will always hold a special place in star Mariska Hargitay's heart.
Law & Order: SVU star Mariska Hargitay has named Robin Williams as the most memorable guest star in the show's history. In an interview ahead of Season 28 set to premiere on October 8, Hargitay praised Williams, saying, "The most memorable cameo for me was Robin Williams. We had so much fun, and there was so much joy. He was such a light."
Hargitay maintained this sentiment in a 2024 interview with Vanity Fair, stating, "He was magnificent, different every time, funny every time, and truthful and believable." Williams guest-starred on Season 9, Episode 17 of Law & Order: SVU, playing Merritt Rook, an audio engineer who impersonates a police officer to demonstrate the dangers of blind adherence to authority.
The episode earned Williams an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series. Although Williams is primarily remembered for his comedic roles, his appearance on SVU was a personal favor to longtime friend and series detective Munch, Richard Belzer. Neal Baer, a writer on the episode, revealed in 2023 that Belzer connected Williams for Hargitay, stating, "Richard Belzer also made it possible for us to have Jerry Lewis and Robin Williams on SVU. He reached out to them for me and... they were incredible."
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