Kelli Giddish Returns to ‘Law & Order: SVU’ for Season 27

NEW YORK, May 15, 2025—Kelli Giddish is officially returning to ‘Law & Order: Special Victims Unit‘ as a series regular for its upcoming 27th season. Fans have eagerly awaited this news for two and a half years, as Giddish will reprise her role as Sergeant Amanda Rollins.

Giddish’s departure from the show in Season 24 shocked many fans, similar to the exit of original co-lead Christopher Meloni in 2011. Rollins left the Special Victims Unit after marrying ADA Sonny Carisi Jr. and accepting a teaching position at Fordham University. However, she returned briefly in the Season 24 finale, along with two episodes in Season 25 and five episodes in Season 26, marking her 15th season overall.

During her time away from the squad, Rollins continued to assist on cases before leaving academia to rejoin the NYPD as a sergeant in the intelligence section, thanks to the recommendation from Captain Olivia Benson, portrayed by Mariska Hargitay.

The friendship between Rollins and Benson is a cornerstone of the series, and Hargitay has publicly expressed her support for Giddish’s return, emphasizing the importance of Rollins in the show’s narrative. Giddish expressed her affection for the role in a social media post when she departed, stating, ‘Playing Rollins has been one of the greatest joys and privileges of my life.’

As SVU prepares for Season 27, the show is also seeing significant changes behind the scenes. Michele Fazekas has taken over as the new showrunner, marking the first woman to lead the series and replacing David Graziano. Additionally, executive producers Julie Martin and Norberto Barba are also departing, although Barba will continue in a director role.

The 26th season of ‘Law & Order: SVU’ is produced by Dick Wolf, and Giddish’s return comes as the show hopes to recapture the chemistry that fans love. With Rollins back in the squad room, viewers can look forward to her reuniting with long-time fans and potentially engaging more with characters from the spinoff series, ‘Law & Order: Organized Crime.’