Mariska Hargitay has portrayed NYPD Captain Olivia Benson on "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" for over 20 years. She told the show's creator, Dick Wolf, that "this is [her] role" during auditions. Co-star Ice-T praised Hargitay's work ethic and attitude on set in various interviews, saying she is "always on point" and easy to work with. The two actors have been castmates since 2000 and consider themselves part of a close-knit "family" on the long-running NBC series.
