Ada Dominick “Sonny” Carisi has a close relationship with Olivia Benson on screen, but also Law and Order: Special Victims Unit actors Peter Scanavino and Mariška Hargitay.
“I think my relationship with Mariska really reflects their relationship,” Scanavino, 44, said Us Weekly only in front ALL winter premiere on Thursday, January 16. “When I came to the series, I always respected her. I saw her as an actress and even as a friend. I think Carisi did too, as a detective.”
When Scanavino joined ALL during the 2014 season 16 premiere, Carisi was an “inexperienced detective” and worked his way up within the team. Since then he has become an ADA in Law and order universe.
“As their relationship grew, so did mine with Mariska,” he continued. “It is one of the most important relationships I have in my life. She is one of my best friends. We can talk very honestly with each other in real life, just like Benson and Carisi can talk very honestly with each other.”
Winter premiere of the film on Thursday ALL was semi-centered on Carisi as the character deals with discovering his trauma after the autumn finale of the show in November 2024. The episode titled “First Light” sees Carisi return to the courtroom for the first time after being held at gunpoint in a local grocery store. During one scene – after declaring several times that he was “fine” – Carisi seemingly blew the case after a fumble in court. He and Benson have a rather tense but appreciative heart-to-heart talk afterwards.
Peter Scanavino, Mariska Hargitay.
Virginia Sherwood/NBC“Especially that one scene, it’s nice how it somehow followed that (journey). It all seems very well deserved,” said Scanavino Our. “Nothing was forced, nothing pushed. It was just an organic relationship that evolved into this thing where they’re very, very close now.”
The other relationship featured during Thursday’s episode is, apparently, that of Carisi and his wife, Amanda Rollins (I had Giddish). Scanavino said Our that Carisi is “in good hands” with Rollins when it comes to getting through these tough times.
The family scenes between him and Giddish shown in Thursday’s episode “feel very real” to Scanavinu, he said.
So many notable names have guest starred on Law & Order: SVU over the years — and some have even played more than one character. Peter Scanavino appeared as Johnny Dubcek in two episodes in the 14th season in 2013 before being cast as a series regular as Detective Dominick “Sonny” Carisi Jr. in the 16th season, which (…)
“I have a family and I think Carisi and I are very similar in that regard. I think we really value family above all else,” shared s Our. “Working with Kelli, who I personally have a lot of respect for, and I just think that Rollins as a character — who’s obviously been through a lot — is very well-suited to deal with someone else who’s going through something.”
Scanavino also said he’s “not quite sure” what Carisi’s overcoming his trauma will look like ALL season 26 continues.
“At the end of this episode, what you can see is that he’s going down the road. The clouds parted just for a moment and you can see the way forward,” he said. “We’ll see what happens if he faces this again. If he has to reconsider it at trial or in any other form.”
Law and order: SVU season 26 airs on NBC Thursdays at 9pm ET and airs the following day on Peacock.