The original title doesn’t have quite the same ring to it!
For over 25 years, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit has established itself as one of the most iconic shows in TV history — and the name has become permanently embedded in pop culture.
But the show was almost called Sex Crimes. Don’t worry: We can explain.
During a 2022 appearance on Late Night with Seth Meyers, SVU stars Mariska Hargitay and Christopher Meloni stole the show with a surprising story about how, when they were originally cast in the show, the working title was, yes, Law & Order: Sex Crimes.
“It was called Sex Crimes, and I literally went, ‘OK…'” Meloni explained. “As did my mother because when we got it, when we screen-tested and we got it, I go, ‘Mom, I got it!’ [She said] ‘You got what?’ [and I said,] ‘I’m on Sex Crimes!'”
Meloni’s mother was clearly skeptical.
“She’s like, ‘Can they change the name?'” Meloni recalled.
It quickly became clear the name needed to be changed.
“We were actually beginning to do a little publicity for it, and one of the publicists ran up to us — we’re doing a little publicity line and I said, ‘It’s great to be working on the great new show, Sex Crimes’ — and she came running up, ‘Hey! Don’t ever say those words again!'” Meloni said.
Of course, the show was re-titled Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and the rest is history.
Mariska Hargitay recalls “chemistry” with Christopher Meloni during their SVU screen test
In a conversation with Seth Meyers later in that same 2022 appearance, Hargitay explained that, even as a “struggling actor,” she wasn’t nervous when she first auditioned for the role of Olivia Benson because her chemistry with Meloni — who would eventually be cast as Elliot Stabler — was so apparent.
“You never think after being a struggling actor for so long that any show is going to go,” Hargitay said. “But this was a unique audition for us because when we met, there was a certain chemistry, so I actually wasn’t nervous at the audition, but you never think what happened would happen.”
It’s safe to say that neither star could’ve predicted their characters would have the impressive two-and-a-half-decade run that is still going strong!
“You can’t dream it, quite frankly,” Hargitay admitted.
