'I Almost Got Fired.' The Story Behind Mariska Hargitay's Short, Short, Short Law And Order Haircut, And What Happened In The Aftermath

Mariska Hargitay with short hair leaning against a door on SVU.

Law & Order: SVU is gearing up for its 27^th season on the 2025 TV schedule, premiering this Thursday on NBC. With the show’s return, Mariska Hargitay continues her reign as not only the longest-running Law & Order franchise star, but also as the actress behind the longest-running primetime live-action character of all time: Olivia Benson. However, these records almost didn’t happen because of a decision the Emmy-winning actress made about her hair way back in Season 3, and she finally told the story.

Considering SVU has been on for 26 seasons, there have been some changes when it comes to the cast, from who has come and gone, to even appearance transformations. This includes hair, and just a few seasons in, Hargitay revealed she was coaxed into a change. She recalled to Allure how her pixie cut during Season 3 came about, and it sounds like it wasn't even her idea.