Why is Kelli Giddish leaving Law & Order: SVU in season 24?
Let’s just start with this: We’ve absolutely heard a lot of rumors, including that it was not Giddish’s decision to go. None of that has been confirmed, and the only thing NBC has provided so far is a statement from Kelli herself. What we can do is give you an interesting quote from the actress last October. She was asked by Smashing Interviews Magazine if she had heard “rumors” that she was leaving the show, and here was her response:
No. I didn’t. But I hope not! I’ve got house payments (laughs). That’s not an option right now. No. We’re having too much fun.
Obviously, a lot can change in a year, but nowhere in Giddish’s statement does she say that it was her decision to leave. Meanwhile, new showrunner David Graziano has praised both Giddish and the Amanda Rollins character on multiple occasions since arriving on the scene, so we have a hard time believing that this was a creative decision on his end, either.
The only answer that we can give to all of this is somewhat nebulous: Sometimes exits happen for reasons that go beyond an individual actor or producer. They can be at times financial or due to a wide array of other factors. It’s a big, unfortunate part of this business, and let’s be honest: This isn’t the first unusual exit we’ve had from SVU. Just look at what happened at the start of last season! These things do happen on network television, but that does not make them any less frustrating.
The only thing that we can hope for is that there is closure for Amanda’s story; we all deserve that after investing in her journey over the course of the past year.
Are you still shocked that Kelli Giddish is leaving Law & Order: SVU after season 24?
Be sure to share right now in the comments! Once you do just that, remember to keep coming back for more. (Photo: NBC.)
This article was written by Jessica BunBun.