Why did Kelli Giddish exit Law & Order: SVU in Season 24? Reasons explored

2011 was the year of Amanda Rollins' arrival in Law & Order: SVU. Right from the beginning, she was a beloved character and each season, her storyline gained traction.

Kelli Giddish's performance as Amanda in Law & Order: SVU was very effective. Hence, her sudden departure from the series was not taken well.

The news caused uproar amongst the fandom. Many fans took to the internet to express their dissatisfaction.

In an interview with Variety, Mariska Hargitay, who plays the role of Olivia Benson in Law & Order: SVU, revealed that it was the decision of executive producer Dick Wolf to remove Kelly Giddish.

Why did Kelli Giddish exit Law & Order: SVU in Season 24?

Kelli Giddish’s departure from the series left an empty space in the hearts of the viewers. In an interview with Variety, Giddish explains that it was the right time for Amanda Rollins’ character to leave,

“My side of things is just that it’s time in the Rollins storyline. I felt like where it was heading, and where it headed last night, just seemed the right place to leave it right now. I am so excited about things going on in my personal life and kind of the mirroring of what’s going on in my personal life and in Rollins’, there’s a lot of joy to be experienced.”

Though Amanda’s story before her departure from the series was a heartwarming one, it cannot be denied that it impacted the viewers. Though it was not exactly Kelli Giddish’s choice to leave, she accepted her character’s departure with class.

Kelli Giddish opened up about her experience after the announcement of her exit. In a statement to NBC, she said:

“I wanted to address the chatter I’ve seen online and let everyone know that this will, indeed, be my last season on ‘Law & Order: SVU.’ Playing Rollins has been one of the greatest joys and privileges of my life. I’ve been so fortunate to be a part of the ‘Law & Order’ family for the last 12 years. There is simply no other character on TV like Rollins. She’s grown and changed, and I have as well. I started on this show when I was in my late 20s and I’m grateful I got to spend so many of my adult years with Rollins in my life.”

Her onscreen exit was definitely portrayed as a positive step for her character in the series. In an interview with Variety, Kelli Giddish also adds that there is a possibility of her return:

“The door is un-shut. The world that Dick Wolf has created with all these shows now — I mean, the crossovers that happen, the people that come back. Chris Meloni was gone for 12 years and then his character came back. S. Epatha [Merkerson] is on “Chicago Med.”

She did return as a guest star in Season 25 Episode 11 and the fans were overjoyed!

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