“Law & Order: SVU” star Mariska Hargitay went through it while filming a particularly disturbing ordeal for Detective Olivia Benson on the NBC crime procedural. In the Season 14 finale, Benson is kidnapped by William Lewis (Pablo Schreiber), a terrifying serial killer and rapist. Benson undergoes extreme torture and emotional distress as Lewis’ hostage at the beginning of “Law & Order: SVU,” Season 15 before escaping and later facing her abductor in court.
Speaking with Marie Claire for its “Law & Order: SVU” oral history feature, Hargitay explained how the storyline marked a turning point in Benson’s arc and how she tackled the challenge of communicating her character’s psyche under such tense circumstances. “The scenes were painful to shoot — scary, uncharted territory, and so raw — but I felt such an incredible responsibility to go there and tell that story,” she said.
“I wanted to show the ugliness, fear, and inhumanity, but also what survival is, what inner strength is, our resourcefulness, what we’re capable of, and what we will do to survive.” Hargitay also acknowledged how many people, including herself, have a difficult time rewatching the episodes.
The William Lewis kidnapping plot changed both Hargitay and Benson
Hargitay has pushed herself to the point of injury on the “Law & Order” franchise before, but this portion of the series tested her mental fortitude. In fact, she even opted to cut her real hair in a Season 15 premiere scene following Benson’s heart-pounding escape from Lewis. Now over a decade after the storyline aired, some viewers still rank Lewis among the most evil “Law & Order: SVU” villains — even though fans have mixed opinions about the episodes he appeared in.
As “Law & Order: SVU” approaches Season 28, the William Lewis arc arguably remains the show’s most distressing story. Co-executive producer Judy McCreary told Marie Claire about how she and the writers grappled with the harrowing nature of Benson’s kidnapping, ultimately deciding the plot was essential for her development on “Law & Order: SVU.”
“It was a risk to show her in such a vulnerable state. It was traumatizing for a lot of viewers,” McCreary said. “We kept asking, ‘Are we going too far? Are we jumping the shark?’ But those episodes turned out amazingly, and by the end of it, Benson was a different character. She had separated herself from her partnership with Stabler and become this strong, independent woman.”
If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN’s National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
This story originally appeared on TVLine
