After more than 25 years hunting down sexual predators on Law & Order: SVU, you might think it would be time for Mariska Hargitay to be thinking about retirement. She’s now 60, and her character, Olivia Benson, is the boss of the SVU while Hargitay herself often takes over directing duties. In a new interview with E! News, she said that while retirement has crossed her mind, it’s not happening any time soon.

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“I have thought about that,” she said when asked about her next steps. “But you know, just thought about it. For way later. I’m open.”

The series has been running on NBC since 1999 and recently hit the 25 year mark. In its 26th season, it has surpassed the flagship show, Law & Order, which is on Season 24. Law & Order took a long break from 2010 to 2021 and has always featured a revolving door of stars and recurring guest stars throughout its run, but SVU has never gone off the air, or aired without Olivia Benson. And yet, Hargitay’s energy has hardly waned.

“I’m a very active person with a lot of irons in the fire,” she explained. “I am somebody who follows the signs. I trust that the future will be right, and that I will be where I’m supposed to be. I’m very engaged and fulfilled at SVU right now, and there’s other things I want to do and achieve and challenge myself with.”

 

Plus, she just loves Olivia Benson.

“I am inspired and profoundly grateful to play this character,” she said. “I feel like it’s truly a once in a lifetime gift that I’ve been given. I do think that maybe fate had a part in it, because it’s been one of the greatest gifts of my life.”

Hargitay joked about replacing Hoda Kotb on The Today Show or joining Drew Barrymore in being an actress turned talk show host, but offered no real hints as to what her other irons in the fire might be. Hargitay did tease that she will have a “big, big announcement in January,” but gave no indication of what we should expect.

All we know for now is that it’s probably not the end of SVU, especially if creator Dick Wolf has anything to say about it.

“Dick would be the last person to say, ‘I’m tired,'” Hargitay said with a laugh. “Trust me.”

Law & Order: SVU airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. on NBC.