On Sunday, Feb. 23, Hollywood gathered for another event at the 2025 SAG Awards. The night had a lot of expected, but also some surprise wins, and many wholesome moments.

During one segment, Mariska Hargitay took the stage to take fans, and the celebrities present, on a walk down memory lane. The actress’ most famous role was the one of Detective Olivia Benson on Law & Order‘s first spinoff, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. The video, shared online by Discussing Film, showed Hargitay taking everyone on a stroll down memory of the guest stars on the show before they became famous actors.

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The Law & Order franchise kicked off in 1990 with the main series, which has been on the air for 24 seasons and 514 episodes, with a break between 2010 and 2022. Alongside its first spinoff, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, the two sit at the top of the charts for the longest-running scripted live-action American primetime shows, and just behind The Simpsons in the overall charts.

Over the years, the franchise has starred many celebrities, but many began their acting career with small cameo roles. The segment shed light on its many iconic guest stars. “In the Law & Order universe, the dedicated actors who bring these stories to life are members of an elite squad known as the guest stars,” Hargitay said in a pre-recorded video introducing the guest stars. “These are their stories.”

Throughout the seasons, the show has featured many Emmy-nominated or winning actors. David Harbour (two-time Primetime Emmy nominee), Ebon Moss-Bachrach (two-time Primetime Emmy winner), Tyler James Williams (three-time Emmy nominee), Sarah Paulson (Primetime Emmy winner), Keke Palmer (two-time Primetime winner), Jennifer Garner (four-time Emmy nominee), Jane Krakowski (five-time Emmy nominee and Tony award winner), Kerry Washington (Emmy winner), Leighton Meester (two-time Teen Choice Awards winner), Elizabeth Banks (three-time Primetime Emmy nominee), Pedro Pascal (three-time Primetime Emmy nominee), Tony Hale (two-time Primetime Emmy winner), Sabrina Carpenter, Elle Fanning (Primetime Emmy nominee), Idris Elba (six-time Emmy nominee), Liza Colón-Zayas (Emmy winner), Laverne Cox (four-time Emmy nominee), Meghann Fahy (Primetime Emmy nominee), Jeremy Allen White (two-time Primetime Emmy winner), Anthony Mackie, (MTV Movie Awards winner), and Claire Danes (three-time Primetime Emmy winner).

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There are also several Academy Award favorites, like Bradley Cooper (12-time Oscar nominee), Viola Davis (four-time Oscar nominee, one-time winner for 2016’s Fences), Colman Domingo (two-time Oscar nominee), Sebastian Stan (Oscar nominee), Adam Driver (two-time Oscar nominee), Sam Rockwell (Oscar winner), Zoe Saldaña (Oscar nominee), Abigail Breslin (Oscar nominee), Timothee Chalamet (two-time Oscar nominee), J.K. Simmons (Oscar winner), Mahershala Ali (two-time Oscar winner), Allison Janey (Oscar winner), and Marlee Matlin (Oscar winner).

Law and Order Guest Stars Recalled Their Experiences on the Police Procedural

The Bear’s Liza Colón-Zayas reflected on her extensive experience as a guest star on Law & Order. “I played five different characters in six episodes. I discovered two bodies. It was so satisfying. It was a very big deal to be on Law & Order and it’s a right of passage.

Arrested Development’s Tony Hale noted he doesn’t feel like he was “an authority” on the show “because I only did one episode,” before someone pointing out he was in two episodes of the police procedural. “How did I get my role on Law & Order? I don’t know, I give really good trauma face? To this day, Law & Order is the only show my parents have understood. ‘Hey Mom, Dad, I got an Emmy, I got a SAG award!’ ‘Oh that’s so great son! When are you going to be on Law & Order again?’”

On stage, Palmer, who appeared alongside Law and Order guest star Colman Domingo, joked, “You know what? What if we told everyone to take a drink if they’ve ever been an episode of Law & Order?” Several stars, including Chalamet and Saldaña drank.

Source: Discussing Film

Law and Order

Release Date

September 13, 1990