SVU’s Mariska Hargitay: Benson’s Compass Necklace Is a Daily Reminder From ‘Somebody That She Knows Loves Her’ — Watch
Law & Order: SVU won’t return until Thursday (NBC, 9/8c), but we already know what Capt. Olivia Benson’s go-to accessory will be in Season 25.
A recently released sneak peek at the premiere episode — as well as star Mariska Hargitay’s Instagram account — made it clear that Benson is wearing the golden compass necklace that Det. Elliot Stabler gifted her at the end of Season 24. So when TVLine spoke with Hargitay at a celebration of the show’s upcoming season, we asked what she thought was running through Liv’s mind as she fastened the chain around her neck every morning.
“I think she’s thinking about what she wants, and balance and compassion and love, how to find that,” the Emmy winner says in the video above. “Isn’t that what we’re all trying to find? But also being armed on her heart by somebody that she knows loves her and has been there and probably understands her better than anyone.”
That “someone,” of course, is Stabler, Benson’s former police partner played by Chris Meloni — who happened to help create the piece. “He said, ‘I have a lot to say'” about what kind of design Stabler would choose for Benson, she recalls. “We wanted it to mean something.”
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Liv’s custom-made compass was crafted by Me&Ro’s Robin Renzi and, per the designer’s site, is made of “18K recycled gold with eight rose-cut diamonds that move behind a sapphire crystal disc and slightly obscure a hand-engraved compass.” Instead of the traditional representations of North, South, East and West, “the compass has four letters: L, C, J and E that represent Love, Compassion, Joy and Equanimity, the Four Immeasurables, a Tibetan vow that encourages us to focus our attention on helping others,” the site reads.
Our chat with Hargitay also included discussion of that Season 24 Stabler/Benson scene in Olivia’s kitchen, and how we might see its ramifications play out this season. So press PLAY on the video at the top of the post to hear what she had to say, then hit the comments with your thoughts about the upcoming episodes!
