Law & Order: SVU fans were shocked to learn that Kelli Giddish is leaving the NBC series for good. While many are trying to make sense of her untimely departure, others refuse to see her go. Fans have set up an online petition, hoping executives will reconsider and keep Giddish on the show.
Giddish announced her exit just weeks before the Law & Order: SVU Season 24 premiere. She took to Instagram to share the news and wrote a heartfelt message thanking the cast, crew, and fans.
“This will, indeed, be my last season on Law & Order: SVU,” Giddish wrote. “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 added. “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.”
Giddish didn’t reveal a reason for leaving. But according to Variety, it’s because high-level executives decided to drop her. And it seems they decided to force out despite the pushback they received from showrunner David Graziano and star/executive producer Mariska Hargitay.
Giddish’s exit came as a shock to fans, as her character Amanda Rollins had just begun putting her personal life together and finally entered a romantic relationship with Dominick Carisi (Peter Scanavino). So, to try to keep her on the show, some started online petitions.
“Rumors are circulating on social media that her departure was by force due to creator Dick Wolf believing the actress was making too much money,” one Change.org petition suggests. “Although that is not confirmed, fans are deeply upset by her departure as a new actress was hired to take her place. This petition is a call to keep Kelli Giddish on the show.”
“Kelli Giddish is an amazing actress and has helped carry Law and Order SVU for the last 12 years,” another Change.org petition reads. “It has come to light that she was recently fired for a wrongful reason and it is not okay. Kelli deserved more respect than what she got.”
The petitions garnered a few thousand signatures in the first couple of days. The petitioners hope that in seeing the fans’ love for Giddish, executives will reconsider forcing her out.
As Rollins, Giddish has been part of the main cast for over a decade. Her character stepped in when Chris Meloni’s Elliot Stabler left. And she has become a fan favorite over the years.
Some Law & Order: SVU fans think that by forcing her out, executives aren’t valuing Giddish’s contributions to the show. And others suggest they’ll stop watching after she leaves.
“I might stop watching after her departure,” one Reddit fan wrote. “I know it’s harsh but I just love her too much to continue. She was actually the reason I started watching SVU.”
“Yeah, I’m out after her last episode,” another Redditor added. “The remaining cast doesn’t interest me enough without her dynamic and I’m tired of new people 24 years in now.”
Fans are hoping Giddish remains on the show somehow. But even if she isn’t hired back right away, there’s a good chance fans will see her somewhere down the line.
The show recently brought back characters like Nick Amaro (Danny Pino) and Rafael Barba (Raul Esparza). So it isn’t a stretch to assume it will bring Rollins back on screen someday too.