Law & Order: Special Victims Unit has been going strong since 1999, but not all of its major characters have stayed throughout its long run.
In fact, the only remaining original cast member from the show’s first season is Mariska Hargitay, whose character started as detective Olivia Benson and has since become the captain of the Special Victims Unit. She replaced Donald Cragen (Dann Florek) in 2014 as the SVU leader, becoming sergeant then lieutenant before making her way to captain.
The cast is rounded out by Ice-T (Odafin “Fin” Tutuola) who joined the show in 2000, and Peter Scanavino (Sonny Carisi).
One of the most memorable stars to walk away from the hit drama was Detective Elliot Stabler (Christopher Meloni), who left SVU in 2011 after 12 seasons. The actor went on to star in his own Law & Order spinoff, Organized Crime, which premiered in 2021.
Scroll below to see what some of your favorite Law & Order: SVU alumni — including detectives, medical examiners and ADAs — have been up to since their departures:
![[Spoiler] Working With Willa Quinn](https://www.tvline.com/img/gallery/high-potential-season-2-episode-15-recap/l-intro-1774390449.jpg "[Spoiler] Working With Willa Quinn")
