Law & Order: Special Victims Unit had some major cast shakeups ahead of season 27 — and star Aimé Donna Kelly is ready for fans to see how it changes the show’s dynamic.
First off, the actress was officially promoted to series regular (and told Us Weekly exclusively that she “cried” when getting the call), which means fans will be seeing a lot more of Captain Renee Curry.
“It’s so emotional on so many levels. I’m very lucky that I started the show as a guest star. So I know the squad, I know these people, I know the crew, I know the set,” Kelly explained to Us ahead of the show’s season 27 premiere on Thursday, September 25. “It feels very much like home, but to get that bump, I don’t even know how to describe it. It feels like you’ve been accepted by this family that you’ve wanted to be a part of for so long.”
Fans will get to see Kelly’s character, Curry, cross paths with Mariska Hargitay as Captain Olivia Benson, of course, but “it’s so good” when the “fantastic” Kelli Giddish rejoins the fold as Amanda Rollins.
“It just feels like another family member has come back home after going to college. It feels like, ‘Yes, this is what it should be,’” Kelly gushed. “We each have our pocket and our lane, and I think we offer different things and different moods [in] the squad.”
She added, “To see three women tackle these huge challenges in cases are really heartfelt and emotional, it’s beautiful to see and to be a part of. It’s awesome.”
While Kelly couldn’t offer any details about Octavio Pisano’s departure or the rumors that some original cast members might be returning, she did tease some ups and downs that Benson and the SVU squad are going to face this time around. (SVU showrunner Michele Fazekas recently told People that Benson will experience “some challenges in season 27.)
“If your leader is going through some stuff, then the rest of us definitely are. We’re going to support her,” Kelly said. “In the episode tonight, some stuff goes down, and it’s very exciting. That’s why I’m so nervous to see it.”
Even though she knows what’s going to happen, the actress is ready to see the final cut of the show Thursday premiere.
“We all feel a little bit of that tension, and I can’t give too much away, but it heats up,” she added.
When it comes to her character, specifically, Kelly said fans will see Curry’s “beautiful growth” take hold on screen. (Kelly made her debut on the show during season 22 as an Internal Affairs Bureau officer. She transferred to SVU during season 25.)
“She’s starting to bring a little bit more sass,” Kelly said. “I think she’s more comfortable, and more of a leader. Working in IAB, it was a solo job. This is the first time that I’m with a crew of people, and that feels really good.”
She added, “It feels good to know that the person you’re sitting next to, they got your back. I think with that comes a little bit more freedom and a little bit more ease.”
Law & Order: SVU premieres new episodes on NBC Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET.
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