Chances are, you turn on your TV and Law & Order: SVU will be on. Whether it's NBC, USA Network or in syndication elsewhere, SVU's presence is ubiquitous. That's something Mariska Hargitay is well aware of.
"I can't get away from myself," Hargitay joked on Late Night with Seth Meyers.
Hargitay, who stars as Captain Olivia Benson, directs episodes and is also an executive producer on the long-running series now in season 21, said she doesn't usually stop to watch old episodes she catches, but recently she made an exception.
"However, about a month ago, I did and I stopped. And it was so old, and I'm like, ‘I don't remember that,'" she told Seth Meyers. "And I said, ‘Oh, I'll just watch and remember what episode it was.' And I sat there, watching and watching. Half-hour went by, got completely engrossed in the show. Didn't remember a thing. Didn't even know it was me! Like, ‘This is a good show!' But it was so sad, because I could not remember. And then I tried to remember, and I just couldn't.
"That's sad," Hargitay laughed.
Not only that, Hargitay said she forgets guest stars, including Stranger Things' David Harbour.
In her interview, Hargitay opened up about her early career, including a role in the Power Rangers movie. She was in Australia for a few months to play Dulcea, a mystical queen, but after two months of being on hold Down Under, she wanted to go home for Christmas. When she was ready to go back to work, Hargitay said she called producers and they told her she was done. Gabrielle Fitzpatrick replaced her and the scenes Hargitay already completed were reshot.
"I watch my P's and Q's on SVU now," Hargitay joked. "And when they said, "We need you,' I said, ‘I'm there and I'm ready.' So far, so good."
Click play on the video above to see more.
Late Night airs weeknights, 12:35 a.m. on NBC. Law & Order: SVU airs Thursdays, 10 p.m. on NBC.
(E! and NBC are both part of the NBCUniversal family.)