Law & Order: SVU is heading toward its third decade on television, and even after nearly 30 years, the long-running series is still reshuffling its lineup.
The latest adjustment involves one of the most familiar faces on the show: Ice-T’s Sergeant Fin Tutuola. Fans have noticed he’s appeared less frequently this season, and now the actor is laying out exactly why.
In a new interview with TMZ published on Monday, November 24, Ice-T explained that his reduced presence is directly tied to Kelli Giddish’s full-time return as Amanda Rollins in Season 27.
“It’s just basically business,” he said. “They brought Kelli back and at the end of the day, they couldn’t keep both of us on full-time, as far as budget-wise. They said, ‘Ice, we’ll have you come in and out this year.’”
Giddish’s comeback follows her mid-Season 24 departure, a move that surprised viewers at the time. With her back in the mix, Ice-T says the decision was widely supported internally.
“Everybody wanted Kelli back,” he added. “We’ve got new cops. I am not leaving the show. I am more concerned with going to Season 28. This year, they said, ‘Ice, we’re going to work you a little less.’ Everything was cool with me. I understood.”
Still, Ice-T admitted he needed clarity before moving forward. After hearing the news, he checked in with production to make sure it wasn’t signaling the end of his run. “I said, ‘Are you getting rid of me?’ They said, ‘No way. We can’t imagine Law & Order without you.’”
The reassurance made it easier for the 67-year-old to embrace the scheduling shift. After joining in Season 2, he’s now the longest-serving cast member after Mariska Hargitay.
“I’ve been on this show for 27 years,” he said. “I am not going to say anything negative about this show. They have taken care of me for so long. I just want to get to Season 28. It’s given me more time, so I got a chance to do other projects, to do other things.”
Ice-T noted that he’s been using the lighter workload to focus on music and outside opportunities, but he emphasized that Fin is still very much part of the narrative.
“I am glad the fans are upset,” he joked. “What if I was missing and nobody cared? That would be something to worry about. But the fact that the fans wanted to see a little bit more of Fin—that’s good. I will be sprinkled throughout this season.”
Giddish, meanwhile, told Extra last month that returning felt natural. “I couldn’t be happier about it,” she said. “It feels right… It feels revitalized in a whole new way, even though it’s Season 27.”
NBC and Wolf Entertainment have not yet commented.