TwitterDon't be surprised if you see the #CecilBHargitay trending next time you're on Twitter. Law & Order: SVU star Mariska Hargitay is making her directorial debut on an upcoming episode of the long-running NBC drama.
Set to air in spring 2014, the episode also features guest star Alec Baldwin in his first post-30 Rock TV role. SVU showrunner and executive producer Warren Leight shared the first image of Hargitay at work behind the camera (above). "First look: Mariska in charge. Day 1," he tweeted.
@TheDannyPino discussing scene w @Mariska #thatsNotBenson #MariskasDirecting #bts #svu pic.twitter.com/xMnHtKvWHh
? Stephanie Marquardt (@Samarq521) February 20, 2014SVU script supervisor Stephanie Marquardt shared the above photo of Harigtay discussing a scene with her costar Danny Pino as a director, not as an actor.
"It's a long time coming; I've wanted to do it for a while. There are a lot of things that I've learned and collected. I know how to get performances, I know what buttons to push in people and I've been doing it for a long time…Since I've been on SVU, I get more joy, sometimes, from helping somebody else with their performance than my own," Hargitay told E! News about directing. "That's when I got the idea...It's just this idea of helping to tell the story or even help people get in touch, like how people help me to get to my soul. I'm up for the challenge...It feels like a natural progression."
Day 1 of episode 18 begins. #CecilBHargitay pic.twitter.com/nEpQPkqhZu
? SVU Writers Room (@SVUWritersRoom) February 20, 2014No premiere date for Hargitay's directorial debut has been set.
Law & Order: SVU airs Wednesdays, 9 p.m. on NBC.
(E! and NBC are both part of the NBCUniversal family.)