Law And Order's Stephanie March Reveals How The Show Inspired Her To 'Stand Up For Women And Girls Who Are Survivors' In Real Life

Law & Order: Special Unit has been renewed for season 26and I couldn’t be more excited about the The Return of Detective Amanda Rollins played by Kelli Giddish. However, as someone who has watched every season, news like this makes me wonder what some Top SVU Alumni Rise to the occasion these days. Most recently, Stephanie March, who starred as ADA Alex Cabot from Season 2 to Season 5, revealed how the crime drama inspired her to advocate for real-life survivors of domestic and sexual violence.

Most people have a hard time not taking their work home with them, but for the most part Special Rescue Unit actress, the content of the show was simply too important and surprising to pass up. In an interview with PeopleThe former cast member opened up about his life since Law and orderwhich consists primarily of philanthropic work in the Democratic Republic of Congo. March remembers the specific episode that inspired her commitment as if it were filmed yesterday, as she put it:

Yes! When I went to Congo? I remember it very well. And it was something that stayed in my mind at the time. So I have to believe that to some extent, everything happens for a reason. That’s partly why I became so interested in the Panzi Foundation.

The episode in question is from Season 11, after the departure of ADA Cabot, who then returned to work with the famous detective unit in Season 10. In the episode titled “Witness,” Cabot tries a case in which a woman witnessed a sex crime but is afraid to speak out, herself a survivor of wartime sex crimes in the Congo.

The Panzi Foundation, of which March is a board member, supports women survivors both physically and emotionally in an effort to end sexual violence as a weapon in the DRC.

I think people often overlook the “Order” in the title, in favor of the action-packed “Law” portion of the show. But in each episode, half the battle to put offenders in jail takes place in the courtroom. Assistant District Attorneys are tasked with fighting for victims and delivering justice. In playing one of the best assistant district attorneys in the show’s long history, the TV attorney found her calling in real life, saying:

I felt my true passion was advocating for women and girls who have survived sexual violence and understanding how this violence robs us of our bodily autonomy and often our legal rights and our right to work.

This is not the first time that a Special Rescue Unit The actor’s work has extended into his personal life. Earlier this year, via People, Mariska Hargitay, the face of Law and orderwas reportedly mistaken for her character, Detective Olivia Benson, while filming in a park. A lost little girl approached Hargitay, recognizing her badge, and asked for help finding her mother. The crew stopped filming until the little girl was reunited with her mother.

As most people know, given its name and opening credits, the show deals with “sex offenses considered particularly heinous.” It’s not an easy subject to tackle, especially for actors who have to channel the emotions of law enforcement and attorneys who see these cases every day. It’s no wonder March came to genuinely care about these survivors over the many years she spent in the role, especially when her character specifically dealt with women in the Congo.

I don’t know if that was what I planned when I got the job, but once I got the job, I decided to engage with it in a pretty thoughtful way because it was something that bothered me and it was something that I was passionate about. I couldn’t walk away from work at night. So I made some very thoughtful choices about how I wanted to participate and how I wanted to use my voice. And I’ve been lucky enough to find a few areas where those interests intersect, and I’m very passionate about that.

Alex Cabot has always been my favorite ADA Special Rescue Unit Because of her unwavering pursuit of justice and the way she confidently walked her way into the courtroom, making the justice system work in favor of victims. She truly cared about survivors, and this character trait was clearly inspired by Stephanie March herself.

I would give anything to see her reprise her role as Cabot in Special Rescue Unitand it is not out of the question, since the month of March has returned several times Before. Old fan favorites have had a sneaky habit of reappearing throughout the show’s 25-year run. But I guess I’ll just have to wait until season 26, which is set to premiere on NBC’s 2024 TV schedule in September.

In the meantime, you can get your Alex Cabot fix by watching old movies Special Rescue Unit episodes with a Peacock Subscription.