While at the Olivia Benson Plaza’s opening day in NYC, I spoke with Law & Order: Special Victims Unit stars Octavio Pisano and Kevin Kane, who portray Detective Joe Velasco and Detective Terry Bruno. The incredible experience celebrated the 25th anniversary of the beloved series with photo opportunities, complimentary beverages inspired by fan-favorite characters from the Benson & Co. Coffee truck, and much more.
Created by Emmy Award-winning producer Dick Wolf, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit is the longest-running live-action primetime series in the history of American television. Now in its 25th anniversary season on NBC, this hard-hitting and emotional series chronicles the lives of the Special Victims Unit of the New York City Police Department, an elite squad of detectives who investigate crimes of sexual assault, child abuse, and domestic violence.
Thinking back to your very first day on set, what is one memory that sticks out?
Octavio Pisano: Meeting Mariska Hargitay and Ice-T after we did our first scene together. That was surreal.
Kevin Kane: My first day on set… they asked me what kind of badge should I wear, should I put the badge on here [my side] or the badge on here [hanging off my neck], and they already had it on a chain and I didn’t wanna, so I said, “Oh, just give me that.” But when I put it on, I was like, “Whoa,” because I’ve been on this show before and [it] ended in handcuffs.
And I mean, 25 years, what a legacy for a show to have. What do you hope your characters add to the legacy that is Law & Order because you have a whole universe here with Law & Order, SVU, and Organized Crime?
Kane: Yeah. I mean, it’s 25 years. I just hope that I can help keep up and do my part to keep it as great as it’s been.
Pisano: At this point, it’s like coming in the fourth quarter and just not wanting to drop the ball.
Well, you definitely don’t. You are both such great additions to the cast. And being here [at Olivia Benson Plaza], what has been your favorite part to see come to life?
Pisano: The fans, the line around the street. Bizarre.
Kane: I would go to work on the show if it was just for us and nobody watched it. The fact that people just take so much from it is just… you feel lucky.
If you could take anything at all, what would you want to take from set?
Kane: Like, steal something from set?
Pisano: Or borrow? ‘Cause it’s different, I could return it.
Whichever you want to say.
Pisano: Some of my jackets.
Kane: Can I repeat an answer? I’m gonna say the badge.
Pisano: That’s a good one. I didn’t know, it’s like, I can’t walk around with a badge, you know, just wanna take it before I leave set so, it’s a good one.
Kane: Take it with me, in case nobody believes me.
New episodes of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit air Thursdays on NBC at 9 PM ET. You can also stream on Peacock.