Kelli Giddish returned to Law & Order: SVU in season 25 as Amanda Rollins, but that doesn't necessarily mean she will be back on the show for good. Amanda Rollins was part of the Law & Order: SVU team from season 13 to season 24, but then she was quickly removed from the show. In season 24, Rollins suddenly announces that she has married Dominick "Sonny" Carisi (Peter Scanavino) and will be leaving the Special Victims Unit to become an adjunct professor of Criminal Behavior at Fordham University.
Rollins was a talented detective within the unit and losing her was a big blow — not just for the characters, but for Giddish as well, who did not intend to leave the series. Giddish was negotiating for fairer compensation and when the salary disputes weren't resolved, she was pushed out. It was such an issue that even SVU veteran Mariska Hargitay could not stop Giddish from being dismissed. However, fans got a welcome surprise when the character returned for a few episodes in season 25, but they'd be wise not to read too much into it.
Kelli Giddish's Amanda Rollins Returned For Two Episodes Of Law & Order: SVU Season 25
Rollins Had A Crucial Role In Episode 11, "Prima Nocta"
Amanda Rollins appeared in two episodes of season 25, episode 1, "Tunnel Blind", and episode 11, "Prima Nocta". In the season premiere, the gang comes together to celebrate the christening of Rollins and Carisi’s baby, a boy named Nicky. It's only a small appearance, but it was still a welcome surprise to see Rollins. It's in episode 11 that Rollins receives a more outsized role. Here, it's revealed that Rollins grew bored with her teaching job. She even refused tenure and quit the job altogether.
Available to freelance, Rollins returns to the Special Victims Unit to help with a case involving a runaway bride who calls the SVU for help on her wedding day. Rollins slots right back into the team in this episode. It's like she never even left. The episode provides a stark reminder of how important Giddish's character is to the show. She is one of the few female characters on the team who deals with heinous crimes, often targeted at women. In "Prima Nocta", the bride only feels comfortable opening up to another woman, an important note the show makes.
Rollins is a layered and realistic character who has overcome plenty of struggles in her time on the show, like her gambling addiction. She's a core member of the team and "Prima Nocta" proves how much better everyone gels with her around.
It's Unclear If Giddish Will Return To SVU (As A Cast Member Or Guest Star)
Kelli Giddish Has Not Spoken About Her Season 25 Guest Appearances Either
It's unclear if Kelli Giddish will return for Law & Order: SVU season 26 or if her appearances in season 25 were one-offs. After season 24, Giddish spoke about her departure from the show, though carefully danced around any issues regarding salary negotiations. She said about returning to the series (via Variety),
"The door is un-shut. The world that Dick Wolf has created with all these shows now — I mean, the crossovers that happen, the people that come back. Chris Meloni was gone for 12 years and then his character came back. S. Epatha [Merkerson] is on "Chicago Med." These these characters are so beloved and so well-defined, because you get to see them day in and day out. We’re in people’s living rooms. So the audience loves these characters, they know us. Dick Wolf has got such a fertile universe that’s going on, that people can pop up in different places. That’s really a cool thing that he’s created."
Now this was before season 25, so the door being un-shut could refer to her guest appearances and the door could very well be shut at this point. Sadly, it seems like Kelli Giddish won't return to Law & Order: SVU for season 26. If she was going to, she probably would have appeared in at least one more season 25 episode. Rollins wasn't even in the finale. Fans should probably just hope for some guest appearances, like in season 25, because that seems more likely for Amanda Rollins' future in the show.
