Ice-T gives major update on his character Fin in ‘Law & Order: SVU’: ‘Next season, I’m going to…’
'Law & Order: Special Victims Unit' fans have another reason to look forward to Season 28. The show's next installment is set to bring back a fan-favorite character who was absent from most of the action at the 16th Precinct in Season 27. Ice-T's Sergeant Odafin 'Fin' Tutuola had a notably shorter stint in the show's latest season, which aired from September 2025 to May of this year on NBC. The 68-year-old star has played Sergeant Odafin 'Fin' Tutuola at the New York Police Department's Special Victims Unit since Season 2, way back in 2000. Fin has appeared in more than 450 episodes of 'SVU,' making him the second-most frequently appearing character in the long-running police-procedural drama, after Mariska Hargitay's Olivia Benson.
On July 12, Ice-T spoke to Towanda Robinson on 'The TMZ Podcast' about why his fan-favorite role was cut back in 'Law & Order: SVU' Season 27. Fin was attacked by con artists in the premiere episode and spent most of the season recovering from his injuries, undergoing an extensive physical and mental rehabilitation. Throughout the ordeal, Olivia Benson stayed supportive of her longtime colleague, asking him to take his time to recover fully before returning to the police force. After a long absence, Fin finally returned in the last three episodes of Season 27. The famous rapper and actor revealed that his role was significantly reduced because the producers decided to use the funds to bring back Kelli Giddish's character, Detective Amanda Rollins. He said, "Last year, what happened was, you know, they brought Kelli Giddish back. So they told me, you know, basically, we’re going to bring Kelli Giddish back. We’re going to bring your scenes down a little bit."
Ice-T shared that he was supportive of the decision as he was equally excited to have Kelli back on the set of 'SVU.' He added that he used the free time to focus on his other ventures and expand his business empire. Furthermore, he promised 'SVU' fans that he will be present in every episode of Season 28, which is set to air this fall on NBC. "This next season I'm gonna be in every episode, but it was one of those things where the boss comes to you and you don't go, well, I've been on here 27 seasons, you're gonna do this, you know, you're saying, I got it... I got it, it's all good." Furthermore, Giddish had joined the popular NBC drama in Season 13, but she exited the series in the middle of Season 24, in December 2022. However, she continued to make several guest appearances in seasons 25 and 26 of 'SVU.' She has returned as a full-time cast member in Season 27, to the delight of her longtime fans. Season 28 will see both Fin and Rollins joining Benson and her team as they continue to bring the city's worst criminals to justice.
Season 28 of 'Law & Order: SVU' is set to air this fall on October 8 on NBC and will comprise 21 new episodes. The upcoming season will also feature the milestone 600th episode. The next installment will see the return of 'SVU' mainstays like Mariska Hargitay as Captain Olivia Benson, Peter Scanavino as Assistant District Attorney Dominick 'Sonny' Carisi, Jr., Kevin Kane as Detective Terry Bruno, Aimé Donna Kelly as Captain Renee Curry, Corey Cott as Detective Jake Griffin, in addition to Fin and Rollins.
