For LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT fans, the semi-late renewal of the series came as a bit of a stress — especially since the mothership was abruptly canceled in 2010 with no proper resolution/intended series finale.

After NBC Chairman Bob Greenblatt participated in the NBC exec session during the Television Critics Association press tour, I asked him how important it was to end the franchise — eventually — on the right note.

“I think it’s always important to end these franchises [on a proper note],” Greenblatt said. “And we try to do that. I think we’re doing that with PARKS AND REC, we’re doing it with PARENTHOOD, we did it with 30 ROCK. You can’t always do it, but I think a show like that — look, I didn’t know if it would last beyond another year when I arrived. It’s one of the oldest shows on television, and I think it’s still one of the best: it grew 20 percent last year. And [series star] Mariska [Hargitay] still wanted to do it. They’re still telling great stories.”

But how long will the show go on?

“I don’t know,” he admitted. “We take it one year at a time.”

Source

Viacom and its Velocity division had the privilege to work with Mariska Hargitay, of Law & Order: SVU fame, on a series of public service announcements addressing domestic violence and sexual assault. The mission of the PSAs is to dispel the stigma and disrupt the silence around these issues that are so critical and relevant for our audiences. In partnership with the NO MORE campaign, we produced the spots with celebrity talent from across the company. These issues affect everyone, so we wanted to use the whole spectrum of VIACOM’s bold voices to reach all of our brands’ fans. I must say, watching Mariska direct this campaign blew me away. Her passion, grace, support—and compassion—for the people participating in the PSA left me deeply moved and hugely inspired. She actually had that effect on everyone, from the celebrities in front of the camera to the people behind the scenes, everyone was just so moved by her care and commitment. In advance of the spots’ release, I spoke with Mariska about the creative process for the PSAs, her experiences founding the Joyful Heart Foundation and what it’s really like working with Viacom.

What inspired you to found the Joyful Heart Foundation?
MH: When I started doing research for my role on SVU, I was floored by the statistics on the prevalence of sexual assault and domestic violence. I think my first reaction was, “Wait, this can’t be”— but of course it is. I knew right away that I wanted to do something about it, but the thing that really moved me to action was the letters that started coming to me from viewers. First there were a few, then more, then hundreds, and thousands since then. The women and men writing the letters didn’t ask for an autograph or a headshot. They disclosed their stories of abuse. I was holding in my hands the stories behind the statistics that I had learned. I was proud to be on a show that was brave enough to go into territory that no one was talking about, but I also knew I wanted to respond in a more complete way, to do more to help survivors heal and reclaim their lives. So the Joyful Heart Foundation was my response. Since I started Joyful Heart in 2004, we’ve raised more than $14 million in private funds, directly served over 13,000 survivors and the professionals who care for them, and connected with over a million individuals through education and awareness initiatives. We’ve also championed critical legislation and policy reforms to pursue justice for survivors, including the All-Crimes DNA law in New York State, the first of its kind in the country. And we’re at the forefront of the movement to test the hundreds of thousands of untested sexual assault evidence collection kits—known as “rape kits”—sitting in police storage and crime lab facilities across the country.

The spots are very powerful. Can you talk about the creative for it?
MH: Let me give you a little context first. For the first time in history, the domestic violence and sexual assault movements are coming together under one symbol and one unifying message: “NO MORE. Together we can end domestic violence and sexual assault.” You can’t overstate the significance of that unity. Because these issues have been so underfunded, organizations have had to stand out—and, by definition, stand alone—to receive support: “We’re not like that organization over there, so please honor our grant request, and not theirs.” It’s not that explicitly stated, but that’s the spirit in which they’ve had no choice but to work. But that is changing. It’s not a coincidence that the first word in the NO MORE declaration is “Together.” That’s very good news for those working to end this violence. At the same time, that unity is bad news for perpetrators. They benefit from silence, from a spirit of scarcity in the movement, from fractured efforts against them. To all of that, we say: NO MORE. Over the next three years, the PSA campaign will roll out across the country in local and national markets via print, broadcast, online and outdoor advertising, in movie theaters across the country, and in major airports and medical facilities. In other words, it will be impossible to ignore. It will also allow us to develop new and meaningful partnerships with visionary organizations like Viacom to spread this message. And most importantly, it will give the field of hardworking organizations that have done so much with so little over the past 40 years a tool to highlight and validate their own work, their own local media relationships, and their own fight to be heard. I’ve had so many advocates tell me how emboldened they feel by being able to point to a NO MORE billboard and saying, “That’s the work I do. Right there. That’s the team I’m on. And we’re all over the country, and we have people in the highest offices of government with us, and advocates like me, and athletes, actors, musicians, and citizens everywhere. And getting stronger every day.”

What was it like directing an emotional spot around such a difficult issue?
MH: Directing the NO MORE PSAs was a dream come true. To be honest, it’s been one of the most meaningful experiences of my life. What we saw during the filming, brave and strong and authentic person after person, was people standing up for each other, for the people they love, for their partners, wives, husbands, children, friends, mothers and fathers, for people they’ve never met, for themselves. I was just moved beyond words.

Why is NO MORE as a movement so important to you?
MH: Society still misplaces the shame and stigma on survivors—it’s embedded in the way we think and talk about these issues—and it has to end. A vital goal of NO MORE is to lift that shame and stigma, to liberate the conversation from the attitudes that have suppressed it for so long. Once the conversation begins, the depth of people’s concern about sexual assault and domestic violence has a chance to emerge. But those same people haven’t had a way to demonstrate publicly that these are issues they think about. That’s where the NO MORE symbol comes in. It’s the simplest, most eloquent way to say, “This matters to me.” You can think of NO MORE as a commitment, a vision, a line drawn, but most of all, it’s a call to action. We are confident that, like the red ribbon did for AIDS and the pink ribbon for breast cancer, NO MORE will break down the barriers that prevent people from talking about these issues. The question that so many people have—that practically everyone has—is “What can I do about this?” And the answer is “TALK.” You will pull these issues out of the margins; you will move these issues higher up on the political agenda; you will help lift misplaced shame and stigma; you will help create a society where it is easier for survivors to come forward; you will shrink the sphere of operation in which perpetrators can commit these crimes with impunity. You can say a little or a lot, but TALK. And the NO MORE symbol starts the conversation.

Tell me what you really thought about your experience working with Viacom. How was the process of combining your vision with other creative and production teams?
MH: I am so grateful to you and your team for being so willing to just go there – to think with us, dream really big with us, and to embrace NO MORE wholeheartedly. I cannot wait to see the new PSAs broadcast across your networks this summer: MTV, Spike, Comedy Central, TV Land, BET, and so on. So much has gone into NO MORE, so many people have stepped up, and I’m hard pressed to tell you how moving and inspiring it is to me to have the people of Viacom—with their reach and influence—put their shoulders to this wheel. All of it fills me with so much confidence and renewed hope.

What do you hope audiences take away from these PSAs?
MH: As I said earlier, perpetrators of violence have relied on the fact that the movement to stop them would not come together. They depend on our silence to keep doing what they do. And so we say to them in one collective voice: NO MORE. We will not be silent any longer.

For more on the great work the Joyful Heart Foundation is doing to heal, educate and empower, check out their website here.

Source

THE 15TH YEAR OF THE LONG-RUNNING SERIES THAT CHRONICLES THE LIFE AND CRIMES OF THE SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT OF THE NYPD IS COMING TO DVD! Created by Dick Wolf (Law & Order), and starring Emmy Award winner Mariska Hargitay. Co-starring Danny Pino, Ice-T, Kelli Giddish and Raul Esparza. All episodes from the 15th year of the hard-hitting series.

A 5-DVD set has been announced for Law & Order: Special Victims Unit – The 15th Year, scheduled to be in stores September 23rd. Priced at $44.98 SRP, the episodes include guest stars like Lauren Ambrose, Leslie Odom Jr., Ashanti, Clay Aiken, Taylor Hicks, Shiri Appleby, Greg Germann, Mel Harris, Chazz Palminteri, Rosanna Arquette, John Benjamin Hickey, Constance Shulman, Jonathan Silverman, Laura Wiggins, Sophia Bush, Donal Logue, Alec Baldwin, Katie Couric, Bradley Whitford, Samantha Mathis, Jeffrey Tambor, Ann Curry, Geraldo Rivera, Emma Greenwell and others. Here’s the cover art featuring Mariska Hargitay, and an Amazon pre-order here.

The Wrap released a short behind the scenes video to YouTube and you can watch it below. You can read the article here. I posted the scans and a few outtakes which you can view here and here.

USA NETWORK TO AIR SECOND LAW & ORDER: SVU “NO MORE EXCUSES” MARATHON TO RAISE AWARENESS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND SEXUAL ASSAULT AS PART OF ONGOING PARTNERSHIP WITH JOYFUL HEART FOUNDATION AND THE NO MORE CAMPAIGN

8-Hour Marathon Hosted by SVU Current and Former Cast Members, Featuring a New Special Call to Action by Chris Meloni for More Men to Help Stop Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault

USA Network has teamed up with Mariska Hargitay’s Foundation, Joyful Heart, and the NO MORE campaign for the second “No More Excuses” marathon to raise awareness of domestic violence and sexual assault. The eight-hour marathon on Sunday, June 22 from 3pm – 11pm ET will feature custom wraps from “Law And Order: SVU” veteran Chris Meloni as well as current stars Mariska Hargitay, Ice-T, Danny Pino and Kelli Giddish. The wraps and complimentary digital content will raise awareness of domestic violence and sexual assault, offer help to male and female victims, and encourage more men to get involved and be part of the solution.

“Engaging men is a crucial part of the movement to address and, one day, end sexual assault, domestic violence and child abuse,” said Mariska Hargitay. “I am so grateful to USA for their courage, vision and generosity in joining us to involve men in saying NO MORE. Being part of NO MORE from the beginning has been a great privilege. We must confront the myths and excuses that perpetuate violence and abuse. Society continues to misplace shame and blame on survivors – both women and men. That has to end.”

NO MORE is a public awareness movement focused on domestic violence and sexual assault prevention. Supported by the major national and local organizations working to address these urgent issues, the goal of the NO MORE PSA campaign is to help normalize the conversation and break the social stigma surrounding domestic violence and sexual assault. By increasing visibility and fostering more dialogue, NO MORE seeks to change social norms, improve public policies, and generate more resources dedicated to prevention. More information is available at www.nomore.org.

During each episode, viewers will be encouraged to seek out additional information and resources online, including national help hotlines to speak with trained counselors and advocates. Throughout the day, USA, the Joyful Heart Foundation, and NO MORE also will use social media platforms to encourage conversation and inspire greater action to stop and prevent domestic violence and sexual assault.

Read More

As you can see we have a new theme here at Mariska-Online.com. I was waiting for the Wrap magazine to be released so I can put up the new layout. I hope you like the new look! If you spot any errors please let me know so I can fix them. Feel free to let me know what you think in the comments

Mariska is on the cover of this week’s Emmy Wrap issue and you can find the scans below. Also added a few outtakes from this shoot.

Emmy Wrap- June 16, 2014

Emmy Wrap Outtakes

I uploaded an outtake from the No More Campaign as well as two shoots from an unknown date. I’m going to guess it’s an older shoot by the looks of it. Enjoy!

Photo Shoot #1

No More Campaign Outtake

Mariska & Peter attended a party by The Wrap at TheGrill NYC. Pictures are in the gallery.

The Wrap Party at the Grill NYC
June 12, 2014

“You know, I think it’s really interesting that these two characters kind of came into my life around the same time,” said Pablo Schreiber during our recent webcam chat (watch below) about his villainous turns in “Orange is the New Black” and “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.” “I think that these two roles came at a very specific time in my life when I think it was essential for me … to expose and hopefully expunge a little bit of my darker side.”

He expressed that darker side in two very different ways: in a comic role as a corrupt prison guard known as “Pornstache” in “Orange,” and in a dramatic role as depraved serial rapist William Lewis on “SVU,” both of which are being entered for Emmy consideration for guest acting.

He readily admits it was easier for him to tackle a villainous role in a comedy; laughter broke the tension of his character’s nefarious deeds. “Comedy is like the great release valve,” he said, and he found he also had great affection for Pornstache: “I love that guy … He puts up these walls and acts out and behaves in the only way he knows how, which is just being a shit-head. But underneath all that bluster I think is a really, really sensitive and lovable guy.”

His role on “SVU” was much darker, and he credits much of the success of his story arc to the working relationship he developed with Mariska Hargitay during their on-screen battle of wits: “I think that’s really what made it such a memorable saga is the fact that there was this chemistry between these two people that were kind of inevitably drawn to one another, and although what was happening between them was horrid and frightening and terrible, underneath it all there was this very strange, compelling chemistry.”

“SVU” is the last remaining “Law & Order” series still producing new episodes, and Schreiber, who made appearances on the original series and “Criminal Intent” as well as “SVU,” laments their ending: “Money hasn’t always been easy to come by. In those early years, you’re a young actor … you’re getting paid 300 bucks a week to do a play, and just hoping that you’ll be able to make this career work at some point, and the ‘Law & Orders’ – that was it. That was kind of what got us by.”

After having played such dark roles, Schreiber is ready for a change of pace: “Comedy is definitely on the table next for me, something light and fun.” His next project is “The Brink,” a half-hour comedy for HBO co-starring Jack Black and Tim Robbins.

In the meantime, will he pick up a pair of Emmy nominations this year for “Orange is the New Black” and “Law & Order: SVU”? Watch our complete interview here and make your Comedy Guest Actor predictions.