Law and Order: Special Victims Unit newcomer Corey Cott had no problem fitting in on set — thanks to Mariska Hargitay.
“We just have a natural connection to the business,” Cott, 35, told Us Weekly exclusively about his costar. “It’s interesting, the more and more I spend time with her, the more I just appreciate her.”
The actor added, “She got SVU, I think, when she was 35 and I’m 35. She really came into her career later on. … She worked really hard before she ‘made it.’ Now, we think of her as an all-time great, but it’s just really interesting to learn about her coming up in the business.”
Cott made his SVU debut as Detective Jake Griffin in October 2025. (SVU die-hards will remember him appearing as a one-off character in a 2016 episode.)
While Detective Griffin — or Griff, as he’s known to viewers — brings a bit of tension to the squadroom, there’s none of that on set.
“I feel like every day I get a master class with her,” Cott continued of Hargitay, 62, who has been playing now-Captain Olivia Benson since 1999.
“When I look to call sheet and I see we have a scene, I’m just so excited. She also challenges us all to be better too,” Cott explained, “I love being challenged and being told like, ‘I don’t believe you do it again.’ She’s not afraid to do that, and I love that. I love getting better every single day. That’s been awesome.”
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Cott called working with Hartigay “a gift” that he didn’t know would be a part of joining the Dick Wolf TV universe, adding that working with her is “simply the best” — and, yes, the former Broadway star sang it for Us.
On a personal level, Cott has “so much respect” for Hargitay as well.
“She’s really a unicorn in this business,” he said. “[She’s] kind, generous, always pursuing the truth in every single moment, every single scene, and also, a wonderful mom and wife.”
Cott will continue to be sharing the screen with Hargitay as SVU continues (the show is currently on its 27th season) because it was announced in January that he was officially upped to a series regular.
Getting that call about his series regular gig was “one of my favorite days in my career,” Cott told Us.
“I was actually on vacation with my family in Florida, and Mariska called me and said, ‘Hey, we’re just so happy to have you here, and just so thankful for the work you’ve been doing and would love to bring you in as a regular.’ It was just such a wonderful feeling that, honestly, hasn’t really left,” the actor recalled. “I am still so excited to go to work every day.”
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This week’s SVU episode — premiering on Thursday, March 5 — is set to put Cott’s Detective Griffin front and center as he has a “personal connection” to the case. Titled “Frequency” the new installment features a family who discover a young boy in danger through their baby monitor. Griffin is prepared to do whatever it takes to save the victim. There also might be an SVU Easter egg for longtime fans.
Cott told Us that he got “very emotional” when reading this script because of the circumstances — and hopes the audience will too. He also teased Griff and Benson coming to a crossroads by the end of the episode.
“I think we made a massive improvement in their trust and relationship,” he said. “I’m excited to see where it continues to flourish for the rest of the season.”
New episodes of Law and Order: SVU premiere via NBC Thursdays at 9 p.m. and are available to stream the next day on Peacock.
