“Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” has been running since 1999, and Ice-T has been there since almost the beginning.
The rapper turned a four-episode stint in the show’s second season into a permanent role as Detective Odafin “Fin” Tutuola. Nearly 30 years later, as the show gears up for the premiere of its 28th season, Ice-T sat down to talk about his career and the cultural impact of “Law & Order: SVU” at the Variety Experience and Culture Summit: The IRL Advantage presented by OUTFRONT.
Ice-T recalled being told he was the longest-running actor in U.S. television history after 21 seasons of “SVU.” He attributed the show’s staying power to the nature of the series: “First off, it’s a whodunit. Everybody loves a whodunit. Secondly, it’s not only entertainment; it’s also therapy.”
His co-star Mariska Hargitay created the Joyful Heart Foundation in 2004 to support survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence and child abuse. Ice-T described the thank-yous he has received from women who saw justice served on the show that they might not have seen in real life, and said he was proud to be part of something that has been so impactful.
Ice-T credits his musician background as helping him know how to interact with fans. Music is also where his passion still lies. “For me to be in films and television is fun, but doing music is a whole ‘nother thing because I write, produce and direct the whole thing.”
He and Hargitay branched out into another realm with a Capital One commercial that aired during the Emmys — which Hargitay hosted. It was something Ice-T had done before, but his co-star had not. Still, he joked that she was “the star of the show” while filming the spot.
The “SVU” crew also pretaped an Emmys sketch with Taylor Swift, which Ice-T likened to filming with then-Vice President Joe Biden during Season 18. “When you meet — I hate to say the word — the stars, you can tell they’re special,” he said. Swift’s cat, named after Hargitay’s Olivia Benson character, also made a cameo in the sketch. Ice-T joked that the cat must have been high on catnip, but both star and feline were “mad cool.”
After so many years in the industry, Ice-T said what keeps him engaged is seeing his family happy. “All this other stuff, I’ve kind of been there, done that. Got the T-shirt,” he said. “I’ve achieved the accolades. I’ve done all this stuff.” He added, “I’m on a treadmill, but I’m on a good treadmill, and I want to stay on it.”
The conversation with Ice-T was preceded by a panel discussing the power of culture and NBC’s 100th anniversary, moderated by Savannah Sellers, NBC News NOW anchor and NBC News correspondent. Joining Sellers were Mark Marshall, chairman of advertising and partnerships at NBCUniversal; Rachael Zaluzec, chief marketing officer at Volkswagen and Julie Scelzo, chief creative officer at Xfinity.
For Marshall, the compelling part of the brand equity that comes with an anniversary like NBC’s centennial is the generational aspect. “We have 22-year-olds who start every week at our company, and they all get in the elevator and take a picture of the peacock carpeting,” he said. Although people consume NBC’s content in different ways than in 1926, they still consume it.
It’s a cultural moment like this that makes Zaluzec eager to get involved. Volkswagen created a commercial in partnership with “SNL’s” 50th anniversary last year in a spin on the classic “The Californians” sketch.
At Xfinity, Scelzo sees these moments as an avenue to tap into culture in a relevant way: “When I really look beyond the idea of connecting you to stories of love throughout 100 years, we are literally the connection into your home to connect you to culture.”
Zaluzec emphasized the importance of maintaining authenticity while capitalizing on cultural moments. Following up the “SNL” 50 ad, she said, was about creating something that served VW’s needs now.
“You can’t force yourself into the moment, right?” Scelzo echoed. “You’re going to have to earn your right to be there.”
Xfinity sponsored a countdown clock to NBCUniversal’s 100th anniversary special on Dec. 10. “It’s one thing to capitalize on the moment,” Szelco said of the activation. “It’s another way to show up in a way that feels meaningful.”
Marshall emphasized the unique nature of a collective experience, particularly across generations. “Streaming had become kind of a siloed event,” he said. “Part of the reason live is having this rebirth is it’s a communal experience.”