Law & Order: SVU’s Peter Scanavino Opens Up About the 'Cathartic Release' of His First Kiss with Kelli Giddish (Exclusive)

Warning: This story contains spoilers from the fall finale on November 21 Law and order: SVU.

After all their ups and downs, Peter Scanavino is happy that his character, Dominick “Sonny” Carisi, and Detective Amanda Rollins are happily ever after.

While it is Law and order: SVU star admits he didn’t think their romance was “really intentional” when Carisa was first introduced in season 16, says he and Kelli Giddish’s real-life chemistry helped move their story in that direction on screen.

“It’s just a result of Kelli and I working really well together,” Scanavino tells PEOPLE of her co-star. “We were friends off camera and I think there was always a connection there and then it seemed like the only place you could go.”

Peter Scanavino and Kelli Giddish in ‘Law & Order: SVU.’, Season 22, Episode 14. Virginia Sherwood/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty

Their relationship culminated in season 22 amid what Scanavino describes as a “tipping point.” The two finally kissed at the upcoming wedding of Sergeant Odafina “Fin” Tutuola (Ice-T) and Phoebe Baker (Jennifer Esposito) after Rollins made the first move.

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“I remember reading the scene … where we kiss for the first time and it felt like a kind of catharsis,” he recalls. “And I’m glad it stayed healthy.”

Their relationship continued to develop over the years and in season 24 they were married in a courthouse wedding in front of Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay), Detective Joe Velasco (Octavio Pisano) and Finn.

However, it wasn’t always the couple’s happiest moments, as evidenced by the season 26 fall finale airing on November 21, in which Carisi finds herself in the middle of a hostage situation while trying to protect herself and two women trapped in a deli.

Peter Scanavino in ‘Law & Order: SVU.’, Season 26, Episode 8.

Peter Kramer/NBC

Scanavino says that the filming of the episode took place over several days and in rare cases, in sequence.

“It seemed like every scene was some intense situation that my character had to figure out how to get out of or what to do or think on the fly, and then that would lead to an even more intense situation, which would lead to an even more intense situation,” he says. about the episode.

“The whole thing just felt relentless,” he continues, later adding, “And it was physically demanding, just to maintain that level of tension inside the deli.”

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At the end of the episode, we see Carisi, who has survived a traumatic event, having dinner with his wife and Benson who suggests that he see a therapist after what he has been through. However, Rollins says that path is not for him.

Kelli Giddish in ‘Law & Order: SVU.’ season 26, episode 8.

Peter Kramer/NBC

Scanavino says “help can come in many different forms” and while he’s not sure what that will look like for Carisi, “obviously Rollins will be there for him in whatever way he needs to.”

“The consequences of this episode and this event that he is going through, were not resolved very quickly,” he says. “It’s something he’ll have to deal with for the rest of the season.”

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Season 26 of Law and order: SVU will return Thursday, January 16 at 9:00 PM ET on NBC.

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Source: HIS Education