Elizabeth Mitchell Reflects On Working With Mariska Hargitay On Law & Order: SVU - Exclusive
As Dr. Juliet Burke on the cult-hit series "Lost," Elizabeth Mitchell became a scene-stealing star — and her onscreen prowess hasn't stopped there. In fact, Mitchell has once again stolen the show on Season 1 of CBS' "FBI: International" as Angela Cassidy, the estranged mother of Scott Forrester, FBI special agent and head of the Fly Team, played by Luke Kleintank ("Bones," "Pretty Little Liars").
In between those two gigs, Mitchell has appeared on numerous high-profile series, from the "V" reboot to "Once Upon a Time." But one of the more interesting aspects of her career has been the fact that she played two different characters on "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" — eight years apart. One character, murderer Andrea Brown, came before "Lost" in 2003, and the other, the victimized June Frye, came after in 2011.
During an exclusive interview with Looper, Mitchell recalled appearing on "SVU," especially what it was like to work with "SVU" star Mariska Hargitay. Here's what she had to say.
Hargitay creates a 'very warm environment' behind the scenes of SVU
Mariska Hargitay has starred on "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" since its very first season, which aired 23 years ago. So she has obviously seen a lot of guest stars come and go, but she still remains "gracious," according to Elizabeth Mitchell.
"Mariska's the best lead I can think of," said Mitchell. "She is kind, she is smart, she is absolutely 100% ready to go. Watching her and the way that she runs her set is a real joy."
As for what Hargitay and the "SVU" set were like in real life, Mitchell pointed out the stark contrast between the dark, weighty material the show tackles and the upbeat atmosphere backstage.
"[Mariska] creates a very warm environment when you're backstage or in your dressing room," she said. "I remember, I was there with my younger son, and she was playing with him on the floor, and took us bowling. [It was] such a lovely, warm environment, even with all the hard stuff that happens on screen."
As for Mitchell's performances these days, you can watch her on Season 1 of CBS' "FBI: International" and the upcoming Netflix series "First Kill," which premieres June 10.