Ice-T Cites SVU Budget for Reduced Role After Giddish Return

Ice-T, the veteran actor and rapper known for portraying Sergeant Odafin "Fin" Tutuola on NBC's "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," has attributed his reduced screen time in the show's 27th season to budget limitations following the return of co-star Kelli Giddish. The 67-year-old performer, whose real name is Tracy Lauren Marrow, shared the explanation in a recent interview with TMZ, noting that producers could not afford to feature both actors full time after Giddish rejoined the cast as Detective Amanda Rollins.

This season, which premiered in the fall of 2025, Ice-T has appeared in only four of the eight episodes aired so far, a sharp decline from his presence in every installment of season 26. "It's just basically business," Ice-T told TMZ. "They brought Kelli back, and at the end of the day, they couldn't really keep both of us on full time, as far as budgetwise. So they said, 'Ice, we'll have you come in and out this year.'" He added that the decision aligned with widespread support for Giddish's comeback, alongside the introduction of new characters to the New York City Police Department's Special Victims Unit.

Ice-T, who joined the series in 2000 during its second...