Did Mariska Harigtay Really Have Drama With One Of Her SVU Co-Stars?

Mariska Hargitay has been the star of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" since it premiered in 1999. Hargitay, who stars as detective Olivia Benson, has earned an Emmy and Golden Globe for her performance in the hit show, which sees her solving crimes alongside a fictional police squad. The crime drama also showcases the criminal law process, led by the show's assistant district attorney. Actor Diane Neal took on that role in Season 5, as the no-nonsense A.D.A. Casey Novak.

Novak previously appeared on the show as a crime victim in Season 3, but her reccurring role as the show's legal figure was the most prominent. However, Neal left the popular show in 2008, as rumors circulated that she was fired from her post. "Rumors are rumors," Neal told TV Guide following her departure. "I love the crew. The crew loves me. We've really gotten along and bonded over these past five years." Neal's exclamation proved to be true, as the actor later returned to the series for a brief time in 2011.

Neal's time on the show, of course, required her to work with the series star, Hargitay, who remains on the team today. And while Neal seemingly had a peaceful return to the crime fighting team for Season 13, some might be surprised to learn that she was previously part of some messy drama involving Hargitay and the rest of the cast.

Despite once praising the team on "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," Diane Neal has since been accused of trashing her former co-stars. According to a lawsuit by Neal's ex-boyfriend, magician JB Benn, Neal reportedly called Mariska Hargitay a "total b***h," per Page Six. The documents cite an email Neal allegedly sent to her former campaign manager Racheal Himsel. Per the lawsuit, Neal also called the entire cast —except for Ice-T — "awful people."

In response to the allegations, Neal deemed the reports "untrue" and vehemently denied ever speaking ill of Hargitay or her other co-stars. "There is no truth to this at all. Most of the people I've worked with are amazing," she said. "Mariska and I were not the closest, but that doesn't mean we have any animosity towards each other, we're still very supportive of each other." Neal added that she had never sent the salacious email despite her ex's claims.

Neal has seemingly retired from acting all together and has sought a career in politics. In 2018, she launched an unsuccessful campaign for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives in New York's 19th congressional district.

While the true state of Mariska Hargitay's relationship with Diane Neal remains unknown, Hargitay does appear to have a very close friendship with the other stars of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit." Kelli Giddish, who joined the show as detective Amanda Rollins in Season 13, called Hargitay one of the funniest people on-set. "She's a ball of energy," Giddish said during a sit-down with Smashing Interviews. "No one could understand how funny that lady is with what is actually portrayed on their TV because Benson's an empathetic, deeply concerned character. That's who she is in real life, but the other facet to her personality is that she's laughing all day every day."

Similarly, Ice-T also gushed over his pal Hargitay during an appearance on "Late Night with Seth Myers." "Behind the scenes, she crazy. She's fun to be with."

And, of course, Hargitay's most famous costar, Christopher Meloni, gushed when presenting her with the Glamour Woman of the Year Award in November 2021. "She's fearless, without the bravado of the warrior stance, but always with the open arms, the open heart," he said (via Us Weekly). "She's a connector of people, because she knows we're all better when we're working together."