Ice-T Explains Why His Character Has Been Missing from 'Law & Order: SVU' This Season

Sergeant Odafin "Fin" Tutuola hasn't been as regular of a presence on Law & Order: SVU this season. Ice-T, the rapper-turned-actor who has played the character on 26 seasons of the police procedural, has an explanation for why his character has had a reduced role—and he says everything is okay. 

Fin, who after Mariska Hargitay's Captain Olivia Benson is one of the most beloved characters on the long-running Law & Order spin-off, having been a fixture since the second season in 2000, has only appeared in half of the Season 27 episodes that have aired so far. In an interview with TMZ, Ice-T explained that it's because of budget constraints. Kelli Giddish, who played detective Amanda Rollins from Seasons 13 until she was written off in season 24, returned to the series full-time. Having both Giddish and Ice-T in every episode would've tested the show's budget. 

"It’s just basically business. They brought Kelli back. At the end of the day, they couldn’t keep both of us on both times, as far as budget-wise,” Ice-T said. “They said, ‘Ice, we’ll have you come in and out this year.’ Everybody wanted Kelli back. We have new cops."

Ice-T Says The Reduced Role Is Fine With Him and He's Not Leaving SVU

There are no hard feelings between Ice-T and the SVU creators, and he has no plan on turning in his badge and his gun anytime soon.

"This year, they said, ‘Ice, we’re going to work you a little less.’ Everything was cool with me. I understood," Ice-T explained. "I said, ‘Are you getting rid of me?’ They said, ‘No way. We can’t imagine “Law and Order” without you. 

“I’ve been on this show for 27 years," he continued. I am not going to say anything negative about this show. They have taken care of me for so long. I’m trying to get to Season 28.”

Looking even more on the bright side, Ice-T said having more time off the show gave him a chance to work on his music. "Give me free time, I find free dime," he quipped to TMZ.

And, he added, it was nice to hear that fans were missing Sgt. Tutuola on their screens. “Don’t worry about me. I am kind of glad the fans are upset. What if I was missing and nobody cared?”