NBC Insider Exclusive

Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive show news, updates, and more!

Sign Up For Free to View
NBC Insider Law & Order Franchise

SVU's Peter Scanavino Is Unrecognizable with Shaggy Brown Pop Star Hair and Bangs

This 2011-era photo of Scanavino will have you playing Justin Bieber throwbacks in no time.

By Jessica White
Carisi Gets Held Hostage Inside a Freezer | Law & Order: SVU | NBC
Video thumbnail
Now Playing
1:22
Highlight
Carisi Gets Held Hostage Inside a Freezer | Law & Order: SVU | NBC
Video thumbnail
1:17
Highlight
Benson Praises Velasco's Leadership in Solving a Rape Case | Law & Order: SVU | NBC
Video thumbnail
1:16
Highlight
Did an Underage Teen Intentionally Drug the Woman He Slept With? | Law & Order: SVU | NBC
Video thumbnail
1:59
Highlight
Guest Star John Stamos: Could a Nanny's Wealthy Boyfriend Be a Kidnapper? | Law & Order: SVU | NBC
Video thumbnail
0:38
Highlight
Guest Star Will Arnett: Stabler and Benson Question a Squash Hobbyist | Law & Order: SVU
Video thumbnail
0:59
Highlight
Squad Unpacks a Rape Case That Happened in Times Square | Law & Order: SVU | NBC
Video thumbnail
1:39
Highlight
Guest Star Meghann Fahy: Why Did a Mother Abandon Her Daughter? | Law & Order: SVU | NBC
Video thumbnail
1:15
Highlight
Guest Star Adam Driver: A Pervert Confirms His Alibi with Camera Footage | Law & Order: SVU | NBC
Video thumbnail
1:17
Highlight
Benson and the Squad Make a Plan After Getting the Sketch of a Rapist | Law & Order: SVU | NBC
Video thumbnail
1:31
Highlight
Benson Fights with Carisi About Making a Deal with a Pedophile | Law & Order: SVU | NBC
Video thumbnail
1:35
Highlight
Benson and Carisi Meet with Baxter | Law & Order: SVU | NBC
Video thumbnail
39:36
Web Exclusive
Carisi and Rollins' Relationship Timeline | Law & Order: SVU | NBC
Video thumbnail
0:42
Highlight
Guest Star Laverne Cox: Gym Manager Has Suspicions About Her Employee | Law & Order: SVU | NBC
Video thumbnail
41:10
Web Exclusive
The Best of Fin Pt. 2 | Law & Order: SVU | NBC
Video thumbnail
4:28
Highlight
Guest Star Whoopi Goldberg: Barba Grills a Social Worker on the Stand | Law & Order: SVU | NBC
Video thumbnail
1:01
Highlight
Benson Confronts CEO About Turning a Blind Eye to Sexual Assault | Law & Order: SVU | NBC
Video thumbnail
1:56
Highlight
Carisi and Rollins Make Out at Their Baby's Christening | Law & Order: SVU | NBC
Video thumbnail
1:19
Highlight
Guest Star Whoopi Goldberg: Social Worker Is Vague About Deadly Details | Law & Order: SVU | NBC

Applauded far and wide for his role as ADA Sonny Carisi in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Peter Scanavino is a certified franchise fan favorite, but long before his days of serving justice in the courtroom, the SVU star sported a very different hairdo.

How to Watch

Watch Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Thursdays at 9/8c on NBC and next day on Peacock.

The SVU detective-turned-ADA is a suited and booted man; if he's not smartly dressed for the courtroom, Carisi is likely having a bad day. But long before he joined the squad room in 2014, Scanavino was rocking a boy band look. That's right, once upon a time, Scanavino had shaggy hair, swoop bangs, the whole circa-2011 pop star shebang, and SVU fans won't want to miss out on pictures from the era.

RELATED: Everything to Know About Sonny Carisi on Law & Order: SVU

Check out this throwback photo of the actor taken long before his days of serving justice in the courtroom.

Peter Scanavino looked so different in 2011

Between Carisi's effortless charm and passionate persona, SVU fans always love a check-in from Scanavino. In honor of his tenth anniversary with his wife, Lisha Bai, the SVU star took to social media to share a blast-from-the-past picture of the couple that will have fans buzzing over his transformation. The photo, taken in 2011, shows a very different side of the actor as he sports messy, shaggy brown hair with in-his-face bangs. Needless to say, the photo is a stark contrast to Carisi's polished silver fox appearance in Dick Wolf's smash drama.

"Married ten years today," Scanavino captioned the X post (formerly Twitter). "Meeting Lisha is the best thing that ever happened to me. Happy anniversary!! @LishaHBai."

RELATED: All About SVU's Peter Scanavino and His Wife, Lisha Bai

While the post was flooded with best wishes for the couple's anniversary, some SVU fans commented on the now 44-year-old's drastically different style from a decade prior. "Omg baby Peter! You look so different!" one fan replied, while another commented, "You guys are babiessssss here, happy anniversary!"

Law And Order Oc 404 Peter Scanavino

There's no denying that Scanavino looks downright unrecognizable in the picture. Since teaming up with Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay), he's changed his look quite a bit. Law & Order fans will remember that by the time he became an SVU detective, Scanavino had already guest-starred in several Law & Order episodes across the franchise; so that shag likely lent itself to some versatile characters. Nowadays, the star's shag has delivered some welcomed nostalgia as SVU fans look back on the 2011-era snapshot with delight.

Watch Law & Order: Special Victims Unit on NBC and Peacock.

Sponsored Stories
Recommended by Zergnet