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Why Mariska Hargitay's TV Son Wants This SVU Villain to Make a Return
Ryan Buggle, who's played Benson's son since 2017, says he'd like to see this character back.
What a dream it must be to grow up on the set of a legendary series like Law & Order: Specials Victims Unit. For Ryan Buggle, who plays Noah, the adopted son of Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay), that's just a regular work week. Since his casting in Season 19, Buggle has worked with a rotating door of talented guest stars. And there's one he'd like to see come back. A villain!
People recently asked Buggle who he'd like to see as an SVU guest star, and he had two answers: 1. Tom Holland of Spider-Man fame, and 2. Brooke Shields, who played Noah's evil grandmother in Season 19.
After showing some love for his idol, Holland, Buggle told People, "I would also like to have Brooke Shields on again. I would love to see what my grandma's been up to."
A reminder for those who haven't watched Season 19 in a minute: Shields played Shiela Porter, Noah's estranged biological grandmother. After reentering Noah's life under Benson's careful guidance, Shiela became possessive to the point of kidnapping Noah. Always the badass, Benson tracked Sheila and Noah down lickety-split, but it was a traumatic ordeal for everyone involved. The last time SVU fans heard of her, Shiela was still behind bars for her horrific actions.
Buggle describes working closely with Hargitay as "like a dream." "My favorite part of being on set is definitely creating the friendships that I have, the friends and family," Buggle says. "Something recently I learned about acting—from Mariska, actually—is to always act with your heart and come from a real natural place."
As the founder of the Joyful Heart Foundation, that checks out for Hargitay. Buggle adds, "My favorite thing about her is that whenever we're on set, it's always an acting class. I really love her kindness..."
Buggle also reveals that the Noah-Benson bond is just as lively as the Hargitay-Buggle one. He humorously shares, "Mariska definitely knows me, Ryan, because sometimes when we're filming a scene, instead of saying 'Noah,' she's like, 'Oh, Ryan.' Then she's like, 'Oh, I messed up!'"
We can't get over this SVU duo's cuteness!
