The characters on “Law & Order: SVU” are some of the most well-regarded characters on television, primarily due to excellent writing and acting. Across 28 seasons, six actresses have received Emmy awards for their work on the show. One of those actresses played a character who was specifically written for her.
Bernadette Stabler, the mother of central character Elliot Stabler (Christopher Meloni), was created by showrunner Neal Baer with Ellen Burstyn in mind. When speaking to The Los Angeles Times, Baer said, “We were writing a story for Chris Meloni’s character’s mother, and she was going to be bipolar. Immediately we thought Ellen Burstyn.”
Bernadette’s struggle with bipolar disorder greatly affects her relationship with Elliot. At one point during his childhood, she experienced a manic episode while driving him in the family car and crashed, resulting in his broken arm. She was undiagnosed at the time, and Elliot helped to cover it up.
The role secured Burstyn’s first Primetime Emmy win
Burstyn was no stranger to Primetime Emmy nominations, but throughout her career she’s won only two. Her win for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series was for her role as Bernadette in the season ten episode “Swing.”
In the episode, Elliot’s adult daughter Kathleen (Allison Siko) is diagnosed with bipolar disorder following a substance-induced incident where she broke into a neighbor’s house to shower. She’s later found at a playground. With his daughter facing burglary charges, Elliot visits Bernadette to ask that she testify about her own mental health struggles in court.
Burstyn, who was previously nominated in the same category for Bill Paxton’s HBO series “Big Love,” told Marie Claire that her “SVU” nomination did not come as a shock. “I wasn’t surprised when I was nominated for an Emmy for playing her — winning, though, that was a surprise,” she said.
