What it’s really like to be an extra on Law & Order: SVU

The most devoted fans of Law & Order: SVU often become fixated by the prospect of bagging a coveted role as an extra on the hit crime drama. SVU – which has been running for a staggering 24 seasons – is filmed in New York City and regularly enlists a host of amateur actors to serve as members of the public in its episodes. There are multiple ‘how-to guides’ online offering advice for budding extras and they all include much the same warning: because of the show’s immense popularity, securing a spot on the series is a very difficult task.

But one fan, Christy Lats Giglio, from New York, was lucky enough to find herself on set as a supporting cast member – and she has now shared everything there is to know about the job. The 24-year-old took to TikTok to reveal what it was really like to be behind the scenes – and it is not for the faint-hearted. Despite enduring 5am call times and eight hours on set, Christy did not make the final edit but concluded: ‘I was there and that’s what matters.’

In her illuminating clip, which has so far been viewed more than 24,000 times, she speaks to camera to give the insight while doing her makeup. Christy says: ‘So for those who don’t know I am a huge Law & Order: SVU fan. I joined a background extras agency and got a call from Law & Order: SVU.’

She continued: ‘When you’re a background extra you usually don’t find out until the day before you’re being called – so I found out the day before I was being called. It was the middle of January and I didn’t know at the time that shows like that usually film the summer during the winter. My call time was for 5am – but did I care, no, because I was on the set of Law & Order: SVU.’

She continued: ‘Now this was for Season 21, and the thing they had me in was with the victim from that episode so they had her as a model and I was supposed to be one of the other models on set with her. And the scene was a photoshoot outdoors. Did I mention they had me wearing a sports bra and leggings on set because it was supposed to be an activewear shoot in summertime – but I’ll remind you it was January in New York City. But I didn’t really care because I was just excited to be there. Anyway so I learned a long time ago that when you’re on set, you can either be on set for like 10 hours for one scene that equals two minutes on screen or you can be on set for like an hour. With this scene, I think I was on set for about six to eight hours – but again I was just excited to be on set so I didn’t really care.’

Christy said that during filming she saw several of the main actors including Ice-T but did not interact with them. She added: ‘When you’re an extra, typically you’re very quiet on set, you don’t speak, you don’t look at anybody and you just sit and wait for direction. Well, I was directed to walk a certain way, and obviously I wanted to listen so I just walked that certain way when they said “go” or “action.” Unfortunately, Ice-T was in my way and I literally bumped into him, like straight into him.’ She concluded: ‘All in all it was a great experience. Were you able to see me on camera when the final scene came out on television? No, you didn’t see me at all, but I was there and that’s what matters. Would I do it again? 100 per cent.’

But the revelations are unlikely to dampen the enthusiasm of Law & Order fans who have flooded social media with their desire to take part. One user wrote: ‘All I want in this life, is to be an extra on Law and Order: SVU. And I feel like with as many seasons as they have, it’s very possible.’

Another tweeted: ‘My dream.. apart from running my own animal sanctuary is to be an extra or a character on Law and Order SVU. That would make my whole day. @lawandordertv.’

And a third simply said: ‘Being an extra on Law & Order is 100% at the top of my bucket list.’

Want more stories like this from the Daily Mail? Visit our profile page here and hit the follow button above for more of the news you need.