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Law & Order: SVU is a popular crime drama series that features the New York City Police Department's Special Victims Unit and its efforts in the investigation and prosecution of crimes involving s*xual assault, child abuse, and domestic violence. The show was first aired in 1999, becoming the longest-running live-action show in the United States.
In season 26, which premiered on October 3, 2024, Juliana Aidén Martinez debuted as Junior Detective Kate Silva. Apart from being a part of SVU, she earned fame as Agent June Hawkins in the Netflix mini-series Griselda.
Who is Juliana Aidén Martinez?
Juliana Aidén Martinez, born in Miami, is an American actress known for her roles in TV and films. In 2020, she graduated from the David Geffen School of Drama at Yale University.
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Martinez gained attention for her performance as Agent June Hawkins in the Netflix mini-series Griselda (2024), for which she received an Imagen Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress on Television. She is also known for guest-starring in famous TV shows like Prodigal Son, 9-1-1 and The Blacklist.
Martinez's character and her role in Law & Order: SVU season 26
In season 26 of Law & Order: SVU, Juliana Aidén Martinez plays Detective Kate Silva. Silva moves from Brooklyn’s Homicide Division and joins the Manhattan SVU team, bringing new experience to the squad.
Throughout the season, she has appeared in many episodes focusing on her adjustment to the unit and its challenges:
Law & Order: SVU season 26, episode 1 titled Fractured
In this episode, Silva makes her first appearance by helping with a case concerning an attack on a group of law students. She demonstrates her investigative abilities when she works with Detective Joe Velasco. She shows she can be a team player by working with him to solve the case.
Law & Order: SVU season 26, episode 4 named Constricted
During this episode, Silva still has difficulty adjusting to the emotional nature of SVU cases. This episode examines the personal aspects of her emotional distress related to her work in the Special Victims Unit.
Law & Order: SVU season 26, Episode 12 titled Calculated
In this episode, Silva’s work as an undercover officer brings about the arrest of a mentally challenged man who works with a group of child molesters. She feels bad for what she did and wonders if she belongs in that unit, raising issues of the moral boundaries and ethical lines that SVU detectives confront.
Insights on Martinez's Experience, Co-Star Relationships, and Role Preparation
Juliana Aidén Martinez's move to Law & Order: SVU was quick. She joined the cast shortly after her audition. In an interview with People on October 3, 2024, she described the experience as a "whirlwind."
"It was indeed a whirlwind! I packed everything I had in just three days. Then I thought to myself, I’m back in New York City! I’m a New York City girl!"
Martinez recalls her first interaction with the cast as being super friendly. Mariska Hargitay, who plays Captain Olivia Benson, welcomed her with "a huge bear hug", which made her feel comfortable immediately.
"She has a heart of pure joy. The moment I stepped inside, she shouted, 'Come over here,' and gave me a big warm hug. We got straight to work."
Ice-T, another long-time cast member, provided some valuable tips and funny moments on set that helped her adapt to the SVU family.
"I've kept a journal of Ice-T quotes I try to write in daily. If you follow him on Instagram, you know he's already giving out valuable information, but it's a hundred times worse on set. For me, he's certainly Yoda. Octavio is awesome. It's quite nice because he’s another Latino on the squad, and he has been very friendly and helpful."
In an interview with The Bare Magazine on February 2, 2025, she shared her early challenges.
"The first few months were difficult because I couldn't shake off some of the stories we were working on. Many of them were true. I was also new to joining an established legacy, so I was rightfully nervous."
New episodes of Law & Order: SVU season 26 air every Thursday at 9 pm ET on NBC and can be streamed on Peacock the following day.
