Law & Order: SVU Season 27’s midseason halt has finally come to an end, and even though the second part promises a host of twists and turns, will it bring back a fan-favorite character from the past? In a recent interview, Raúl Esparza, who portrayed Assistant District Attorney Rafael Barba in the show for a decade, expressed his interest in returning to the role that landed him on the map, causing many to think that he could make a surprise appearance in the ongoing Law & Order: SVU installment.
Raúl Esparza admits he’d ‘be very happy to come’ back to Law and Order: SVU
The Broadway veteran recently stated that even though he has no knowledge regarding Barba’s potential return to Law and Order: SVU, he would like to take up the opportunity if it presents itself.
“Barba’s always waiting in the wings,” Raúl Esparza noted while speaking with TV Insider, before adding, “I’d be very happy to come and do stuff. He’s such a great character to visit, so at least they didn’t kill him off.”
Notably, Esparza’s Barba left the Special Victims Unit series in Season 19, following an arduous case that saw him consciously turn off a brain-dead infant’s life support. Deeply impacted by the choice he had to make, Barba decided to leave the district attorney’s office. Although Esparza dropped in for several cameo appearances between 2020 and 2022, he departed Law and Order for good following the Season 23 finale.
Another substantial aspect of Barba’s character was his rocky relationship with Captain Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay). While Raúl Esparza did admit that he “loved the way” writers ended their story, he did say, “I hope that there will be more life somewhere in there because the fans are dying for it.”
The four-time Tony Award nominee also added that he wants Barba and Benson to find “a way to work together again, I think. Lord knows what their friendship would reveal. Benson is not a character who has an easy time being happy. And I don’t think Barba does either.”
Originally reported by Apoorv Rastogi on ComingSoon.net.
