Jennifer Love Hewitt is being eyed as the new female lead on Law & Order: SVU as Mariska Hargitay has signed a deal to return for the 13th season in a reduced capacity, Deadline reports.
Hargitay, who had asked for her workload to be scaled back, will work fewer hours for the same salary of $385,000 an episode, according to the site. At midseason, her character, Det. Olivia Benson, will be promoted to a supervisor position, during which a new female detective, presumably played by Hewitt, will take her place.
Hewitt, who earned raves for her guest spot as a rape victim on SVU earlier this season, has not received an official offer yet, Deadline says.
