While famous for playing Haley Dunphy on the sitcom Law & Order: SVU in a role that showcased her dramatic range. Hyland has mostly stuck to comedy for her career so far, appearing in The Wedding Year in 2020 and My Fake Boyfriend in 2022. Hyland's Law & Order: SVU appearances stand out for being among her darkest roles yet.
Although Modern Family was canceled after season 11, Hyland will always be best ed for playing Haley, a character who shifts from a party girl to a mom by the end of the series. However, one of Sarah Hyland's Law & Order roles showed the real talent that she had for portraying young adults in emotional and overwhelming situations. While Hyland's Law & Order: SVU parts were very different from her time on Modern Family, they proved that she has range and can appear in any genre of TV.
Who Did Sarah Hyland Play On Law & Order: SVU?
Sarah Hyland has played multiple characters in Law & Order: SVU. Her roles include Lily Ramsey in the season 3 episode "Repression" and Jennifer Banks in the season 10 episode "Hothouse." Hyland, now the star of the Pitch Perfect reboot show, Bumper in Berlin, expressed her happiness about appearing in seasons 3 and 10 of Law & Order: SVU: “It's your rite of age as a New York actor to be on multiple episodes of Law & Order. I'm very glad I was able to do that before something like Modern Family hit" (via ET Online).
Sarah Hyland's Law & Order: SVU Role Is More Dramatic
Sarah Hyland's turn as Jennifer Banks on Law & Order: SVU season 10, episode 12, "Hothouse," is the more memorable of her two roles on the show. "Hothouse," which aired in January 2009, tells the story of a girl whose roommate, Elsa (Juliet Brett), has died. Jennifer and Elsa lived at a boarding school and shared a strong work ethic and natural intelligence. Jennifer ultimately confesses to killing Elsa because she was envious her roommate didn't have to put in much effort but always succeeded. Hyland showcases a range of emotions as Jennifer tries to hide the truth but then realizes she's backed into a corner.
As it comes out that Jennifer has been taking too much ADHD medication, Hyland's eyes show Jennifer's fear, worry, and anxiety. While Jennifer is a more upsetting role than Modern Family's Haley Dunphy, both characters are young adults struggling with the pressures of the outside world. Hyland's time on Law & Order: SVU showed that she can play an intense, captivating role with ease, and hopefully she will be able to demonstrate more of this dramatic range in the future.
