01of 22Mariska Hargitay and Christoper Meloni inLaw & Order: SVU.NBCU Photo BankIn 1999,Mariska HargitayandChristopher Melonistepped into their roles asLaw & Order: Special Victims Unit’s Olivia Benson and Elliot Stabler, playing partners on screen and ultimately becoming pals off.Now, over two decades later, the pair continue to be friends (Hargitay is godmother to Meloni’s daughter) and evenreunited for a crossover eventbetweenLaw & Order: SVUand its Stabler-centric spinoff,Law & Order: Organized Crime.
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Mariska Hargitay and Christoper Meloni inLaw & Order: SVU.NBCU Photo Bank
In 1999,Mariska HargitayandChristopher Melonistepped into their roles asLaw & Order: Special Victims Unit’s Olivia Benson and Elliot Stabler, playing partners on screen and ultimately becoming pals off.
Now, over two decades later, the pair continue to be friends (Hargitay is godmother to Meloni’s daughter) and evenreunited for a crossover eventbetweenLaw & Order: SVUand its Stabler-centric spinoff,Law & Order: Organized Crime.
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Mariska Hargitay/instagram
03of 22chris meloni/instagramMelon has returned the favor,sharing his own set photos with his longtime BFF on Instagram.
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chris meloni/instagram
Melon has returned the favor,sharing his own set photos with his longtime BFF on Instagram.
04of 22RJ Capak/WireImageThe pairdescribed their initial screen testto PEOPLE, recounting how they walked into the audition room while Meloni was in the middle of telling Hargitay a story, and were so engaged they asked executives to give them a moment to finish the story before they began auditioning.From there, Hargitay says it was “effortless, easy, fun.” (And yes, you’re correct: This photo is from the 2000 premiere ofCoyote Ugly,a film wealsosaw in theaters with our BFF.)
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RJ Capak/WireImage
The pairdescribed their initial screen testto PEOPLE, recounting how they walked into the audition room while Meloni was in the middle of telling Hargitay a story, and were so engaged they asked executives to give them a moment to finish the story before they began auditioning.
From there, Hargitay says it was “effortless, easy, fun.” (And yes, you’re correct: This photo is from the 2000 premiere ofCoyote Ugly,a film wealsosaw in theaters with our BFF.)
05of 22Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via GettyHargitay described meeting Meloni, telling PEOPLE, “I walked in, saw him, and I went, ‘That guy. That’s the guy.’ It went deep, very fast. We both knew that it was something big.” She added, “I won’t say that I fully understood it, but I knew that meeting him was important and life-changing.”
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Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty
Hargitay described meeting Meloni, telling PEOPLE, “I walked in, saw him, and I went, ‘That guy. That’s the guy.’ It went deep, very fast. We both knew that it was something big.” She added, “I won’t say that I fully understood it, but I knew that meeting him was important and life-changing.”
06of 22Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty"It was like family," Hargitaysaid of their relationship. “It was like having a brother that had me.“And Meloni certainly had her back (or at least, the back of her dress) at the People’s Choice Awards in 2000.
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“It was like family,” Hargitaysaid of their relationship. “It was like having a brother that had me.”
And Meloni certainly had her back (or at least, the back of her dress) at the People’s Choice Awards in 2000.
07of 22Chris Haston/NBCU Photo BankTheir chemistry off screen made for even better chemistry on the show, with Hargitay playing the even-keeled “good cop,” Olivia Benson, and Meloni playing the passionate (and at times impulsive) Stabler.
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Chris Haston/NBCU Photo Bank
Their chemistry off screen made for even better chemistry on the show, with Hargitay playing the even-keeled “good cop,” Olivia Benson, and Meloni playing the passionate (and at times impulsive) Stabler.
08of 22Mariska Hargitay and Christopher Meloni inLaw & Order: SVU.Craig Blankenhorn/NBCUThe pair played the partners — who worked in sync and always had each other’s backs — for 12 years before Meloni left in 2011 due to issues with contract negotiations.
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Mariska Hargitay and Christopher Meloni inLaw & Order: SVU.Craig Blankenhorn/NBCU
The pair played the partners — who worked in sync and always had each other’s backs — for 12 years before Meloni left in 2011 due to issues with contract negotiations.
09of 22Chris Haston/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via GettyHargitay told PEOPLE she was “devastated"when her friend and costar abruptly exited the series.“I was just so sad, because we started this thing and built it together,” she explained. “And we went through so many milestones and spent so much time together and understood so many things that nobody else could understand.”
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Chris Haston/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty
Hargitay told PEOPLE she was “devastated"when her friend and costar abruptly exited the series.
“I was just so sad, because we started this thing and built it together,” she explained. “And we went through so many milestones and spent so much time together and understood so many things that nobody else could understand.”
10of 22Jim Spellman/WireImageMilestones that included seeing each other get married and have children … and this blonde hair that Hargitay rocked in 2001.
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Jim Spellman/WireImage
Milestones that included seeing each other get married and have children … and this blonde hair that Hargitay rocked in 2001.
11of 22Evan Agostini/GettyMeloni toldEntertainment Tonightthat, despite his departure from the show in 2011, that they have always stayed friends.“We just pick it up right where we left off and we’ve said it’s like we don’t have this relationship with anyone else… It’s unique, it’s full of laughter, she’s full of love. We just kind of fall seamlessly into that place every time we see each other,” he told the outlet.
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Evan Agostini/Getty
Meloni toldEntertainment Tonightthat, despite his departure from the show in 2011, that they have always stayed friends.
“We just pick it up right where we left off and we’ve said it’s like we don’t have this relationship with anyone else… It’s unique, it’s full of laughter, she’s full of love. We just kind of fall seamlessly into that place every time we see each other,” he told the outlet.
12of 22Toni Anne Barson Archive/WireImageThe future of their friendship was so bright, they had to wear shades.
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Toni Anne Barson Archive/WireImage
The future of their friendship was so bright, they had to wear shades.
13of 22Gregory Pace/FilmMagicMeloni told PEOPLE of Hargitay, “Her insights into life and how she engages life — which I have always found fascinating, interesting — makes me consider my engagement with life and how I go through life. It’s kind of enviable and nice to be around.”
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Gregory Pace/FilmMagic
Meloni told PEOPLE of Hargitay, “Her insights into life and how she engages life — which I have always found fascinating, interesting — makes me consider my engagement with life and how I go through life. It’s kind of enviable and nice to be around.”
14of 22Kevin Winter/GettyIn 2010, the pair looked gorgeous while presenting at 62nd Annual PrimetimeEmmy Awards. Hargitay has been nominated eight times, winning once in 2006. Meloni earned himself a nod in 2006 for outstanding lead actor in a drama series.
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Kevin Winter/Getty
In 2010, the pair looked gorgeous while presenting at 62nd Annual PrimetimeEmmy Awards. Hargitay has been nominated eight times, winning once in 2006. Meloni earned himself a nod in 2006 for outstanding lead actor in a drama series.
15of 22Marcel Thomas/FilmMagicHere they are on Valentine’s Day, 2011, pulling apart two other actors (one of which is Rose McGowan) on set ofLaw & Order: SVU. Whohasn’twanted to do this with their bestie at some point or another?
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Marcel Thomas/FilmMagic
Here they are on Valentine’s Day, 2011, pulling apart two other actors (one of which is Rose McGowan) on set ofLaw & Order: SVU. Whohasn’twanted to do this with their bestie at some point or another?
16of 22Mariska Hargitay and Christopher Meloni inLaw & Order: SVU.Will Hart/NBCHargitay told PEOPLE that the moment they came back together on screen was “so emotional.““It was this thing that I had really dreamed about,” she added.Us, too, Mariska. Us, too.
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Mariska Hargitay and Christopher Meloni inLaw & Order: SVU.Will Hart/NBC
Hargitay told PEOPLE that the moment they came back together on screen was “so emotional.”
“It was this thing that I had really dreamed about,” she added.
Us, too, Mariska. Us, too.
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“It was Pavlovian: Ring that bell, and you get right into Stabler and Benson,” Meloni told PEOPLE of their return to the screen in theOrganized Crimecrossover event.
“There was so much shorthand between us, which all goes back to the trust we have,” Hargitay added. “He’s always made me feel like I could just jump off the ledge, the cliff, the bridge, and he would catch me, in so many ways, whether it was comedy or acting or friendship.”
“It’s simple,” Meloni said. “We have each other’s back.”
18of 22Jose Perez/Bauer-Griffin/GC ImagesNot even a pandemic can stop this pair.
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Jose Perez/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images
Not even a pandemic can stop this pair.
19of 22David Dow/APGet you someone who goofs off with you the way Meloni does with Hargitay, here at the 2021 US Open.
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David Dow/AP
Get you someone who goofs off with you the way Meloni does with Hargitay, here at the 2021 US Open.
20of 22Nathan Congleton/NBCSpeaking to PEOPLEon Sept. 20, 2022, at theLaw & Orderseason premiere red carpet in New York City ahead of the show’s 24th season, Hargitay shared her feelings about being dubbed costar Meloni’s “second wife” on Wikipedia.“That isawesome,” she said. “It’s kind of right in a way, isn’t it?”
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Nathan Congleton/NBC
Speaking to PEOPLEon Sept. 20, 2022, at theLaw & Orderseason premiere red carpet in New York City ahead of the show’s 24th season, Hargitay shared her feelings about being dubbed costar Meloni’s “second wife” on Wikipedia.
“That isawesome,” she said. “It’s kind of right in a way, isn’t it?”
21of 22Christopher Meloni and Mariska Hargitay.Mark Von Holden/NBC via GettyThe stars were each other’s plus-ones at the 2022 PrimetimeEmmy Awards, where they fought off a thief (and almost kissed!)before presenting an award.
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Christopher Meloni and Mariska Hargitay.Mark Von Holden/NBC via Getty
The stars were each other’s plus-ones at the 2022 PrimetimeEmmy Awards, where they fought off a thief (and almost kissed!)before presenting an award.
22of 22Will Hart/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via GettyThis is an accurate depiction of me screaming about how much I love that these two are friends after all these years.
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Will Hart/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty
This is an accurate depiction of me screaming about how much I love that these two are friends after all these years.
source: people.com
