Law & Order: SVU stars Mariska Hargitay and Christopher Meloni captivated audiences for 12 years with their on-screen chemistry. Their recent reunion in season 22 proves that the magic between them is still very much alive. Over the past two decades, their friendship has only deepened, creating a bond that, according to Hargitay, even their spouses can’t fully comprehend.
The Beginning of a Legendary Partnership
The Law & Order: SVU journey for Hargitay and Meloni began in September 1999 when the first Law & Order spinoff premiered. The NBC series introduced them as NYPD detectives Olivia Benson and Elliot Stabler. In a recent interview with People, the actors reminisced about their first screen test and the instant connection they felt.
“I walked in, saw him, and I went, ‘That guy. That’s the guy,’” Hargitay recalled. “It went deep, very fast. We both knew that it was something big. I won’t say that I fully understood it, but I knew that meeting him was important and life-changing.”
Meloni quickly became one of the four pillar men in Hargitay’s life, alongside her father, her husband, and Law & Order creator Dick Wolf.
A Bond Beyond the Screen
For the first 12 seasons, Hargitay and Meloni worked closely together, appearing in nearly every episode. Meloni’s departure in season 13 left a significant void, but his return in season 22 reignited the spark that fans had missed.
Their reunion showcased the depth of their relationship, one that Hargitay says is so profound that even their spouses can’t fully grasp it. “I think we connected on so many different levels, which is really a gift with any human being,” she shared with Variety. “But we went through so much in the first 12 years and dug so deep and had a very full relationship and a very honest one and brave one.”
Hargitay further elaborated, “We also experienced so much together for the first time that, quite frankly, nobody, including our spouses, really understood because we lived something and we created this baby together being Law and Order: Special Victims Unit.”
The Future of Benson and Stabler
Fans of Law & Order: SVU and Law & Order: Organized Crime can look forward to more Benson and Stabler moments as the NBC shows continue to crossover next season. The excitement isn’t just on the viewers’ end; Hargitay and Meloni are equally thrilled to be working together again.
“Within the writing, there’s so much to play, and yet it’s sort of effortless because it’s true,” Hargitay told Variety. “I think we’re pretty locked in and dialed into each other. And so that’s been a joy and a pleasure to find.”
The enduring partnership of Mariska Hargitay and Christopher Meloni continues to be a cornerstone of Law & Order: SVU, reminding fans why they fell in love with Olivia Benson and Elliot Stabler so many years ago.