Christopher Meloni Opens Up About the “Depth” of His Friendship with Mariska Hargitay (Exclusive)
Benson and Stabler are back together.
Christopher Meloni teased his possible return to Law & Order: Special Victims Unit by showcasing a series of snaps of him and onscreen love interest Mariska Hargitay on the set of the NBC series
Meloni—who portrayed Detective Elliot Stabler for 12 seasons alongside Hargitay’s Captain Olivia Benson before he left the crime drama in 2011—cozied up to his former costar in a series of Aug. 2 Instagram photos, writing, “Hangin with friends on a Friday nite.”
In one sweet snapshot from on set, Meloni and Hargitay flashed smiles in their cop uniforms as the actress, 61, hugged the 64-year-old.
Another pic also included SVU alum Dann Florek, who officially exited the procedural as Capt. Donald Cragen in 2015.
And while this isn’t the first time Meloni—who now stars on Peacock’s spinoff Law & Order: Organized Crime—has reunited with Hargitay on screen since his exit, fans were shocked by the possible return of Florek on the NBC series’ upcoming 27th season.
“OH MY GOD. THE OG’S! I LOVE THIS SO MUCH,” one user commented on Instagram, while another excitedly shared, “Welcome home Captain Cragen! Looks like a fun Friday night.”
A third viewer wrote of Stabler and Benson’s will-they, wont-they chemistry, “Wait though is the episode gonna make me cry?!? Just don’t break our hearts again.”
Fans will have to tune in to see if Meloni and Florek actually make on-camera appearances on the new season. However, Hargitay recently teased whether or not she sees her crime-fighting character actual end up in love and in a relationship with Stabler.
“Maybe on the last episode,” she told Alex Cooper on the July 25 episode of the Call Her Daddy podcast. “I think that’s when they should be together.”
However, Hargitay—who has led the series since it premiered in 1999—noted the romance should only happen “if it’s right.”
Chris Haston/NBCU Photo Bank
Keep reading to see all the times Meloni and Hargitay have reunited (both on screen and off).
Law & Order: SVU season 27 premieres this September on NBC.
NBC/Nathan Congleton
Rise & Shine
Mariska Hargitay and Christopher Meloni wake up early to promote a new season of their Law & Order shows on NBC’s Today show.
Chris Haston/NBC
Presenting TV Magic
Before announcing one of the biggest winners of the night, the 2022 Emmys presenters have a little fun onstage at the Microsoft Theatre.
Willy Sanjuan/Invision for the Television Acadmey/AP Images
Luxury
The Law & Order: SVU stars stop by the Backstage Creations giving suite at the 2022 Emmys, where they have some fun dressing up in their comfortable Spirit Hoods.
Mariska Hargitay / Instagram
Dinner Party
“Sunday night dinner,” Mariska shared alongside a selfie of her and Chris, who she starred with on Law & Order: SVU for 12 seasons before the actor left the series in 2011.
Vacation Buddies
Hargitay posed this snap with her bestie while on vacation in December 2018 and we’re obsessed. “Vacay…A great night with this one. #Reunited #OldFriends #PTL,” she captioned it.
Partners for Life
In May 2018, Meloni and Hargitay hung out together in New York City and of course they documented it…thank goodness.
Selfie Fail
“Crazy ppl on the streets of nyc,” Meloni captioned this selfie fail and seriously, how can you not just love these two together?
Blurry Buds
Blurry or not, this snap of the two former Law & Order: Special Victims Unit co-stars spending time together during the holidays in 2017 is too cute.
Happy and They Know It
After Thanksgiving in 2017, the two pals ran into one another and clearly they still have fun no matter what the occasion.
Kiss Kiss
Ugh, how do we get Detective Stabler to give us a smooch?
Goofballs Forever
“Even the effortless moments…” Meloni captioned the previous photo only to follow it up with this funny picture and the caption, “…need to be rehearsed.”
Birthday Bash
Hargitay shared this sweet snap in honor of her former TV partner’s birthday in April 2017 and said “PFL” at the end of the note and we’re dying a little inside because Stabler and Benson are partners for life!
Be Mine
“And then that happened…Just when I thought Valentine’s Day was over,” Hargitay wrote alongside this kissing picture from Valentine’s Day in 2017 and we are again getting teary-eyed at these two loving each other so much.
Stabler & Benson for President
In 2016, the former TV partners and real-life friends celebrated Christmas together (well, a few days early) and we are in desperate need of an on-screen reunion now.
Friendly Run-ins
“Lean on me #PFL #FacialHairDontCare #Hargoatee #HanginWithAFriend #ItsAllInTheEyesKid,” Hargitay wrote on this precious picture and we will never get tired of these quick reunions.
Spotted: SVU Pals
In 2015, in the dark of night, New York City’s greatest detectives, err, we mean friends, reunited once again and posed for an epic photo.
Ride or Die
It doesn’t matter how long these two are apart, they always make time to check in with each other and we are totally on board with all the run-ins that have happened over the past few years.
Bestie Reunions
In March 2014, the duo reunited for dinner proving that they will always be partners, even if they aren’t acting alongside one another anymore.
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