Law & Order: SVU Stars Christopher Meloni and Mariska Hargitay Share First Look at Elliot Stabler’s Return
If you can’t wait for Olivia Benson and Elliot Stabler, of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, to reunite, you’re in luck. Mariska Hargitay, leading lady of SVU, just posted a picture of herself with costar Christopher Meloni, seemingly on the set of the upcoming Stabler-centric spinoff Law & Order: Organized Crime. Production on the new series had been delayed because of the pandemic but will finally air in spring 2021, per People.
In the picture, which Hargitay posted to Instagram on January 25, the detectives visit a graveyard and seem to be standing in front of a hearse. Perhaps a funeral? Their personalized chairs indicate that this is for an Organized Crime scene, and Hargitay tagged the show in the post, which she captioned, “It’s all happening... #OC #PFL.”
This isn’t the first glimpse we've gotten of the dynamic duo back in action. On January 15, Meloni shared a selfie from the SVU set with Hargitay. This will be the first time their characters have been seen together since Meloni left the series back in May 2011—nearly 10 years ago. “We are a little bit closer,” the actor captioned the black-and-white selfie.
Is it weird that I miss seeing these guys together in abandoned storage units? Anyway, Hargitay shared her own selfie with the caption, “Now even closer.”
Fans, of course, were overwhelmed with joy at seeing these two back together. “You’re going to give us all a straight up heart attack with this beautiful content,” one fan commented.
Meloni starred in the police procedural from its premiere in 1999 to the finale of season 12, when Stabler retired from the force. Meanwhile, Hargitay has portrayed Benson throughout the entire series, which is currently in its 22nd season.
After it was announced that Meloni would be starring in his own Dick Wolf spin-off, Law & Order: Organized Crime, back in March 2020, fans were sure it was only a matter of time before the iconic pair were back onscreen together. They were right: News broke in May that Meloni would make a pit stop on Law & Order: SVU before the launch of his own show.
At the time, Hargitay had the absolute best reaction to her costar’s return. “Happy Birthday @chris_meloni Congratulations and welcome home Elliot Stabler #It’sBeenAWhile #MissedYou #ElliotStabler,” she on Instagram alongside a throwback photo.
“Saddle up gurl, we ridin again. And TY for all the BD wishes,” Meloni replied. These two!
Originally Appeared on Glamour
