‘Law & Order: SVU’: Mariska Hargitay Describes Benson-Stabler Relationship in 5 Words
Mariska Hargitay needs a mere five words to sum up the relationship at the heart of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. “Stabler’s in love with Benson.”
The actor discussed the dynamic between her Capt. Olivia Benson and Christopher Meloni’s Det. Elliot Stabler in an interview on Saturday Today on Saturday, October 11. And she confirmed that Meloni ad-libbed the “Love you” in SVU’s Season 27 premiere.
“He just threw that in. Oh, yes he did,” Hargitay said. “It was true, and we do love each other. Originally, it was scripted that I said it. And so what we did was, we did it both ways … we did it with and without. This is the line that we’re always trying to navigate and keep it nuanced. So on the take that I didn’t do it, Chris did it.”
Hargitay observed that Meloni felt that Stabler expressing love as he did was the “truth” of the scene as the characters were mourning the death of retired Capt. Don Cragen (Dann Florek).
“You know, we lost our captain who was our north star for us, that we both came up under. It’s a deeply emotional scene. It’s also the beginning of a new era and end of an old one. So it was a very emotional scene. And as we know, when those things happen, when we lose somebody we love, we renew our connection, right? We plug in that way emotionally. So I felt like he just needed to say it.”
Then, with a laugh, Hargitay said, “Besides, Stabler’s in love with Benson. Hello?”
(Aptly, Saturday Today cohost Peter Alexander said, “That’s the headline that comes out of this conversation. Let’s be very clear.”)
For his part, Meloni told TV Insider this spring that he, Hargitay, and the writers are “trying to find a satisfying way home,” in the Benson-Stabler relationship. “We just don’t know what that home is,” he said.
As for Stabler’s feelings, Meloni explained, “I think it’s wrapped up in how he’s wired, how he’s built, his Catholicism, the commitments he’s made and promises. [It’s] complicated.”
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Thursdays, 9/8c, NBC
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C
#getelliottandoliviatogetherromantically
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O
It would change everything if they went that way
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P
Come on kiss and marry in saint patrick cathedral and RETIRE.
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B
Love the show watch all the time I have probably seen every episode of it at least three times each nothing like SVU but Benson and Stabler need to get it on or move on 🤭😆
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G
Oh God, I haven't seen it in a bit, but to me, they were like brother and sister, this will be weird lolol
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Bella
No no no to sex and romance between Benson and Stabler. He is a married man and a bully!
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O
His wife is deceased .
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C
And he's in love with Olivia
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R
He's been in love with her for like 20 years... And his wife is dead
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O
And she’s been in love with him just as long
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