It’s the reunion fans have been waiting for. Christopher Meloni reprises his role as Detective Elliot Stabler in the new spinoff, Law & Order: Organized Crime — and reunites with former Law & Order: Special Victims Unit co-star Mariska Hargitay.
The actor made an appearance on Wednesday’s episode of The Talk, where he dished on Hargitay making a cameo on the spinoff.
“Oh yeah!” confirms Meloni when asked if Hargitay’s Olivia Benson would be on the show. “How much? I don’t know, because I hear she has her own day job. I think whatever we can slice away, whatever the writers come up with. I think we will both be looking forward to playing with each other in each other’s sandbox.”
The actors co-starred on SVU for 12 seasons, from 1999 to 2011. The spinoff marks Meloni’s first time playing Stabler in nine years, after his sudden exit from SVU in season 12.
Law & Order: Organized Crime will see Elliot returning to the New York Police Department as the city and law enforcement are in the midst of dramatic changes, forcing Stabler to amend his old ways and adapt to the criminal justice system as he leads a new elite task force that is taking on the city’s most powerful criminal syndicates.
When asked by Sheryl Underwood if Elliot is a “changed man,” Meloni says, “Yeah, absolutely. I mean, you have to.”
“There are a lot of unanswered questions about how he left, why the silence vis-à-vis Olivia Benson,” he continues. “I think, in real terms, society, and what we are dealing with in society, has changed dramatically. So, I think you have to address that. And, I think the person Elliot was, I think we all evolve. I think all those things are going to be put into play.”
In a May episode of the Law & Order: SVU Podcast, showrunner Warren Leight also revealed that Meloni will appear on SVU before the start of his series.
“It’s pretty clear that Elliot will be in the SVU season opener,” Leight said. “I think that much I know. Whether we get to see his family as well remains to be seen.”
“It’s not just about the SVU season opener, it’s how do we help launch the new series and how much crossover will there be between Elliot and Olivia as the season goes on,” Leight added.
Just a couple weeks ago, Meloni and Hargitay reunited and posted selfies on their Instagrams.
Earlier this month, 360aproko spoke with Meloni about returning to the NBC drama and how it felt to work with his close friend again.
“[SVU] gave birth to Mariska and Meloni, and Benson and Stabler. So we’re kind of inextricably linked and connected in that way,” Meloni said of the bond the two will always have. “Beyond that, we’re very good friends. I think we value each other.”
Whenever it comes to getting back together, he added, “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.”
