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In a June 4 Instagram post, the actor who has brought the iconic Elliot Stabler to life for decades on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit revealed that he recently attended the Broadway show Hargitay is currently starring in. Meloni shared three photos of himself and Hargitay: two of those snaps captured the endearing bond the two real-life friends have, and one of the pictures showed off how much of a lovable goofball Meloni can be when they’re together.
“Checked out a pal on BWay. Well done @therealmariskahargitay,” Meloni captioned. “She brought a freshness to the part- and I know, cuz I double checked — it’s what partners do! Someone needs a Tony to add to their collection.”
It wasn’t enough for Meloni to boast about Hargitay’s “freshness” in the caption — the second photo in the carousel literally shows him sniffing Hargitay’s armpit. Check out Chris Meloni’s sweet and hilarious Instagram post here.
It’s safe to say Hargitay passed the sniff test — she’s been earning rave reviews for her performance in the one-person show, Every Brilliant Thing, which runs through July 5 at New York City’s Hudson Theatre.
And as Meloni’s caption alluded to, a Tony Award for her performance in Every Brilliant Thing would look quite nice next to the 2011 Outstanding Lead Actress In A Drama Series Emmy Hargitay won for her indelible performance as Olivia Benson.
RELATED: Mariska Hargitay Reveals the 3 Words Jalen Brunson Told Her on the Court: “I Was Like…”
Meloni’s hilarious-yet-sweet June 4 Instagram photo drop is yet another example of the real-life friendship that has defined the two stars for decades — if Meloni isn’t carrying Hargitay out of the 2025 Emmys, he’s making sure she’s smelling lovely before she hits the stage for her Broadway opening night debut.
From the moment they met — during the audition process for Law & Order: SVU, no less — it was apparent for Hargitay that she and her future co-star were destined to be “forces” together.
“From the second we met, bells went off,” she explained in a 2018 conversation with TV Insider. “We knew we were going to be a huge force in each other’s lives. He was intense and mercurial, but also fun.”
Chris Meloni and more Law & Order: SVU stars supported Mariska Hargitay at her Broadway show
Fans will be happy to know that Meloni wasn’t alone in supporting the SVU icon in her newest adventure.
Kelli Giddish, Raúl Esparza, Corey Cott, Peter Scanavino, and Hugh Dancy were just a few of Hargitay’s co-stars that made the trip to the Hudson Theatre to watch the star make her Broadway debut.
RELATED: Chris Meloni & Mariska Hargitay’s Cozy, Arm-in-Arm NYC Walk Is Peak Friendship
Could Elliot Stabler return in future episodes of Law & Order: SVU?
While Meloni and Hargitay often reunite off-screen, SVU’s showrunner Michele Fazekas revealed that she’s not done telling Stabler’s story.
“If I can get him, I definitely will,” Fazekas told NBC Insider in May 2026 about whether Stabler could return to the drama. “I don’t want it to be a gag or a stunt, like it has to be meaningful and it has to come from these characters. There were at least two times this season where I was like, ‘Hey, is he around?'”
RELATED: Benson & Stabler Had a Bittersweet Reunion on SVU Season 27: “We Had a Pretty Good…”
The last time Meloni reprised the Stabler character was during the Season 27 premiere, which means that by the time Season 28 premieres this fall, an entire year will have passed since Stabler and Benson last crossed paths. As for Hargitay and Meloni, they’re clearly still thick as thieves.
