Over the years, there have been many on-screen relationships that we've become so personally involved in we could hardly contain ourselves - and this feeling heavily applies to this very special duo! Although they never dated on the show, Mariska Hargitay and Christopher Meloni from Law & Order: Special Victims Unit became one of our favorite TV couples of all time since the show premiered over 2 decades ago. Although Meloni eventually parted ways with the show, their off-screen relationship hasn't gone anywhere...
For those that need a little SVU crash course, let us explain. The fan-favorite drama debuted in 1999, starring Hargitay as Detective Olivia Benson and her trusted partner, Meloni, as Detective Elliot Stabler. Set in the bustling city of Manhattan, the two tirelessly worked together as special detectives for the New York City Police Department to investigate dark crimes of all natures while navigating their personal lives. From the series' start, SVU fans from all over the world were invested in Stabler and Benson's on-screen chemistry, which only made it more disappointing when they never were involved romantically - and eventually, when he departed from the show in 2011. Regardless, their friendship and love for each other are truly unmatched, as seen most recently in an interview with Hargitay for Access Hollywood.
Hargitay sat down with Access Hollywood earlier this week to talk all things SVU, her relationship with co-star Peter Hermann, and most importantly, drop some love for Meloni after his recent nude Peloton ad! That's right, everyone. The 61-year-old recently ditched his clothes in a commercial for Peloton, and it's definitely worth the watch! Anyways, Hargitay sang his praises in her sit-down conversation, naming her former co-star as "fearless" for showing off his very chiseled physique for all to see. "When I see him, all the time, sometimes it hurts to actually hug him because his chest is so hard," she jokingly said. "I'm like, 'Okay, sweetie...'" LOL.
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Earlier this month, Meloni spoke with PEOPLE about being deemed a 61-year-old "zaddy," calling this fan-made status "great" and labeling the moment as "a second act to a certain degree." So make sure to catch the ultimate zaddy as his OG character, Detective Elliot Spencer, in his recent spinoff series, Law & Order: Organized Crime!
