“I’m always open to working with him and getting Benson and Stabler together,” the SVU icon teased.
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit is approaching nearly three decades of primetime tenure, and Mariska Hargitay has big dreams for seeing Captain Olivia Benson reunite with Christopher Meloni’s beloved Elliot Stabler in future seasons.
With the news of SVU’s Season 28 renewal, Hargitay told Deadline that she’s confident the NBC nail-biter will celebrate a 30-year tenure in a couple of years. “I do. How about that? I do,” Hargitay said. “I love my show. I love my cast. I love my showrunner, my writers, my producers. I feel like the luckiest, happiest actress. I love Dick Wolf, and I’m so challenged still.”
The bedrock of SVU was built on the beloved partnership between Hargitay’s iconic Olivia Benson and her dedicated partner, Elliot Stabler. Their iconic partnership captivated viewers for the first 12 seasons, with audiences applauding Meloni’s triumphant return as Stabler in recent seasons of SVU and Law & Order: Organized Crime. Fans have loved seeing Benson and Stabler back together, so when asked if Meloni will be making his way to the SVU squad room in future seasons, Hargitay remains hopeful.
“I hope so,” Hargitay told Deadline. “That is a very heartening thing for both of us, that our relationship was so iconic culturally and that Benson and Stabler still resonate is deeply meaningful to me.”
It certainly helps that Hargitay and Meloni are two of the tightest-knit friends in Hollywood. “Chris and I, I’m sure you know, are very, very close. He’s a very in-demand actor, so we’ll see if the schedule is lined up,” Hargitay teased.
Mariska Hargitay says Benson and Stabler are “happiest” when they’re reunited
Hargitay also serves as an executive producer on the long-running procedural, so SVU fans have their fingers crossed that she’ll be able to make some power plays to see the duo back together again. Benson and Stabler recently reunited at the memorial of their longtime Captain, Donald Cragen (Dann Florek), where they shared a heartwarming exchange that promised plenty of reunions to come. From Bensler’s age-old will-they-won’t-they dynamic to their storied history together, Benson and Stabler always steal a scene when they’re back together.
“I love Chris, and I love acting with Chris,” Hargitay said. “So I’m always open to working with him and getting Benson and Stabler together. They’re happiest when they’re together.”
Hargitay is well aware that Captain Benson isn’t slowing down anytime soon, still steadfast in her criminal takedowns and empathetic approach with survivors. Benson’s tenacity has been firing off in Season 27 of SVU, where Hargitay has felt invigorated by the twists and turns the squad has navigated.
“We just finished Season 27,” Hargitay told Deadline. “I just watched the final episode of Season 27, and I thought it was the best of the season, and my best. What a way to finish a season after 27 years… It’s been amazing.”
