Joshua Goldman
Joshua Goldman
min read · August 4, 2025 · Entertainment

Christopher Meloni's Much-Anticipated Return to SVU: Stabler's Comeback!

On Saturday, Christopher Meloni (R) revealed he was reuniting with his former Law & Order partner Mariska Hargitay (L) for Special Victims Unit's 27th season, which premieres September 25 on NBC

SPIN-OFF SENSATION: CHRISTOPHER MELONI REUNITES WITH MARISKA HARGITAY IN LAW & ORDER: SVU'S 27TH SEASON

The drama is about to get a whole lot juicier, folks! Christopher Meloni, the Emmy-nominated heartthrob who left us breathless as NYPD Detective Elliot Stabler in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (SVU), has just confirmed that he's reuniting with his on-screen love interest and real-life BFF Mariska Hargitay for the show's highly-anticipated 27th season!

The 64-year-old hunk shared a series of sultry snaps on Instagram, posing with his former co-star Dann Florek on the New York set of SVU. The sizzling photos have left fans buzzing with excitement, and we can't help but wonder: will Elliot Stabler finally get his kiss from Captain Olivia Benson?

The 64-year-old Emmy nominee (L) shared Instagram snaps of the pair posing with their former co-star Dann Florek (R), on the New York set of the longest-running US prime-time drama in history

In response to a Twitter user's passionate plea for a romantic reunion between the two characters, Meloni coyly quipped, "I'm f*ing trying!" We can't wait to see what the future holds for these two chemistry-filled stars!

But it's not just SVU that's got us talking. Sources close to the production reveal that Meloni and Hargitay have a long history of on-screen magic, dating back to their first meeting in 1999. "I knew quickly that we had this kind of magical chemistry," Hargitay gushed to TODAY about her co-star. "Chris and I are polar opposites in terms of who we are as people. And yet, there was this yin-yang. So when they paired us [during the audition], I was like, 'Oh, this is done.'"

And it's not just their on-screen chemistry that's got everyone talking – Meloni and Hargitay have also been rumored to be close in real life. In fact, Hargitay has even been appointed as godmother to Meloni and his wife Sherman Williams' adorable daughter Sophia! The couple's 30-year marriage has clearly stood the test of time, with Meloni recently welcoming a son via surrogate.

'Hangin' with friends on a Friday [night],' Christopher - who boasts 3.7M social media followers - captioned the slideshow

But don't get too comfortable – Meloni has just signed on for two more projects that are sure to keep him busy. Deadline reported that he'll be playing an NFL head coach in Dan Fogelman's untitled football drama for Hulu, while Variety revealed that he's joined the ensemble cast of Matt Spicer's real estate comedy Little Brother alongside John Cena and Eric Andre.

And if all that wasn't enough, Meloni has also landed a role in Adam Rifkin's Atlanta-set psychedelic stoner comedy Toad, starring alongside Katt Williams, James Franco, and Tiffany Haddish. We can't help but wonder: will these new projects bring us more of the same sizzling chemistry we've come to expect from our favorite SVU duo?

But what about Law & Order: Organized Crime, Meloni's own spin-off series? Sources close to the production reveal that it may not be renewed for a sixth season on Peacock – but don't worry, fans! NBC will be re-airing the 10-episode fifth season starting September 25.

Last Monday, Meloni responded to X user @kathyrcostello who demanded his character NYPD Detective Elliot Stabler kiss Mariska's character NYPD Captain Olivia Benson during their next onscreen reunion: 'I'm f***ing trying!'

The show's upcoming season will feature a star-studded cast, including franchise vets B.D. Wong, Dean Winters, Peter Scanavino, and Octavio Pisano. And with Meloni back on board as Stabler, we can't help but wonder: what's in store for these two iconic characters?

Stay tuned, folks – it's going to be a wild ride!

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Last year, the longtime castmates guest-starred on each other's Law & Order spin-offs for a two-part crossover

Hargitay recalled to TODAY on January 9 of their first meeting in 1999: 'I knew quickly that we had this kind of magical chemistry. Chris and I are polar opposites in terms of who we are as people. And yet, there was this yin-yang. So when they paired us [during the audition], I was like,

Christopher and the 61-year-old Emmy winner even became family in 2001 when she was appointed godmother of he and his wife Sherman Williams' (R, pictured May 15) daughter Sophia (M)

Meloni and the 64-year-old retired production designer (R, pictured May 15) also welcomed 21-year-old son Dante (2-L) via surrogate during their 30-year marriage

The IF actor abruptly left creator Dick Wolf's police procedural in 2011 due to a contract dispute, but returned as 'recurring' in 2020 before scoring his own spin-off Organized Crime in 2021

On July 2, Christopher shared a curious time-lapse clip of his head being encased in prosthetic make-up for special effects

It led one scared fan to comment: 'Omg wait no - does this mean they need a replica of Stabler's head for a special effect? Please don't kill off America's sweetheart!'