Mariska Hargitay, the star of Law & Order: SVU, recently stopped by the Today show on Thursday, February 23, where she opened up about the Benson and Stabler relationship. Fans were teased in a recent episode of the long-running NBC procedural when Hargitay’s Olivia Benson and Christopher Meloni‘s Elliot Stabler reunited and looked close to kissing. Sadly, the kiss did not happen, but the characters certainly got up close and personal. All you need to know is that Benson and Stabler love each other deeply… so deep,” she said as she watched back a clip of the recent scene, which saw Benson and Stabler nose to nose.
Mariska Hargitay also spoke fondly of her late co-star Richard Belzer who died on February 19 at the age of 78. She described him as "family" and taught her so much about taking risks, creativity, trust, and brought so much joy to the set. He was this acerbic, quick-witted, brilliant mind and yet he would melt in the sight of a child. He was [so] beautiful and complex and it was such a privilege to know him,” Hargitay gushed. Mariska Hargitay directed one of the most beautiful episodes she has ever read in Law & Order: SVU which aired on Thursday night. She called it “a bit of a departure from what we usually do”.