Fans have shipped Law & Order SVU’s Olivia Benson and Elliot Stabler. Mariska Hargitay has been addressing questions about the potential relationship between the two characters for almost as long as the show has been on air. However, recently, she has become more intrigued by a different type of fan pairing.
Benson’s romantic relationships have often faced challenges, and she remains single and dedicated to her work in SVU. However, Chris Meloni’s recent return has sparked discussions about a possible romance between Stabler and Benson.
Adding fuel to the speculation was a moment in a recent season where the two characters almost kissed, blurring their platonic boundaries more than ever before.
However, Hargitay has been inundated with questions about this potential relationship, expressing weariness with the topic. During an interview with Parade, she was asked if she had a message for fans who ship Elliot Stabler and Olivia Benson.
“No, simply because I’ve been asked this question countless times, and I’ve reached my limit,” she responded. “I’d prefer if they shipped female empowerment. I want them to champion good leadership and our collective unity. Let’s advocate for strong female friendships and women uplifting each other, encouraging us all to use our voices freely.”
Hargitay has openly shared that her connection with Meloni was immediate and profound from the moment they met. She couldn’t envision anyone else leading SVU alongside her.
“When I walked in, saw him, I just knew, ‘That guy. That’s the guy,'” she recalled. “The connection was deep and instantaneous. We both sensed it was something significant. I may not have fully grasped it at the time, but I knew meeting him was pivotal and life-changing. My father, my husband, Dick Wolf, and Chris are the four cornerstone figures in my life, and that realization came early,” she shared with People.
Before encountering Meloni, however, there was another actor she anticipated collaborating with. She had heard that John Slattery from Mad Men would also be auditioning for the role. Reflecting on Late Night with Seth Meyers, she recounted how she briefly mistook Slattery for her future co-star, if only because she was already acquainted with the other actors auditioning for the part of Stabler.
While Meloni has expressed uncertainty about whether he would want Stabler and Benson to be romantically involved, Hargitay is unequivocal in her desire to see their characters as a couple. She believes that after so many years, they have earned the right to explore a romantic relationship.
“In the history of television, there is no other show where characters have been together for so long and their relationships feel truly earned, truly organic,” she explained to Entertainment Tonight. “So, Chris and I can explore places that no one else can because we’ve lived it. Everything is so much deeper.”
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