'Law & Order' star Chris Meloni Talks Stabler's Feelings for Benson - Today.com
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Mariska Hargitay, Chris Meloni talk Benson and Stabler’s feelings
Feb. 17, 202204:58
It's been 28 days since the last episodes of "Law & Order: SVU" and "Law & Order: Organized Crime" (but really, who's counting?!), and with one week left to go until the shows return, along with the revival of the original "Law & Order," we caught up with some of the shows' stars at Wednesday afternoon's press junket. It's been over two months since Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay) and Elliot Stabler (Christopher Meloni) shared the screen, so we had some questions that needed answers stat.
Stabler's again grappling with many things, including his wife's suspected murderer being a free man after a mistrial and still coming to terms with the loss of said spouse, but he's also been adjusting to being back in Benson's life again after his 10-year absence.
In a recent interview, Hargitay said Benson has "been in love" with Stabler "for many a year." So, we had to ask: At what point in Stabler and Benson's friendship/partnership/relationship, did Stabler realize his feelings could be the same?
"I think he's in the middle of realizing," Meloni said. And after a pause, he added, "Yeah, I think it's more difficult for him. I think he's carrying a lot of — stuff."
While reflecting on her previous comment about Benson's feelings for Stabler, Hargitay explained she said it in "sort of a frivolous moment" and that the answer is actually "much deeper."
"Olivia, being a product of a rape and not being — raised by a single mother, hasn't had a lot of stability in her life in terms of a male figure," she said. "And Elliot Stabler was the first person that really came in her life that really had her back."
Mariska Hargitay: Benson has 'been in love' with Stabler ‘for many a year’
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She added Stabler's "focus was to protect" Benson.
"And so there was such a deep safety in that, knowing that these two people, each other's safety was almost the most important thing."
That safety, Hargitay explained, gave Benson "such a confidence and a stability that she never had."
"So, I think that spending that much time with somebody, but then knowing that it could never be — but the chemistry has been undeniable: It's been a complicated, a complicated factor in their relationship. So I think that it's the man that she was closest to, the man that understands her the most, the man that she understands the most, and a deeply complex relationship.
"So I don't know if it's as simple as, which I said sort of half-kidding, as being, having feelings for and in love with him. It's somebody that she's deeply connected to, and I think all the feelings are not quite mine yet."
In an upcoming episode, Hargitay's husband, Peter Hermann, will reprise his recurring "SVU" character, attorney Trevor Langan, who invites Benson to a charity event.
Hargitay was tight-lipped about the episode and when asked about the invitation for Benson, she teased with a laugh, "She goes."
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Another lingering question fans have had since the December "SVU" and "Organized Crime" crossover: Did Benson and her son, Noah, take up Stabler on his invitation to go to his house for a Christmas family gathering?
"What do you think?" Meloni replied, and we explained the scene could be open to interpretation.
"There you are. I do too," he said.
Fans have been getting to see a more personal side to Stabler and Benson since his return that wasn't as prominent in the first 12 seasons of the series, like the "OC" Christmas episode scene when Stabler invites Benson over. She also said in the same conversation they'll call "whatever this is" (Stabler's words) between them a "friendship" — "for now." And who could forget about the scene that sent fans spiraling when Benson held Stabler's hand?
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We couldn't help but wonder if little moments like that are ones Meloni and Hargitay add in themselves after reading the scene or if they're part of the original script.
"No that's, you know, that's our thing," Meloni said. "There's nobody who knows these characters better than she and I. With all due respect to the writers, whatever you see is really she and I figuring it out — figuring out what the exact words are or the exact emotions are."
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source: https://www.today.com/popculture/tv/law-order-star-chris-meloni-talks-stablers-feelings-benson-rcna16658
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