Christopher Meloni may be a top cop on Law and Order: Organized Crime, but he’s stealing the show with social media fun with former co-star Mariska Hargitay.
Between a recent steamy magazine photoshoot and a tremendous on-set prank by a co-star, Meloni is showing a great sense of humor fans don’t usually see from Elliot Stabler.
Meloni’s amazing return as Stabler
After leaving Law and Order: Special Victims Unit in 2011 following a salary dispute with producers, Meloni has been busy with projects such as the Syfy channel series Happy.
His long-awaited return in early 2021 had Stabler’s wife mortally wounded in a shooting and Stabler hunting corrupt CEO Richard Wheatley (Dylan McDermott).
While fans were expecting his return, they were taken aback when Meloni appeared in Interview Magazine in June with a photoshoot focusing on his amazing workout routine.
That led to the internet buzzing on Meloni becoming a “zaddy,” a term that amused him. It appears that some of his castmates are now joining in the fun.
Ainsley Seiger’s hilarious prank on Meloni
Ainsley Seiger, who portrays hacker Jet Slootmaekers on Law and Order: Organized Crime, shared details of a terrific prank she played on Meloni on set.
The actress showed up wearing earrings designed like Meloni, wearing a bright green tank top, neon pink pants, white kicks and tinted aviator sunglasses. It’s the same outfit from Meloni’s Interview photoshoot.
Danielle Moné Truitt, who plays Sergeant Ayanna Bell, revealed she helped Seiger with the prank. But the real joke was that it took Meloni over half an hour to even notice what Seiger was wearing.
“It took 31:33.45 seconds for @Chris_Meloni to notice that @ainsleyseigers was wearing Chris Meloni earrings. Well she actually told him. He’s such a Dude. LOL[.]”
Given how Stabler is famous for always spotting a key detail in a case, the idea he took this long to notice a co-star’s earrings is hilarious.
Meloni and Mariska Hargitay’s social media ‘reunion’
Meloni has also been busy engaging in social media with Mariska Hargitay. The Law and Order: Special Victims Unit star has been recovering from a broken ankle she suffered in June. The producers have acknowledged the injury will be written into the show.
Meloni began by posting a video with dramatic whispers to “Marsha” saying, “I heard I broke the Internet. Do you have any scotch tape or glue?”
Hargitay responded with her own video, using the same dramatic whispers, assuring Meloni, “I’ve broken stuff too,” and giving the perfect solution: Crazy Glue.
Meloni then topped it with a video telling Hargitay he “found the Crazy Glue” but also found “something else. She says she belongs to you.” He then turned the camera to show Ellen Burstyn, who will reprise her role as Stabler’s mother in Season 2 of Law and Order: Organized Crime.
Given the dark storylines that often occur on Law and Order, watching Meloni and Hargitay have such fun bantering with each other is a welcome relief for fans.
Law and Order: Special Victims Unit Season 23 premieres at 8 pm EST Thursday followed by the Season 2 premiere of Law and Order: Organized Crime September 23 on NBC.