How Mariska Hargitay Reacted to Being Called Chris Meloni’s Second Wife
Law & Order SVU stars Mariska Hargitay and Chris Meloni have been linked together ever since they were cast in the show. Because of their bond, Hargitay was once called Meloni’s second wife, and Hargitay eventually caught wind of the title.
Mariska Hargitay felt being Chris Meloni’s ‘second wife’ was accurate
Hargitay and Meloni seemed almost inseparable as SVU partners Olivia Benson and Elliot Stabler. Their authenticity as these characters stemmed from their natural chemistry, which Hargitay felt as soon as they auditioned. Hargitay already clinched her SVU role, and she had no doubt in her mind that Meloni was the one.
“I walked in, saw him, and I went, ‘That guy. That’s the guy.’ It went deep, very fast. We both knew that it was something big,” she recalled in an interview with People. “I won’t say that I fully understood it, but I knew that meeting him was important and life-changing. My father, my husband, [Law & Order creator] Dick Wolf and Chris are the four pillar men in my life. And that happened early.”
SVU fans watched their relationship grow over the years. But their relationship was cut short when Meloni exited the series due to a dispute with the show’s producers. After he returned to the Law & Order franchise, however, Hargitay and Meloni picked up where they left off. Hargitay maintained their chemistry was what allowed their performance to avoid missing a beat after Meloni’s decade-long absence from the series.
Meloni’s return also brought hope that his and Hargitay’s characters would engage romantically, something fans spent seasons waiting for. Some even tried shipping Meloni and Hargitay in real life.
Speaking in another interview with People, Hargitay was told that she was briefly mentioned as Meloni’s wife in a Wikipedia edit. Although it might’ve been an accident, the edit could’ve also been an intentional ruse by a fan. But Hargitay didn’t mind the title of being Meloni’s second wife, and joked that she found it accurate.
“I mean, I don’t think I’ll be marrying him any time soon, but I am kind of like his second wife,” Hargitay said. “Wife, therapist, bestie, sister, mother.”
She further joked how the more extreme side of SVU’s fandom wanted both of them to end up single. Hargitay is already married to Peter Hermann, who she met on SVU. Meanwhile, Meloni has been married to his wife Sherman Williams since 1995.
Chris Meloni’s relationship with Sherman Williams played a big role in Mariska Hargitay’s love life
Meloni’s relationship with Williams was very inspiring to watch for his SVU co-star. During Hargitay’s single years, she seemed to immediately notice how important Williams was to Meloni.
“The birth of his first child and being privy to his amazing, solid relationship with his wife, before I had that for myself — I think that Chris and Sherman played a really big role for me, to see this really stable couple that loved each other,” she said.
It further endeared Meloni to Hargitay, who she saw as solid and stable.
“And it made me feel even safer with him, as opposed to: ‘Great guy — but single.’ Or ‘Great guy — except for his romantic life.’ Instead, he’s this man who is as solid as a rock, and who is that rock in his relationship,” she said. “And I got to lean on it when I needed to. It was like family.”
Mariska Hargitay didn’t think Olivia Benson could be without Elliot Stabler
Hargitay was hit incredibly hard by news of Meloni’s early departure. So much so that she once confided she had no idea how Olivia Benson would function without her partner.
“I can’t really imagine doing the show without Chris and I can’t imagine Olivia …” Hargitay said according to news au. “I don’t think she could be without him; she loves him, he’s her other half. He’s her husband, her man, her life, her rock.”
During the negotiation process, Hargitay found herself tempted to follow Meloni’s lead. But she chose to stay with the series, although she didn’t rule out the possibility she might walk away some day as well.
“It’s been proven over and over to me that it’s the right thing for me to still be here,” she said. “I wasn’t done even through all that crazy negotiation – it wasn’t about money, it was about something else for me. I told them I never wanted to leave. I had every intention of coming back, I needed it to be a little different. But I never say never. I don’t know where I’ll be in another year. I might be done. I might go, ‘I’m so not done’.”
But Hargitay continued her work long enough to see Meloni return to the franchise, reuniting with her partner.
