Should they or shouldn’t they? For decades, Law & Order: SVU fans have been clamoring for Christopher Meloni’s TV alter ego, Detective Elliot Ztabler, to get together with Captain Olivia Benson, played by his longtime costar and friend Mariska Hargitay. “I don’t know if Benson and Stabler should have a romantic relationship,” confesses the 63-year-old, “but I know it is worth exploring where they are emotionally.” Here, the actor — who shares daughter Sophia, 23, and son Dante, 20, with his production designer wife of 29 years, Sherman Williams — talks to In Touch’s Fortune Benatar about the hit franchise he returned to in 2021 after a 10-year absence (he currently stars in the spinoff Law & Order: Organized Crime but crosses over to SVU), his involvement with Global Lyme Alliance (GLA) and his favorite emoji.
Why are you on the fence about Stabler and Benson getting romantically involved?
CM: Because it is a difficult and conflicted situation for each of them.
Mariska is your good friend and godmother to Sophia. What do you admire about her?
CM: I admire her skill at navigating life and squeezing the most out of it.
What’s your favorite thing about being a part of the ‘Law & Order’ franchise?
CM: I love the crew. I love engaging with them every day — they are great and highly skilled people. We go into work every day and fix problems, whether it be with the script or the blocking or the acting or all the other aspects of filmmaking. We all come together to try to create the best end result possible.
You and Sherman celebrated your 29th wedding anniversary in July. What’s the key to a successful marriage?
CM: Patience, a good sense of humor — and Sherman’s ability to put up with me!
What wisdom do you hope to impart to your children?
CM: It’s funny thinking of myself like the village elder with a long white beard. I want my kids to be true to who they are, trust themselves and be open to others. At the end of the day, it’s their ride and they’ve got to figure it out themselves.
Have they shown interest in pursuing a career path in entertainment?
CM: My daughter has; she’s working on a short film right now. My son is more of a numbers guy.
You’ve revealed Lyme disease has affected your family, and you’re an ambassador for GLA. Tell us more.
CM: Lyme disease has changed mine and my family’s whole lives. It made us focus on staying healthy. We all felt a call to spread the word on this sinister disease. We’re finding that very few people understand its potential long-term ramifications.
What message do you hope to spread?
CM: As it stands, compared to West Nile virus or malaria, we get 1 percent of the funding those types of diseases get. Lyme disease is the forgotten disease. We hope to spread awareness.
What’s the greatest life lesson you’ve learned so far?
CM: It’s all about love. I seek peace and a kinder way to go through life. I try to focus on the things in life that are meaningful and bring me joy.
