Christopher Meloni’s Zaddy era is in full swing, and it really has been fun to see the Law & Order star soak up all of the viral love that's resulted from it. (Though we have to sympathize with Meloni’s kids on some level for having to deal with it.) Amid the hype, Mariska Hargitay shared her own funny take on what it’s like to actually hug the actor.
Mariska Hargitay and Christopher Meloni’s friendship is #goals, and their adorable moments at the Emmys alone prove that. The two have known each other for over 20 years and are still as close as ever. Though with Meloni recently achieving Zaddy status, he’s hilariously gotten a little over the top, as Hargitay would attest to. During her chat with Access Hollywood, she also humorously claimed that it can sometimes be tough to hug the actor, who she calls "fearless":
When I see him, all the time, sometimes it hurts to actually hug him because his chest is so hard. I'm like, 'Okay, sweetie...'
Well, Christopher Meloni is a sex symbol, so it’s not surprising that he’d be trying to stay as fit as ever. Folks got a very good look at his ripped (and naked) bod in that Peloton ad. It’s definitely funny to hear what his friend and colleague Mariska Hargitay thinks of hugging him, and others may have the same sentiments. But Meloni and Hargitay have shared a lot of hugs over the years, even recently. So I'm sure she's willing to risk being somewhat crushed out of love for her friend. One has to wonder if Meloni's ripped body doesn’t get in the way of his and Hargitay’s cute routine, which has become an on-set tradition for them.
I'm now somewhat curious as to what other Law & Order co-stars think of the 61-year-old's Zaddy-ness and if anyone busts his chops for it -- jokingly, of course. Though considering all of the working out the actor apparently does on the L&O set, it wouldn’t be surprising if his castmates are just used to that energy at this point.
As Mariska Hargitay and Christopher Meloni’s friendship continues offscreen, their characters' relationship onscreen has been heating up. Thanks to crossovers, Benson and Stabler’s bond has evolved in the years since SVU’s 1999 pilot, and it’s still possible that we may finally see Bensler become official. Unfortunately, it’s hard to tell if (or when) that will ever happen, but fans are surely going to keep hoping for it.
While we wait for movement on that front, it's likely that Christopher Meloni will keep posting BTS pictures from the set of Organized Crime, further cementing his Zaddy status in the process. Now that he knows what people think of him, he’s been taking advantage of it, and I’m not complaining about that at all. Mariska Hargitay, meanwhile, will likely continue to power through those massive hugs and show more support for her co-star.
Catch the Law & Order shows on Thursdays beginning at 8 p.m. EST on NBC! Check out CinemaBlend’s 2022 TV schedule for info on other premieres that will be arriving before the end of the year.
