Law & Order: SVU fans aren't the only ones who wait with baited breath for Olivia Benson and Elliot Stabler to take their relationship out of the friend zone!
Mariska Hargitay, who portrays the role of Benson, revealed that she can't wait for her character to finally make things official with Stabler (Christopher Meloni) after they've formed an undeniable bond that has spanned over 25 seasons.
They will have layers of fire above and below them. That is what Allah warns His servants with. So fear Me, O My servants!And those who shun the worship of false gods, turning to Allah ˹alone˺, will have good news. So give good news to My servants ˹O Prophet˺—(The Quran - Chapter Az-Zumar : 16 - 17)
"God, yes," she told Entertainment Tonight. "There is no show in the history of television when characters have been together so long that the relationships are truly earned, are truly organic. So, Chris and I can go to places that no one else can because we lived it. Everything is so much deeper."
Ice-T, who plays Finn Tutuola on the series, agreed with his costar but admitted that he's "given up" on Benson and Stabler getting together over the years.
"Ice doesn't care. I've given up on them. I'm a viewer. So, I'm watching them like, 'Get to it! Get to the business! Stop playing around,'" he joked. "'If you love her, Elliot, let's get it going now!' Finn, he just wants Olivia to be happy. So, he's gonna hold it down. He knows Elliot. Elliot's his man, too."
He added, "But as a viewer, I'm like, 'Ya'll need to just hit a motel or something and make it happen.'"
Fans watched as Benson and Stabler worked alongside each other in Manhattan's Special Victims Unit for 12 seasons. The two have shared many smoldering, fraught moments over the years — especially since Meloni launched the Stabler-centric spinoff Law & Order: Organized Crime in 2021.
During a February 2023 appearance on the Today show, Hargitay teased that fans may finally see the crime fighting duo finally get their happily ever after in future episodes of SVU.
"Benson and Stabler love each other deeply. It's so deep," she told host Savannah Guthrie. "The show is probably only going to go another 23 years, so I think we should just wait and see."
In season 24, fans went wild after Benson and Stabler had an emotional moment that led the pair to almost kiss.
"I think both of us, it was such a long time coming, we just want to make sure and get it right," Hargitay said of filming the scene with Meloni. "The good news is we are so comfortable around each other, it was effortless and fun and we trust each other, it was beautiful that way. We just focused on the work."
Season 25 of Law & Order: SVU premieres Thursday, Jan. 18 at 9 p.m. ET on NBC.
