Actor Christopher Meloni had been a fixture on Law and Order SVU. He starred in it as Detective Stabler for 12 years. When he decided to part ways with the show in 2011, it had a huge impact on not only the show but the viewers and his castmates. In particular, Mariska Hargitay was shocked and saddened to learn that he was exiting the show.
Why Did Chris Meloni Exit Law and Order SVU?
Although the details are scant, it ultimately had to do with contract negotiations. Meloni had been with the show for 12 seasons, and he was set to negotiate his salary for the next contract. Apparently, NBC and Meloni could not come to an agreement.
Detective Stabler was a good balancing force for Mariska Hargitay’s Detective Benson. Where Detective Benson was calm and methodical, Detective Stabler proved to be more impulsive, and he could make some rash decisions. The storyline that led up to Stabler’s exit, filled with emotion, was something that was within his character. He left the show at the end of season 12.
Mariska Hargitay Reacts to Castmate’s Absence
The two detectives had been through thick and thin – not only on a professional level, but on a personal one. They had helped each other through many issues and solved a vast number of cases. They were very close in real life, too. It was a shock to most viewers and Meloni‘s castmates to deal with his character being gone.
Hargitay opened up about his exit, saying it was “devastating.” On the June 25th edition of Alex Cooper’s Call Her Daddy podcast, Mariska said of Chris:
We are just connected… We are so close. It’s like we’ve been through the battle together. We know each other so well. We love each other so much. We respect each other so much.
Pertaining to his abrupt departure from the show, she remarked:
I was devastated. I was devastated. It happened very quickly, and it was surprising. It was over a negotiation. And I tried everything I could to fix it and change it.. [Chris] left. I was devastated.
Chris Meloni Post-Law and Order SVU
Mariska also said she knew nothing about his exit until it happened. She went on to say that she’s glad Meloni went on to star in other shows, including the franchise’s Law and Order: Organized Crime, which premiered in 2021. She also stated she’s been amazingly lucky to work with some fantastic cast members, including Danny Pino (of Mayans MC) and Kelli Giddish (from Chase).
We hope to see more of Stabler and Benson paired up in future Law & Order shows. The chemistry between the two is definitely strong. Plus, what’s even better is that these two characters solve a lot of crimes!
