Christopher Meloni Breaks Silence on the 'Law & Order: SVU' Kiss Scene Fans Never Got to See
When asked about the Benson–Stabler kiss scene, Meloni offered a simple two-word reply.
Updated June 15 2026, 11:38 a.m. ET
Christopher Meloni had two words when asked about the deleted kiss scene from Law & Order: Special Victims Unit: "No comment."
Since a 2023 episode titled Blood Out showed Olivia Benson and Elliot Stabler nearly kissing, fans have long speculated that an alternate version of that famous Season 24 "kitchen scene" was filmed with an actual kiss.
Meloni told People on the red carpet, where he attended Hargitay's Broadway production, Every Brilliant Thing.
"I Think We Felt That This Moment Was Earned"
Meloni's two-word response came months after Hargitay confirmed the kiss had been filmed between her character, Olivia Benson, and Meloni's Elliot Stabler was not included in the broadcast version.
In a conversation with The Hollywood Reporter in April, Hargitay revealed, “I think we felt that this moment was earned, that this thing could happen for a second — and so that's how we shot it... We shot it a couple different ways. And then they [Wolf and others] had the choice in editing, and they [opted to use the near-kiss version rather than the kiss]."
Hargitay said she felt the moment was earned, adding that they “thought that it was earned and the way it was dealt with was really complex and very beautiful and very human and showed the complexity of their relationship and all the different ways that they're connected … [But] no matter what I want, Wolf can totally just say, ‘Uh, no.' "
Hargitay addressed the speculation in a People cover story, saying the kiss had been filmed
"By the way, this is such old news!" she said, laughing, noting the years that had passed since the scene was filmed. "This happened years ago."
On why the kiss was not included in the broadcast version, she speculated, "Because they probably didn't want it out in the press, and I said it.”
"But it was years ago. I don't even know what season it was. We had that kind of near kiss, and so we did a take the way it was scripted and then we thought about it for so long,” she explained.
Hargitay added, “and we just felt like, after all these years, there was just so much between us that it was a moment that happened. But [Wolf] didn't think so, so he cut it. So we went to the other one. That's all it was. But the fans will probably be happy. There was a moment."