When asked about the Benson-Stabler kiss scene, Meloni offered a simple two-word answer.
The article continues below the ad
Since an episode from 2023 titled Blood out showed Olivia Benson and Elliot Stabler almost kissing, fans have long speculated that an alternate version of the famous Season 24 “kitchen scene” was filmed with an actual kiss.
The article continues below the ad
Meloni told People on the red carpet attending Hargitay’s Broadway production, Every brilliant thing.
“I think we felt this moment was deserved”
Meloni’s two-word response came months after Hargitay confirmed that the kiss filmed between her character, Olivia Benson, and Meloni’s Elliot Stabler was not included in the broadcast version.
The article continues below the ad
In a conversation with The Hollywood Reporter in April, Hargitay revealed, “I think we felt that this moment was deserved, that this thing could happen for a moment—and so that’s how we shot it… We shot it a couple of different ways. And then they (Wolf and others) had the choice in terms of editing, and they (chose to use the almost-kiss version instead of the kiss).”
The article continues below the ad
Hargitay said she felt the moment was deserved, adding that they “thought it was deserved and the way it was handled was really complex and very beautiful and very human and showed the complexity of their relationship and all the different ways they’re connected… (But) whatever I want, Wolf can totally just say, ‘Uh, no.'”
Hargitay addressed the speculation in a People front story that said the kiss had been filmed
The article continues below the ad
“By the way, that’s such old news!” she said, laughing, noting the years that had passed since the scene was filmed. “This happened years ago.”
As to why the kiss was not included in the broadcast version, she speculated: “Because they probably didn’t want it in the press, and I said so.”
The article continues below the ad
“But it’s been years. I don’t even know what season it was. We had this kind of almost kiss and so we took the way it was written and then we thought about it for so long,” she explained.
Hargitay added, “and we just felt that 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 off. So we went to the other one. That’s all it was. But the fans will probably be happy. There was a moment.”
