Christopher Meloni & His Mom Have the Same Striking Blue Eyes in Rare Pic
The Law & Order icon's mother passed away in 2016.
For someone who portrays such a tough character on TV, Law & Order: Organized Crime's Christopher Meloni is a total softie.
During a 2022 People video interview about Meloni's 27-year marriage to his wife, Sherman Williams, fans were stopped in their tracks when they got a rare glimpse of Meloni's mother, Cecile. In a blink-and-you'll-miss-it moment at the 1:36 mark, fans will see a picture of Meloni sweetly embracing Cecile for a photo.
Cecile died in 2016. Meloni was on location filming a movie in 2016 when he got the news that his mother was close to passing.
"We were shooting in Hawaii, and I did a few of my scenes for a couple weeks there and then they said 'We're not going to need you for a while, so you go home.' So I went back east and unfortunately my mother got ill and so she passed," said Meloni on a talk show, as reported by People. "I actually had to leave her bedside, flew, and by the time I landed, she had passed."
See Cecile in the 1:36 mark of the video, below:
Christopher Meloni speaks about his on-screen mother, Bernadette Stabler
One of the most foundational aspects of Meloni's L&O character, Elliot Stabler — besides his friendship with Olivia Benson, of course — is his relationship with his mother, Bernadette, played by Ellen Burstyn. As it turns out, the two have an intense bond even off-screen.
In an October 2023 discussion with Interview, the stars opened up about their working relationship.
"Since I've lost my mother a couple of years ago, you — in my life, in our work — you're my mother," Meloni lovingly told her.
RELATED: Chris Meloni on Why His 29-Year Marriage Works: "She's Always Been..."
"It's very easy, it's like slipping into a pair of old shoes. I slipped into being your mother," she replied.
"Well, I'm glad you say that because I feel the same way," Meloni said.
Although Burstyn's had a long and successful career in Hollywood, she admitted she's more well-known for her role as Stabler's mother than anything else.
RELATED:Chris Meloni Eats This Very Specific Meal Every Day Working on Law & Order
"I want you to know that I'm more famous for [Organized Crime] than for anything I've done in my 70 years in the business," she told her on-screen son. "I get people stopping me in the street and saying, 'Are you going to be on the show again soon?'"
