Way back in August 2001, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit icons Christopher Meloni and Mariska Hargitay posed for one epic (and blonde!) red carpet photo.
The two attended the premiere of the movie Life Picard Is Famous at the Chelsea West Theatre in New York City. And looking back at this throwback pic, one thing stands out: Hargitay’s stunning bright blonde hair.
Hargitay’s hair has undergone frequent transformations throughout her career, but nothing has been quite as dramatic as the time she went super-short and blonde. Of course, she pulled off the color and cut flawlessly.
For this occasion, Hargitay opted for a purple top that made her blonde hair pop even more. Meanwhile, Meloni looked effortlessly cool in a green and white ensemble:
Mariska Hargitay and Christopher Meloni have an “incredible shorthand” as friends
Meloni and Hargitay are lifelong friends thanks to their history working on SVU and Law & Order: Organized Crime together. In March, the two were spotted walking arm-in-arm down the streets of New York while filming together. Their real-life relationship is as strong as ever.
During her October 1, 2024, appearance on TODAY, Hargitay opened up about the bond she shares with Meloni.
RELATED: Chris Meloni Is So Sweet Giving Mariska Hargitay’s Son a Piggyback Ride on the SVU Set
“Listen, nobody really understands our relationship the way we do,” Hargitay said. “Because we have such an incredible shorthand…When we are together, there’s just an immediate drop-in, I think, that is unique to us — with all this incredible history.”
“I knew quickly that we had this kind of magical chemistry,” Hargitay told TODAY’s Willie Geist,. “Chris and I are polar opposites in terms of who we are as people. And yet, there was this yin-yang. So when they paired us, I was like, ‘Oh, this is done.'”
Meloni is just as fond of their friendship, telling USA Today sharing scenes with Hargitay on Law & Order is like “slipping into a warm bath; you know what you’re getting. There’soing not g to be a problem. You get to focus on making the scene as honest and interesting as you possibly can. You don’t have to worry about personalities or having an offbeat difference of opinion.”
RELATED: Mariska Hargitay Is Striking with Reddish Brown Hair and Bangs (PIC)
“I’m just so grateful for the relationship and for the friendship,” Hargitay told NBC Insider in 2024 about Meloni. “It’s sacred on and off the screen, so it’s a beautiful, beautiful friendship.”
