Law & Order star finally spills on the real reason he left the show
Christopher Meloni has made many Law & Order fans happy by returning to the popular crime drama after leaving 10 years ago. Now he tells us the real reason he left.
Known for his portrayal of the no-nonsense Detective Elliot Stabler on Law & Order: SVU for a long run of 12 seasons between 1999 and 2011, Meloni left the show at the end of the 12th season.
His sudden departure was a major shock to his detective partner on the show, Mariska Hargitay. As her character, Olivia Benson, she portrayed this shock in the Season 13 premiere.
At the time, it was reported that Meloni left the show because of a contract dispute and finally, when Men’s Health interviewed Meloni recently, he confirmed this was the case.
Meloni told Men’s Health he was negotiating with the show's executive producer, Dick Wolf, for less screen time in the 13th season but he was having trouble getting his message across.
"My thought was: instead of 22 episodes, bring me back for nine episodes, or bring me back for 18 episodes," Meloni told Men's Health.
In the end, Meloni sad they came to me on a Thursday night and said: “This is the deal. We want the answer by tomorrow. It’s our way or no way.”
Because the producer wasn’t offering anything Meloni had asked for, Meloni said he just agreed that if he couldn't have it his way, he wouldn't have it any way at all. So, he decided to bring an end to his character's time on the show.
"I don't want to f--k around with you guys. This is what I want. If you can't do it, that's fine. Let's figure out my exit," he said of his last discussion with Wolf.
However, now that Meloni is back on the set of Law & Order in Organized Crime, which you can watch in Australia for free on 9Now, there is far less stress involved, and the actor is finding himself having a good time taking the character of Elliot Stabler back on.
"I'm not stressed by, ‘Will it go well? Will it not go well?' Not that I know how it's going to go. Just that, eh, just ride. Just do, just be," Meloni said to Men's Health.
You can stream the complete seasons of Law & Order, Law & Order: Organized Crime, and Law & Order: Criminal Intent for free on 9Now.
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