The Best Time Christopher Meloni Broke Character On Law & Order: SVU
When one hears the trademark "dun-dun," one knows that they are watching something related to "Law & Order." "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" is a spin-off show from the original "Law & Order" which premiered in 1999, and it is currently in Season 23 with over 500 episodes (via IMDb). Christopher Meloni plays Detective Elliot Stabler, who acted in the role up until Season 13, and he was considered part of the main cast and one of the most important characters on the show at that current point in time (via IMDb).
Known for his extremely gruff demeanor and aggressive behavior, Detective Stabler has no problem with getting angry with suspects in order to produce results. His intimidation and over-all personality is the result of several traumatic events throughout his life, and the conditioning he received as a member of the military. At one point in the series, Stabler throws a suspect through a glass window in a fit of rage, which makes his coworkers' jobs much more complicated. However, behind the scenes the actor is a completely different person, and a blooper reel truly highlights the divide between character and actor.
Christopher Meloni jokes about how creepy his lines are
Blooper reels are always a great way to see what actors are like when all of the pretenses have been dropped, and they no longer have to behave in character. Sometimes, even the most serious of scenes can be made light-hearted when an actor loses focuses and is taken out of the role, but these moments also give a glimpse into their lives, much to the delight of fans who have seen them in a completely different light. Perhaps one of the best times Meloni ever broke character was when he was trying to deliver a line, but was reading just a little bit too much into it.
As illustrated on this YouTube video, Detective Stabler is tasked with obtaining a DNA sample, to which the actor asks to swab the inside of a suspect's mouth, but in that very moment, Meloni looks directly at the camera and says that even he felt creepy saying that. He then tries saying it a slightly different way, but the results are still the same and he joked that he still feels creepy in the request for a DNA sample. He then continued to riff on the scene, and said "Have swab — will travel" with a big grin on his face, showing that he is not frustrated with the outcomes, but is actually have a great deal of fun. This is a far-cry from his on-screen presence, and perfect example of Meloni's skill when it comes to projecting an entirely different character.