Law & Order

Why Dean Norris Was ‘Laughing My A– Off’ After Christopher Meloni Made Him Flirt with Mariska Hargitay on Screen (Exclusive)

Posted on by Franki

Michael Loccisano/Getty; Jose Perez/Bauer-Griffin/GC; Weiss Eubanks/NBCUniversal/Getty  From left: Dean Norris; Mariska Hargitay; Christopher Meloni

Dean Norris might just be Mr. Steal Your Girl.

While speaking to PEOPLE ahead of the premiere of season 5 of Law & Order: Organized Crime, Norris shares that he playfully got to try and put some moves on Mariska Hargitay while filming a scene from the upcoming episode, written by none other than Christopher Meloni.

“All of a sudden I get the second script, and I’m trying to pick up Benson. I was laughing my a– off,” recalls Norris.

The Breaking Bad alum plays Randall Stabler, the older brother to Elliot Stabler (Meloni), and after a near-fatal car accident leaves Elliot hospitalized, his loved ones — including Olivia Benson (Hargitay) and his brother — rush to his bedside.

Virginia Sherwood/PEACOCK Mariska Hargitay as Olivia Benson, Christopher Meloni as Elliot Stabler in Organized Crime

Stabler and Benson have been a duo for more than 25 years, first as partners on the job for SVU, and now, despite fans yearning for more romance, as longtime friends.

While speaking to PEOPLE, Meloni watches Norris with amusement as his on-screen brother gets a chance to recall the meeting with Hargitay, whom Norris had never met prior.

Virginia Sherwood/PEACOCK Dean Norris as Randall Stabler, Danielle Mone Truitt as Ayanna Bell, Mariska Hargitay as Olivia Benson
“[I wrote Dean] a lot of fun scenes. Do I get flowers? Do I get an ‘Attaboy’ or a thank you note? Nothing,” jokes Meloni. “It was fun on a multi-level. I pitched the idea, and I thought ‘This will be a good opportunity for people to say things in Stabler’s presence, but he can’t respond.’ He can’t engage. I mean, what comes out of his mouth, he would deny it!”

Season 5 of OC also welcomes back Ellen Burstyn as the Stablers’ mom, Bernie. Norris jokes that Burstyn is the real reason he signed onto the show.

Virginia Sherwood/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Ellen Burstyn as Bernadette Stabler, Christopher Meloni as Det. Elliot Stabler in season 2 of OC

“Other than having to deal with this clown on a weekly basis, it’s been great,” says Norris, gesturing at Meloni. “At least there’s Ellen Burstyn.”

Meloni originated the character of Stabler in 1999 when SVU premiered, and he played the detective and family man through 2011 before departing the show after contract negotiations proved unsuccessful. The premiere of Organized Crime some ten years later in 2021 then re-introduced audiences to Stabler.

So, when asked how his life might be different without this character in it, Meloni has but one, honest answer. “I’d probably be renting,” he says with a laugh.

Season 5 of Law & Order: Organized Crime will premiere its first two episodes on Peacock on April 17, followed by a new episode every Thursday. A special telecast of the season premiere will also air on April 17 at 10 p.m. ET on NBC.