The Law & Order franchise has been filming on the streets of New York since the ‘90s, and there are probably loads of stories that actors can share from those experiences. As one of the longest-running actors in the L&O franchise, Christopher Meloni knows a thing or two about shooting the drama out in the open and coming across fans. Unfortunately, there are times when a scene is ruined due to interference, as Meloni reveals some of the F-bomb-laced comments people have yelled at him.
In 1999, Meloni began portraying Detective Elliot Stabler on Law & Order: SVU and departed in 2012. He returned to the role in 2021 to lead his own spinoff, Organized Crime, which is airing now on the 2025 TV schedule. So it's not surprising that he's experienced quite a lot of fan interactions while filming in the Big Apple over the years. While taking part in BuzzFeed’s popular Puppy Interview segment, Meloni was asked about the most wild or memorable experiences he’s had while filming in NYC, and these sound crazy:
It's usually you're on the streets, you're trying to be in character and stay in this moment and someone drives by and is like 'Ice-T get that motherfucker!' And you're like 'OK, well, that kind of blew that take' or 'Stabler my man, fuck 'em up!' You're like 'OK, I will! Thanks for blowing the take.'
I'd imagine that long-standing cast and crew members are certainly used to fans shouting at them. However, that doesn't necessarily mean it becomes any less annoying when a take is ruined. If anything, onlookers' enthusiastic responses serve as a testament to the continued popularity of Dick Wolf's procedural-based franchise. One would still hope that devotees would be respectful, though, given that filming can be stressful as is.
Although it seems filming Law & Order in public in New York can have its ups and downs, positive developments can result from it. Last year, Mariska Hargitay was mistaken as an actual cop by a lost child while filming SVU. Production briefly paused while Hargitay helped the child find her mother, eventually reuniting the two. She may only play Captain Olivia Benson on TV, but I'd say she's certainly a hero in real life as well.
When it comes to Meloni's Organized Crime (which is available to stream with a Peacock subscription), the long-awaited fifth season premiered last month. It delivered a sad exit, with Ainsley Seiger’s Jet departing. At the very least, both Hargitay and Peter Scanavino have guest starred on the show, and the series is effectively building on its shared universe.
It's probably reasonable to assume that the cast and crew of Law & Order shows will continue to have to deal with fan reactions while filming in public. Despite that, I'd expect Christopher Meloni and co. -- being the professionals that they are -- to continue to handle such situations with grace. All the while, after hearing Meloni's comments, I'm interested in hearing experiences from some fellow franchise alums.
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