Chris Meloni Reveals Return To Work On Law & Order: SVU Set

Chris Meloni’s return to the Law & Order brand in 2021 is one of TV’s most anticipated events. The actor shared on social media an image that removes any doubt that Elliot Stabler is back — on Law & Order: SVU, for now!

Chris Meloni Brings Back Elliot Stabler

“#firstdayofschool” Meloni tweeted as he’s shown having a fake tattoo put on his arm. As regular viewers of Law & Order: SVU reruns recall, Elliot has some body art on him dating back to his days with the United States Marine Corps, so he’s clearly on his way to recreating his character’s look.

@alexavastola posted: “that’s a stabler tattoo i know it when i see it.” @stephaniepmcclellan wrote: “exacting my thoughts.”

It appears Meloni is working with a familiar face — the actor posted a photo of himself with his daughter, Sophia Meloni, in a follow-up post.

“Get to work with my girl- #BestDayEver,” Meloni wrote on Instagram, sharing a photo of father and daughter on location. This isn’t the first time the pair have worked together. Sophia appeared in the 2011 film Dirty Movie, which Meloni co-directed.

No word yet on if Sophia is taking on an acting or a behind-the-scenes role with her dad. Law & Order: SVU, a spinoff of Law & Order, debuted on September 20, 1999. While the original series rarely delved into the personal lives of the show’s main cast, SVU was different.

Viewers learned that Olivia (Mariska Hargitay) had been conceived after her mother was raped. Elliot’s family (AKA “Kathy and the kids”) were not only introduced as part of the show’s fabric, but they also were worked into the show’s storylines. Elliot and Kathy (Isabel Gillies) split up for a brief period but reunited after she revealed she was pregnant with their second son, who was named after Elliot but is called Eli.

Allison Siko has played Elliot and Kathy’s daughter, Kathleen, who was diagnosed as being bipolar. Viewers also met Elliot’s mother, Bernadette, played by Ellen Burstyn, who also has the condition. Law & Order: SVU airs Thursdays at 10 p.m. ET on NBC. Meloni’s series Law & Order: Organized Crime is set to debut in 2021.