Law & Order's Christopher Meloni Addresses Mariska Hargitay Kiss, Benson and Stabler's "End Game"

Christopher Meloni teased a potential Stabler and Benson (Mariska Hargitay) kiss on the Jan. 26 episode of Law & Oder: SVU, as well as whether he thinks the characters should end up together.

Just like fans, Today co-hosts Hoda Kotb and Savannah Guthrie can't wait for this week's episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

That's because a promo for the NBC drama's Jan. 26 episode teased a potential kiss between longtime will-they-won't-they couple Captain Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay) and Detective Elliot Stabler (Christopher Meloni). And though he couldn't confirm or deny what goes down during the episode, Christopher did share his thoughts on whether he thinks "Bensler" should and will end up together.

"I think there's a world," he said on the Jan. 25 episode of Today. "I used to not, but I think we're all trying to still figure out what the exact steps are and what that endgame is." And a kiss could be the exact thing that sets Benson and Stabler down the path to romance.

According to the Law & Order: Organized Crime star, the episode will see Stabler stop by SVU after Benson calls in a favor. As for what that favor is? Christopher said, "Just to pick up her son."

But based on the preview's steamy moment, Savannah hilariously noted, "It looks like you picked up something else."

Christopher went on to tease Benson and Stabler's seemingly intimate moment in a Today Twitter video, stating how the key to preparing for their close-up shot was all about being professional.

"When you've been friends and co-workers and the kind of relationship that we have," the 61-year-old shared, "you're presented with what the scene's about, and you get in there."

"We're coworkers, we don't hold each others faces this way ..." -@SavannahGuthrie and @hodakotb grill @Chris_Meloni about a steamy tease image of Stabler and Benson from an upcoming episode. pic.twitter.com/2Jy313WLaW

— TODAY (@TODAYshow) January 25, 2023

But as he went on to describe, "At least on my part, it was an interesting scene, a delicate scene, a difficult scene, awkward, but that's all good 'cause I think those were all elements that were part of the scene."

Putting a cherry on top of Bensler kiss speculation, the star said that in order to set the mood for the scene, he "popped a breath mint."

Will the pair's 20 years of pining finally pay off? Fans will have to tune in to Law & Order: Special Victims Unit tomorrow, Jan. 26, at 9 p.m. on NBC to find out.

Today airs weekdays at 7 a.m. on NBC.

(E! and NBC are both part of the NBCUniversal family.)

Get the drama behind the scenes. Sign up for TV Scoop!