Christopher Meloni facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Christopher Meloni
Meloni in 2024
Born	Christopher Peter Meloni (1961-04-02) April 2, 1961 (age 64) Washington, D.C., U.S.
Other names	Chris Meloni
Education	University of Colorado Boulder Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1989–present
Spouse(s)	Doris Sherman Williams ​ (m. 1995)​
Children	2

Christopher Peter Meloni (born April 2, 1961) is an American actor. He is famous for playing Detective Elliot Stabler on the TV show Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. He was on this show from 1999 to 2011, and then returned in 2021 for a spin-off called Organized Crime. For his role, he was even nominated for a big award called a Primetime Emmy Award.

Before Law & Order, he also played a character named Chris Keller on the HBO show Oz. Later, he starred in and helped produce the Syfy series Happy!.

Christopher Meloni has also been in many movies. Some of his film roles include 12 Monkeys (1995), Runaway Bride (1999), Wet Hot American Summer (2001), Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle (2004), and superhero movies like Green Lantern: First Flight (2009) and Man of Steel (2013).

Early Life and School

Christopher Meloni was born in Washington, D.C.. He is the youngest of three children. His mother, Cecile, was a homemaker. His father, Charles, was a doctor. Christopher has an older brother and an older sister. His family background includes French Canadian and Italian roots.

He went to St. Stephen's School in Alexandria, Virginia. There, he was the quarterback for the football team. After high school, he went to the University of Colorado-Boulder. He took acting classes as extra subjects. In 1983, he earned a degree in history. After college, Meloni moved to New York. He continued to study acting at the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre.

Before he became a famous actor, Meloni worked many different jobs. He was a construction worker, a bouncer, a bartender, and even a personal trainer.

Acting Career

Christopher Meloni started his acting journey slowly. He appeared in commercials and short-lived TV shows. He also had small parts in movies. One of his first big roles was in the 1996 thriller Bound. He played the hotheaded son of a Mafia boss. He was also in the early 1990s show Dinosaurs as Spike. In 1999, he played the fiancé of Julia Roberts's character in the movie Runaway Bride.

Meloni in New York City, June 2006

From 1998 to 2003, Meloni played a character named Chris Keller on the HBO series Oz. In 1999, a producer named Dick Wolf chose Meloni for the role of Elliot Stabler. This was for the show Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. Meloni worked on both Oz and Law & Order: SVU at the same time. Oz ended in 2003.

In 2006, Meloni was nominated for an Emmy Award. This was for his great acting as Elliot Stabler. In 2011, he announced he would not return to SVU. His character was written out of the show as having retired. But in 2020, Meloni shared exciting news! He would play Stabler again in a new spin-off show. It is called Law & Order: Organized Crime. He also appeared in a special crossover episode of SVU.

Meloni has also been in many comedies. He played Gene in Wet Hot American Summer (2001). He was Dr. Norris in an episode of Scrubs (2003). He played "Freakshow" in Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle (2004). He even had a small role in its sequel, Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay. In 2009, Meloni voiced the DC Comics superhero Hal Jordan/Green Lantern in an animated movie.

Meloni at San Diego Comic Con, 2012

In 2012, Meloni joined the cast of True Blood. He played a powerful, very old vampire named Roman. In 2013, he was in the Superman movie Man of Steel. He played Colonel Hardy. That same year, he played baseball manager Leo Durocher in the movie 42. Meloni also starred in the Syfy series Happy! from 2017 to 2019. This show was based on a comic book.

In 2018, Meloni was a guest star in two episodes of the show Pose. In 2019, he appeared in the third season of The Handmaid's Tale as Commander Winslow.

Helping Others

Christopher Meloni enjoys helping others. In 2004 and 2006, he played in a TV show called Celebrity Poker Showdown. In 2006, he finished second. He played for a charity called Feed the Children.

He also appeared on Celebrity Jeopardy! in 2006. He won against other Law & Order stars. Meloni split his $50,000 prize between two charities. These were the Big Apple Circus Clown Care Program and the Montefiore Advocacy Center. He also played in a special Jeopardy! event in 2009. He won $25,000 for Smile Train, a charity that helps children with clefts.

Personal Life

Christopher Meloni married Doris Sherman Meloni on July 1, 1995. She is a production designer. They have two children, a daughter born in 2001 and a son born in 2004. Mariska Hargitay, who played his partner on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, is the godmother to his daughter. They are still very good friends.

Meloni has three tattoos. One shows a modern art style of the crucifixion of Christ on his left arm. Another is a butterfly on his left upper thigh. The third is a Chinese astrological chart of his family on his right lower leg. In 2007, his high school honored him. He was added to their athletic Hall of Fame. This was for being the quarterback of the undefeated 1978 football team.

In 2014, Meloni bought the house that was used in the old TV show The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet. In 2021, on a show called Finding Your Roots, it was found that Meloni is a distant relative of Nancy Pelosi.

Filmography

Film

Television

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Christopher Meloni para niños