Christopher Meloni
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| Christopher Meloni | |
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 Christopher Meloni in New York City, 2006 |
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| Born | Christopher Peter Meloni April 2, 1961 Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Other name(s) | Chris Meloni Clyde Stanky |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1989 – present |
| Spouse(s) | Doris Sherman Williams (1995 - present) |
Christopher Peter Meloni (born April 2, 1961) is an American actor known for his near opposite roles as Detective Elliot Stabler on the NBC drama series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and as Chris Keller on HBO's Oz.
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[edit] Biography
[edit] Early life
Meloni was born the youngest of three children in Washington, D.C., the son of Cecile, a homemaker, and Robert Meloni, an endocrinologist.[1] His maternal ancestry is French Canadian and his paternal ancestry is Italian. Meloni is a typical and widely diffused Sardinian surname.[2] He attended St. Stephen's School (now St. Stephen's & St. Agnes School) and the University of Colorado at Boulder, where he first studied acting, graduating with a degree in history in 1983. After graduation, Meloni went to New York where he continued his studies with Sanford Meisner at the famed Neighborhood Playhouse.
[edit] Acting career
Meloni worked as a construction worker prior to getting his acting break. He has also worked as a bouncer, bartender, and personal trainer. Meloni worked his way up the acting ladder with commercials,[3] short-lived TV series, and bit parts in a number of films. His first noticeable role was as the hotheaded son of a Mafia Don in the 1996 thriller Bound. He also appeared as Robbie Sinclair's friend Spike in Dinosaurs and Julia Roberts' fiance in Runaway Bride.
From 1998-2003, Meloni portrayed bisexual serial killer Chris Keller on the HBO series Oz; the role won him a great deal of media attention, particularly within the gay community, in which he is considered a sex symbol. In 1999, he even jokingly kissed his onscreen partner Lee Tergesen (who played Tobias Beecher, Meloni's on screen boyfriend on Oz) at an awards dinner for GLAAD.
L&O producer Dick Wolf, impressed by Meloni's acting abilities, signed him up for SVU in 1999, where he has remained ever since. From 1999 to 2003, he appeared on both shows simultaneously. He even returned to his comedic roots when he portrayed the character "Gene" in Wet Hot American Summer in 2001, and the character of "Freakshow" (albeit in heavy make-up) in the 2004 comedy Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle. He would make another cameo in its sequel, Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay, as "The Grand Wizard". Meloni competed in the eighth series of Bravo's Celebrity Poker Showdown, finishing in second place, behind Robin Tunney, and ahead of Macy Gray, Joy Behar, and Andy Dick. He played for Feed the Children. He also appeared on Celebrity Jeopardy! on November 10, 2006, defeating fellow Law & Order stars Sam Waterston and Kathryn Erbe. Meloni split his $50,000 charity prize between the Big Apple Circus Clown Care Program and the Montefiore Advocacy Center.
Meloni was included in the 2006 edition of People magazine's Sexiest Men Alive. On July 6, 2006, Meloni was nominated for his first Emmy Award, in the category of Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, for his role as Elliot Stabler on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. In July 2009, Meloni portrayed renowned DC Comics character Hal Jordan/Green Lantern in the DC Universe Original Animated Movie Green Lantern: First Flight. He briefly appeared in the first episode of the Comedy Central show Michael & Michael Have Issues portraying himself for a fake movie staring Michael Ian Black and Michael Showalter.
[edit] Personal life
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This section does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (October 2009) |
Meloni is married to Doris Sherman Williams (a production designer). The couple have two children daughter Sophia Eva Pietra (b. March 23, 2001), and son Dante Amadeo (b. January 2, 2004).
He wears a fake tattoo of the United States Marine Corps emblem (the Eagle, Globe, and Anchor) on his arm for his role in SVU (as seen in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Season 7 episodes, Season 8, Episode 8: "Underbelly" and Season 6, Episode 5: "Outcry".) He has a real tattoo of a butterfly on his upper thigh, and a cubist representation of the crucifixion of Christ tattooed on his upper left arm. He is also a friend and wine drinking buddy of Maynard James Keenan of the progressive rock band Tool.[citation needed]
[edit] Filmography
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Clean Slate | Bodyguard | |
| Junior | Mr. Lanzarotta | ||
| 1995 | Twelve Monkeys | Lt. Halperin | |
| 1996 | Bound | Johnnie Marzzone | |
| 1997 | The Small Hours | FL | |
| 1998 | Brown's Requiem | Sgt. Cavanah | Uncredited Role |
| Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas | Sven, Clerk at Flamingo Hotel | ||
| The Souler Opposite | Barry Singer | ||
| 1999 | Carlo's Wake | Bennetto Torello | |
| Runaway Bride | Bob Kelly | ||
| 2001 | Wet Hot American Summer | Gene | |
| 2002 | That Brief Moment | Ken | Short film |
| Murder in Greenwich | Mark Fuhrman | ||
| 2004 | Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle | Freakshow | |
| 2008 | Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay | Grand Wizard | credited as "Reverend Clyde Stanky" |
| Nights in Rodanthe | Jack Willis | ||
| 2009 | Brief Interviews with Hideous Men | R / Subject #3 | |
| Carriers | Frank | ||
| Green Lantern: First Flight | Hal Jordan/Green Lantern | Voice | |
| National Lampoon's Dirty Movie | The Producer | completed |
[edit] Television
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989-90 | 1st & Ten | Vito Del Greco/Johnny Gunn | Episode: "Surprise, Surprise" Episode: "The Con" Episode: "All's Fair in Love and Football" Episode: "False Start" Episode: "Heaven Help Me" Episode: "Mind Games" Episode: "Clean and Sober" Episode: "Vindication" Episode: "Gunn and Bullette" Episode: "Earn This One for Ernie" Episode: "Who Stole Johnny Gunn" |
| 1990 | When Will I Be Loved? | Jessie | TV film on NBC |
| 1990-91 | The Fanelli Boys | Frankie Fanelli | 17 episodes |
| 1991 | In a Child's Name | Jerry Cimarelli | TV film on CBS |
| 1991-94 | Dinosaurs | Spike | 11 episodes |
| 1992 | Something to Live for: The Alison Gertz Story | David | TV film on ABC |
| 1993 | Without a Kiss Goodbye (widely known as Falsely Accused) | Ray Samuels | TV film on CBS |
| The Boys | Doug Kirkfield | ||
| Golden Gate | Douglas 'BW' Carlino | Unsold pilot | |
| 1995 | A Dangerous Affair | Tommy Moretti | TV film on ABC |
| Hope & Gloria | Billy | Episode: Love with an Improper Stranger | |
| Misery Loves Company | Mitch | Episode: "Wu's Company" Episode: "Advice and Dissent" Episode: "Uneasy Rider" Episode: "That Book by Nabokov" Episode: "Pilot" Episode: "The Witches of East 6th" Episode: "The Streak" Episode: "Joe DeMarco, Boy Wonder" |
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| 1996-97 | NYPD Blue | Jimmy Liery | Episode: "Where'd the Van Gogh?" Episode: "Ted and Carey's Bogus Adventure" Episode: "Unembraceable You" Episode: "Caulksmanship" Episode: "My Wild Irish Nose" |
| 1997 | The Last Don | Boz Skannet | Miniseries |
| Leaving L.A. | Reed Sims | Episode: "Intermissio" Episode: "Give Them Names" Episode: "The Eyes of the City" Episode: "The Black Widower" Episode: "Now?" Episode: "Dead Elvis" |
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| Every 9 Seconds | Richard Sutherland | TV film on NBC | |
| Brooklyn South | Joe | Episode: "Wild Irish Woes" Episode: "McMurder One" Episode: "Dublin or Nothin' |
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| 1998 | Target Earth | Det. Samuel 'Sam' Adams | TV film on ABC |
| Homicide: Life on the Street | Bounty Hunter Dennis Knoll | Episode: "Wanted Dead or Alive 1" Episode: "Wanted Dead or Alive 2" |
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| 1998-03 | Oz | Chris Keller | 38 episodes |
| 1999 | Shift | Louis | TV film |
| 1999-present | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Det. Elliot Stabler | Regular character |
| 2000 | Law & Order | Det. Elliot Stabler | Episode: "Entitled 2" Episode: "Fools For Love" |
| 2002 | Murder in Greenwich | Mark Fuhrman | TV film |
| 2003 | Scrubs | Dr. Dave Norris | Episode: "My White Whale" |
| 2005 | Wonder Showzen | Cooties Spokesman | Episode: "Health" |
| Law & Order: Trial by Jury | Det. Elliot Stabler | Episode: "Day" | |
| 2008 | Gym Teacher: The Movie | Dave Stewie | TV film on Nickelodeon |
| 2009 | Michael & Michael Have Issues. | Episode: "Greg the Intern" |
[edit] Awards and nominations
- 2006: Nominated, "Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series" - Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
- 2004: Nominated, "Performance in a TV Drama Series Episode" - Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
- 2008: Nominated, "Performance in a TV Drama Series Episode" - Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
[edit] References
[edit] External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Christopher Meloni |
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