Christopher Meloni
Christopher Meloni | |
|---|---|
 Meloni at the 2012 San Diego Comic-Con International | |
| Born | Christopher Peter Meloni April 2, 1961 Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Other names | Chris Meloni |
| Education | University of Colorado Boulder (1983) Neighborhood Playhouse |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1988–present |
| Known for | Chris Keller on Oz Elliot Stabler on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit |
| Spouse |
Doris Sherman Williams
(m. 1995) |
| Children | 2 |
Christopher Peter Meloni (born April 2, 1961)[1][2] is an American actor. He is known for his television roles as NYPD Detective Elliot Stabler on the NBC legal drama Law & Order: Special Victims Unit for its first twelve seasons and as inmate Chris Keller on the HBO prison drama Oz. In June 2012, he returned to HBO, as the vampire Roman on the main cast of True Blood for the series' fifth season. Meloni is currently starring in and is an executive producer of Happy!, based on the comic book series created by writer Grant Morrison and artist Darick Robertson. The series premiered on Syfy on December 6, 2017.
His films include Man of Steel, Wet Hot American Summer, Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle, 12 Monkeys, Runaway Bride, 42, and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.
Early life
Meloni was born in Washington, D.C., the youngest of three children (he has a brother and sister) of Cecile (née Chagnon; 1926–2016),[3] a homemaker, and Charles Robert Meloni (1927–2012),[4] an endocrinologist.[5][6][7][8] His maternal ancestry is French Canadian and his paternal ancestry is Sardinian (from Italy). Meloni attended St. Stephen's School[9] (now St. Stephen's & St. Agnes School) in Alexandria, Virginia, and played quarterback on the football team. He studied acting at the University of Colorado at Boulder and graduated with a degree in history in 1983. After graduation, Meloni went to New York where he continued his studies with Sanford Meisner at the Neighborhood Playhouse, as well as the Center for the Media Arts.
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,[10] 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' character's fiancé in Runaway Bride.
Oz and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
From 1998 to 2003, Meloni portrayed the bisexual criminal Chris Keller on the HBO series Oz.
Law & Order producer Dick Wolf signed Meloni to play Elliot Stabler on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit in 1999. Meloni appeared on both Oz and Law & Order: SVU simultaneously, until Oz went off the air in 2003. Meloni was nominated for an Emmy Award in 2006,[11] in the category of Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, for his role as Elliot Stabler.
In May 2011, Meloni announced that he would not be returning to SVU in fall 2011 for its 13th season after the failure of negotiations over a new contract.[12]
Other work
 | This section needs to be updated. (July 2018) |
He returned to his comedic roots when he portrayed the character Gene in Wet Hot American Summer in 2001, the puppet-loving pediatrician Dr. Norris in a 2003 episode of Scrubs, and the character of "Freakshow" (albeit in heavy make-up) in the 2004 comedy Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle. He made another cameo in its sequel, Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay, as "The Grand Wizard". In 2005, he appeared on episode 107 of MTV2's adult puppet show Wonder Showzen in a series of parody public service announcements warning of the threat of cooties. He also had an uncredited role as a possibly gay hotel desk clerk in Fear and Loathing In Las Vegas.
In July 2009, Meloni portrayed DC Comics character Hal Jordan/Green Lantern in the DC Universe Animated Original Movie Green Lantern: First Flight. He briefly appeared in the first episode of the Comedy Central series Michael & Michael Have Issues portraying himself for a fake movie starring Michael Ian Black and Michael Showalter.
Meloni played Colonel Hardy, a supporting role, in the Superman reboot film Man of Steel (2013).[13] That year, he also played Brooklyn Dodgers manager Leo Durocher in the historical baseball feature 42.
On November 30, 2011, it was announced that Meloni was in talks with HBO to take on a "major" role in the fifth season of True Blood as an "incredibly powerful" vampire.[14] It was later confirmed that he would be taking a role as a series regular for season 5 as Roman, an "ancient, powerful vampire who holds the fate of Bill and Eric in his hands."[15] He also starred in the 2014 comedy They Came Together.[16] He also stars as John Taylor in the video game Call of Duty: Black Ops III.
In 2018, Meloni guest starred in two episodes of the FX drama series Pose, opposite Dominique Jackson.[17]
Public appearances
Meloni has appeared in many public service announcements in support of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) issues.[18] In 1999, Meloni jokingly kissed Lee Tergesen (who played Tobias Beecher, Meloni's on-screen boyfriend on Oz) at an awards dinner for GLAAD. In 2006, Meloni was given the Human Rights Campaign's Equality Award, along with actor Jake Gyllenhaal and director Ang Lee, for his work on behalf of LGBT issues.[18] In addition, in 2011, Meloni appeared in a Human Rights Campaign's "New Yorkers for Marriage Equality" video.[19]
In 2004 and 2006 respectively, Meloni competed in both the fourth and the eighth series of Bravo's Celebrity Poker Showdown; in the eighth series he finished 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. He also appeared on the program's Million Dollar Celebrity Invitational that aired on December 17, 2009. Although defeated by Joshua Malina and Harry Shearer, he won a $25,000 charity prize in the name of Smile Train.
Meloni was included in the 2006 edition of People magazine's Sexiest Men Alive.
Personal life
Meloni has been married to production designer Doris Sherman Meloni (née Williams) since July 1, 1995, and they have two children, daughter Sophia Eva Pietra Meloni (b. March 23, 2001),[20] and son Dante Amadeo Meloni (b. January 2, 2004).[21] Former Law & Order: SVU co-star Mariska Hargitay is the godmother to his daughter.
He has a Cubist-inspired representation of the crucifixion of Christ tattooed on his upper left arm, a butterfly tattoo on his left upper thigh, and a Chinese astrological chart of his family on his right lower leg.[22] In 2007, Meloni was inducted into his high school's athletic Hall of Fame as a member of the undefeated 1978 football team, for which he was quarterback.[23]
Meloni currently resides in Los Angeles in a home made famous on The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet.[24][25]
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Clean Slate | Bodyguard | |
| 1994 | Junior | Mr. Lanzarotta | |
| 1995 | 12 Monkeys | Lt. Halperin | |
| 1996 | Bound | Johnnie Marzzone | |
| 1997 | Money Talks | SPY | |
| 1998 | Brown's Requiem | Sgt. Cavanah | Uncredited role |
| 1998 | Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas | Sven, Clerk at Flamingo Hotel | |
| 1998 | The Souler Opposite | Barry Singer | |
| 1999 | Carlo's Wake | Bennetto Torello | |
| 1999 | Runaway Bride | Bob Kelly | |
| 2001 | Wet Hot American Summer | Gene Jenkinson | |
| 2002 | That Brief Moment | Ken | Short film |
| 2004 | Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle | Freakshow | |
| 2008 | Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay | Grand Wizard | Credited as "Reverend Clyde Stanky" |
| 2008 | Nights in Rodanthe | Jack Willis | |
| 2009 | Brief Interviews with Hideous Men | R / Subject #3 | |
| 2009 | Carriers | Frank | |
| 2010 | Green Lantern: First Flight | Hal Jordan/Green Lantern | Voice |
| 2011 | National Lampoon's Dirty Movie | Producer Charlie LaRue | |
| 2013 | Awful Nice | Jon Charbineau | |
| 2013 | Man of Steel | Colonel Nathan Hardy | |
| 2013 | 42 | Leo Durocher | |
| 2014 | Beef | Lou | |
| 2014 | White Bird in a Blizzard | Brock Connors | |
| 2014 | Small Time | Al Klein | |
| 2014 | They Came Together | Roland | |
| 2014 | Sin City: A Dame to Kill For | Mort | |
| 2015 | The Diary of a Teenage Girl | Pascal MacCorkill | |
| 2016 | I Am Wrath | Dennis | |
| 2016 | Marauders | Agent Jonathan Montgomery | |
| 2016 | Almost Friends | Howard | |
| 2017 | Snatched | Roger Simmons |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989–1990 | 1st & Ten | Vito Del Greco/Johnny Gunn | 11 episodes |
| 1990 | When Will I Be Loved? | Ron Weston | TV film |
| 1990–1991 | The Fanelli Boys | Frankie Fanelli | 17 episodes |
| 1991 | In a Child's Name | Jerry Cimarelli | TV film |
| 1991–1994 | Dinosaurs | Spike | 11 episodes |
| 1992 | Something to Live for: The Alison Gertz Story | David | TV film |
| 1993 | Without a Kiss Goodbye | Ray Samuels | TV film aka Falsely Accused |
| 1993 | The Boys | Doug Kirkfield | |
| 1993 | Golden Gate | Douglas 'BW' Carlino | Unsold pilot |
| 1995 | A Dangerous Affair | Tommy Moretti | TV film |
| 1995 | Hope and Gloria | Billy | Episode: "Love with an Improper Stranger" |
| 1995 | Misery Loves Company | Mitch | 8 episodes |
| 1996–1997 | NYPD Blue | Jimmy Liery | 5 episodes |
| 1997 | The Last Don | Boz Skannet | Miniseries |
| 1997 | Leaving L.A. | Reed Sims | 6 episodes |
| 1997 | Every 9 Seconds | Richard Sutherland | TV film |
| 1997 | Brooklyn South | Joe | 3 episodes |
| 1998 | Target Earth | Det. Samuel 'Sam' Adams | TV film |
| 1998 | Homicide: Life on the Street | Bounty Hunter Dennis Knoll | 2 episodes |
| 1998–2003 | Oz | Chris Keller | 38 episodes |
| 1999 | Shift | Louis | TV film |
| 1999–2011 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Det. Elliot Stabler | 272 episodes |
| 2000 | Law & Order | Elliot Stabler | 2 episodes; "Entitled" and "Fools for Love" |
| 2002 | Murder in Greenwich | Mark Fuhrman | TV film |
| 2003 | Scrubs | Dr. Dave Norris | Episode: "My White Whale" |
| 2004 | Sesame Street | Himself | Episode: 4065 |
| 2005 | Wonder Showzen | Cooties Spokesman | Episode: "Health" |
| 2005 | Law & Order: Trial by Jury | Elliot Stabler | Episode: "Day" |
| 2008 | Gym Teacher: The Movie | Dave Stewie | TV film |
| 2009 | Michael & Michael Have Issues | Himself | Episode: "Greg the Intern" |
| 2011 | The Daily Show with Jon Stewart | Tony Bologna | Cameo |
| 2011 | Ice Loves Coco | Himself | Cameo |
| 2012 | True Blood | Roman Zimojic | 5 episodes |
| 2013 | Comedy Bang! Bang! | Dr. Phillip Banhauser | Episode: "Aziz Ansari Wears a Charcoal Blazer" |
| 2014 | Veep | Ray Whelans | 2 episodes |
| 2014 | Surviving Jack | Jack Dunlevy | 8 episodes (8th episode not shown on US network) |
| 2015 | The Jack and Triumph Show | Agent Ryker | Episode: "Siri" |
| 2015 | Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp | Gene Jenkinson/Jonas Jurgenson | Main cast (6 episodes) |
| 2015 | Drunk History | Othniel Marsh | Episode: "New Jersey" |
| 2016–2017 | Underground | August Pullman | Main cast (15 episodes) Directed episode: "Auld Acquaintance" |
| 2017 | Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later | Gene Jenkinson | 4 episodes |
| 2017–present | Happy! | Nick Sax | Lead role |
| 2018 | Pose | Dick Ford | 2 episodes |
Video game
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Call of Duty: Black Ops III | Commander John Taylor |
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Nominated work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | OFTA Television Awards | Best Guest Actor in a Cable Series | Won | |
| 2004 | Prism Awards | Best Performance in a TV Drama Series Episode | Nominated | |
| 2006 | OFTA Television Awards | Best Actor in a Drama Series | Nominated | |
| Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series | Nominated | ||
| 2008 | Prism Awards | Best Performance in a TV Drama Series Episode | Nominated | |
| 2009 | Prism Awards | Best Performance in a TV Drama Series Episode | Nominated | |
| 2014 | Gold Derby Awards | Best Comedy Guest Actor | Nominated |
See also
References
- ^ "NewsBank for DDN | www.daytondailynews.com". Nl.newsbank.com. Retrieved August 16, 2013.
- ^ "Birthdays of the week". Pqasb.pqarchiver.com. March 27, 2005. Retrieved August 16, 2013.
- ^ "Cecile Meloni passed 3:02 today". Facebook. August 8, 2016.
- ^ "Charles R. Meloni". Legacy. August 12, 2012.
- ^ Jewel, Dan. "Runaway Guy". People.com. Retrieved August 16, 2013.
- ^ "Eric S. Atwater: Vaughan board of directors need to do the right thing". Conwaydailysun.com. Archived from the original on January 19, 2013. Retrieved August 16, 2013.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ "Obituary". Retrieved August 12, 2012.
- ^ "CHARLES R. MELONI Obituary: View CHARLES MELONI's Obituary by The Washington Post". Legacy.com. Retrieved August 16, 2013.
- ^ "1978 St. Stephen's Yearbook". classmates.com. Retrieved July 26, 2014.
- ^ McDonald's Commercial Archived September 11, 2008, at the Wayback Machine. www.illegal-art.org. MP4
- ^ "Christopher Meloni Emmy Nominated". Emmys.com. Retrieved May 18, 2014.
- ^ Abrams, Natalie (May 24, 2011). "Christopher Meloni Exits Law & Order: SVU". TV Guide. Portland, Oregon: NTVB Media. Retrieved May 24, 2011.
- ^ Andreeva, Nellie (June 24, 2011). "Christopher Meloni To Co-Star In 'Man Of Steel'". Deadline Hollywood. Mail.com. Retrieved June 25, 2011.
- ^ "True Blood season 5 spoilers: Christopher Meloni to join cast?". November 30, 2011. Retrieved November 30, 2011.
- ^ "'True Blood' casts Christopher Meloni as a vampire". CNN. December 14, 2011. Retrieved December 15, 2011.
- ^ "Christopher Meloni Joins They Came Together". Collider.com. Retrieved May 18, 2014.
- ^ Hinzmann, Dennis (June 20, 2018). "Christopher Meloni Joins This Week's 'Pose'". Out. Retrieved June 27, 2018.
- ^ a b "Jake Gyllenhaal, Ang Lee and Christopher Meloni to Accept Award at Human Rights Campaign New York Gala Dinner". HRC. January 17, 2006. Archived from the original on June 16, 2012. Retrieved August 3, 2011.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ "Law & Order SVU Star Christopher Meloni is a New Yorker for Marriage Equality". www.hrc.org. April 12, 2011. Archived from the original on March 10, 2014. Retrieved March 10, 2014.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ Stewart, Andrew (April 11, 2001). "Sophia Eva Pietra Meloni". Variety. Retrieved August 16, 2013.
- ^ https://variety.com/2004/scene/people-news/dante-amadeo-meloni-1117900808/
- ^ Jeffrey Podolsky (November 3, 2009). ""Don't Ask, Don't Tell?" Sir Ian McKellan Will Have None of That". The Wall Street Journal.
- ^ Amy Argetsinger; Roxanne Roberts (May 1, 2007). "'Law & Order's' Chris Meloni Goes Long, and Winds Up in 1978". Washingtonpost.com. Retrieved May 18, 2014.
- ^ David, Mark (December 16, 2014). "Chris Meloni Picks Up Piece of Hollywood History (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety.
- ^ "Chris Meloni buys Ozzie and Harriet Nelson's old haunt". Los Angeles Times. December 17, 2014.
External links
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
| Other | |
- 1961 births
- 20th-century American male actors
- 21st-century American male actors
- American exercise instructors
- American football quarterbacks
- American male film actors
- American male television actors
- American male voice actors
- American male video game actors
- American people of French-Canadian descent
- American people of Italian descent
- American people of Sardinian descent
- Bartenders
- LGBT rights activists from the United States
- Living people
- Male actors of Italian descent
- Male actors from Washington, D.C.
- Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre alumni
- Male actors from Alexandria, Virginia
- Players of American football from Washington, D.C.
- People from Washington, D.C.
- University of Colorado Boulder alumni