Christopher Meloni

About Christopher Meloni

Christopher Peter Meloni (born on April 2, 1961) is an American Emmy-nominated actor known for his near opposite roles as the protective and committed Det. Elliot Stabler on the NBC drama series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and as the bisexual serial killer Chris Keller on HBO's Oz.

Meloni was born in Washington, D.C., the son of Cecile, a homemaker, and Robert Meloni, an endocrinologist. His maternal ancestry is French Canadian and his paternal ancestry is Italian. He attended St. Stephen's School (now St. Stephen's and 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.

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 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's friend Spike in Dinosaurs and Julia Roberts' fiance in Runaway Bride.