Name: Christopher Meloni
Birthdate: April 2, 1961
Hometown: Washington, District of Columbia
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.
His first real moment of stardom came in 1998 from his controversial role as bisexual sociopath Chris Keller in the HBO prison drama Oz. The role called for him to passionately kiss and touch other men, frequently display rear and full frontal nudity, and even urinate into a bucket. Meloni's raw magnetism and affable reaction towards the open sexuality of his character earned him press attention, particularly within the gay community, in which he is considered a sex symbol as evidenced by the existence of a number of fan sites.
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 Penis 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.