Mariska Hargita and Richard Belzer. Shutterstock (2)
Mourning a heartbreaking loss. Mariska Hargitay opened up in regards to the demise of longtime buddy and Regulation & Order: Particular Victims Unit costar Richard Belzer simply days after his demise.
“What a coronary heart and soul,” Hargitay, 59, stated throughout a Thursday, February 23, look on the In the present day present. “He was household and taught me a lot about taking dangers and creativity and belief, and he introduced a lot pleasure to the set.”
SVU author Invoice Scheft confirmed the information of Belzer’s demise to The Hollywood Reporter on Sunday, February 19. “He had numerous well being points, and his final phrases have been, ‘F—okay you, motherf—ker,’” Scheft stated on the time. Belzer died peacefully in his sleep whereas house in France along with his household by his facet. He was 78.
“He was simply such a good looking and sophisticated [person], and it was such a privilege to know him,” the Leaving Las Vegas star instructed host Savannah Guthrie on Thursday. “And boy, did this man love youngsters. He was this acerbic, quick-witted, sensible thoughts, and but he would soften within the sight of a kid.”
Whereas the Groove Tube alum by no means had any organic children of his personal, he was a proud stepfather to spouse Harlee McBride’s two daughters from a earlier marriage, Jessica and Bree Benton. (Belzer married 3 times all through his life: to Gail Susan Ross from 1966 to 1972 and to Dalia Danoch from 1976 to 1978. He settled down with McBride 5 years later.)
Belzer’s most well-known position was as Regulation & Order’s Detective John Munch. He originated the character on Murder: Life on the Avenue in 1993 and appeared in 119 episodes of the collection till it led to 1999. The Connecticut native then reprised Munch on SVU reverse Hargitay from 1999 to 2016, showing in a complete of 242 episodes of the NBC crime drama.
Following his demise on Sunday, Hargitay took to social media to share a touching tribute to her longtime coworker and buddy.
“Goodbye my pricey, pricey buddy. I’ll miss you, your distinctive gentle, and your singular tackle this unusual world,” she wrote through Instagram on the time. “I really feel blessed to have identified you and adored you and labored with you, facet by facet, for therefore a few years.”
She concluded the publish by saying, “How fortunate the angels are to have you ever. I like you so very a lot, now and ceaselessly.”
Christopher Meloni, who starred on the hit NBC collection from 1999 to 2011 earlier than his season 12 exit, additionally honored his pal on Sunday, tweeting a photograph of Hargitay feeding Belzer whereas on set.
Later within the day, the Oz alum posted a photograph of himself through Twitter kissing the Fame star on the cheek. “Good bye mon ami. I like you,” he wrote, together with the hashtag #TheBelz,” he captioned the candy snap.
