Yes, Chris Meloni’s Stabler Tattoo Is Fake — But His Real Ones May Be Even Cooler

As fans, sometimes it’s hard to differentiate between what’s real and what’s the results of a little Hollywood magic when it comes to our favorite actors. Especially after they’d played a character for 25 years. In Chris Meloni’s case, it’s time to set the record straight on one of Stabler’s most distinctive physical characteristics on Law & Order: SVU and Law & Order: Organized Crime: His tattoos.

Longtime fans know that Elliot Stabler served in the military before joining the SVU squad, and his character’s simple, black-ink tattoo inside his inner forearm reflects the time spent serving his country.

Stabler’s tattoo is a copy of the United States Marine Corps emblem, which reflects his character’s time overseas during Operation Desert Storm as a hand-to-hand combat specialist. The symbol comprises three distinct design elements: the Eagle, the Globe, and the Anchor.

The Eagle symbolizes the United States, the Globe signifies the worldwide commitment Marines make, and the Anchor “represents the amphibious nature of the Marines’ duties and emphasizes the close ties between the Marine Corps and the U.S. Navy,” according to the official website of the U.S. Marine Corps.

Eagle-eyed viewers of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit will remember this tattoo appearing in episodes like Season 6’s “Outcry” and many others throughout Seasons 7 and 8.

In a 2020 interview, Meloni revealed that it was his idea for Stabler to have a military-inspired tattoo, a suggestion that series creator Dick Wolf signed off on!

“As far as my character, I made suggestions to Dick Wolf, I had a certain idea – I thought [Stabler] was written a little square, a little straight-arrowy, and certain things, I asked Dick if I could have a tattoo on my arm,” Meloni explained. “He was in the Marines, so I wanted a tattoo.”

Chris Meloni during the “NBA All-Star Celebrity Game at NBA Jam Session presented by Nokia” on Center Court during the “2006 NBA All-Star Weekend” on February 17, 2006 at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, Texas. Photo: Joe Murphy/NBAE