Law & Order: SVU’s Mariska Hargitay Remembers ‘Beautiful and Complex’ Costar Richard Belzer Days After His Death
usmagazine.comMourning a heartbreaking loss. Mariska Hargitay opened up about the death of longtime friend and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit costar Richard Belzer just days after his death. “What a heart and soul,” Hargitay, 59, said during a Thursday, February 23, appearance on the Today show. “He was family and taught me so much about taking risks and creativity and trust, and he brought so much joy to the set.” SVU writer Bill Scheft confirmed the news of Belzer’s death to The Hollywood Reporter on Sunday, February 19. “He had lots of health issues, and his last words were, ‘F—k you, motherf—ker,’” Scheft said at the time.
Belzer died peacefully in his sleep while home in France with his family by his side. He was 78. In order to view the video, please allow Manage Cookies “He was just such a beautiful and complex [person], and it was such a privilege to know him,” the Leaving Las Vegas star told host Savannah Guthrie on Thursday. “And boy, did this man love children.
He was this acerbic, quick-witted, brilliant mind, and yet he would melt in the sight of a child.” While the Groove Tube alum never had any biological kids of his own, he was a proud stepfather to wife Harlee McBride’s two daughters from a previous marriage, Jessica and Bree Benton. (Belzer married three times throughout his life: to Gail Susan Ross from 1966 to 1972 and to Dalia Danoch from 1976 to 1978.
He settled down with McBride five years later.) Belzer’s most well-known role was as Law & Order’s Detective John Munch.
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