Why Rick Gonzalez Calls Co-Star Christopher Meloni His "Motivation"

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Christopher Meloni Tells All About Split Drop connected Law & Order Set

When Law & Order's Rick Gonzalez isn't engaged "organizing crime" arsenic Detective Bobby Reyes beside Christopher Meloni's Detective Elliot Stabler, the super-fit co-stars support engaged by organizing their workout routines.

"I virtually each time inquire Chris, 'What did you enactment connected contiguous successful the gym?'" Gonzalez exclusively told E! News. "And he'll grin and proceed to archer me, 'I did squats and I did beforehand squats and I did lunges,' and helium conscionable gets truthful excited to speech astir what helium worked on."

Meloni, 61, has spent caller months making headlines for his physique, partaking successful everything from a nude Peloton advertisement to embracing the "zaddy" moniker the Internet has bestowed upon him. Gonzalez sees it each arsenic inspiration.

"He's my motivation, too," the histrion noted. "I similar moving out, but not arsenic overmuch arsenic helium does!"

While Gonzalez's quality Reyes whitethorn beryllium a newbie connected Stabler's Organized Crime task force, this isn't his first acquisition with the Law & Order franchise arsenic helium was a impermanent prima on season 1 of SVU.

"I bash retrieve the chemistry they had, Mariska [Hargitay] and Chris," the 43-year-old recalled. "I bash retrieve that it felt similar they were connected a amusement for 8 seasons. Meanwhile, this was play one. It conscionable felt similar they were moving for years, and they were truthful nonrecreational and giving."

Fast guardant much than 2 decades, and Gonzalez and Meloni are unneurotic erstwhile more.

"It's surreal to [come] afloat ellipse and bent with him, coming backmost connected set," he said of the reunion. "I astir wanted to springiness Chris Meloni a hug due to the fact that it's conscionable like, 'Hey man, 20 years aboriginal and present we are.' It's great. This manufacture is ever truthful strange, but it tin beryllium rewarding, too." 

Will Hart/NBC; Zach Dilgard/NBC

In his role, Gonzalez's quality brings to the task unit a past of undercover enactment and a estimation for ne'er having had his screen blown. His past has earned him the rubric of "invisible man," a operation Gonzalez is "excited" to unpack.

"There's a batch to this thought of the satellite doesn't spot me," the histrion shared. "I'm Puerto Rican and Dominican. I'm Afro-Latino. I'm from New York City. I've been done a lot. I cognize people. I spot people. Sometimes radical don't spot me. And I get that, and I deliberation Bobby benignant of interprets that arsenic an advantage."

"I deliberation these adjacent 2 episodes are going to benignant of truly onslaught the bosom of who Bobby is and what makes him run and tick," Gonzalez added. "What is helium wrestling with? This adjacent occurrence [episode five], we're gonna get to spot these guys posing arsenic cops, and they're raiding these places, these cause trader homes, and they're doing truly atrocious things. Now there's a transportation determination betwixt these guys and Bobby Reyes. And we're going to larn that. And past we're gonna spell to Episode Six wherever we're virtually successful the mud. We're going into the mud of Bobby Reyes."

The Oct. 27 occurrence of Organized Crime is besides acceptable to diagnostic SVU prima Kelli Giddish, who Gonzalez says he's "bummed" helium didn't person the accidental to enactment with.

"I would person loved it. I'm specified a immense instrumentality of the franchise and each the shows," helium gushed. "It would person been truly cool. But who knows, possibly Bobby Reyes volition transverse implicit into the different shows. Maybe Bobby and Ice-T volition bash something, that would beryllium amazing!"

In the meantime, Gonzalez is enjoying the institution of his ain Organized Crime co-stars, including Danielle Moné Truitt (Sergeant Ayanna Bell) and Ainsley Seiger (Det. Jet Slootmaekers), and it seems determination is nary shortage of camaraderie down the scenes. 

Eric Liebowitz/NBC

"They marque amusive of me. They're truthful mean. They conscionable laughter astatine me!" Gonzalez teased. "No, it's truthful good. Danielle's saccharine and Ainsley is truthful comic and casual to get on with. She's a large gamer and truthful americium I, truthful we speech video games connected acceptable and it's truly cute. And Brent [Antonello] and I speech shot each the time. Brent utilized to play baseball. He's conscionable this truly chill guy."

He continued, "And I emotion moving with Chris. I consciousness similar I'm learning a batch from Chris. I drawback myself conscionable listening and learning and knowing what components are indispensable to marque our amusement work, particularly from a character's position and besides from a communicative perspective. Everyone's been truthful gracious successful presumption of accepting Brent and I."

For much of Gonzalez, don't miss Law & Order: Organized Crime Thursday nights astatine 10 p.m. connected NBC.

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