I had great faith in Irish actors, that they'd be hip to the whole theatre thing, and they are. I had no illusions of coming over here as some kind of big shot. It's been a learning experience for me too.

He has also worked as a bouncer bartender and personal trainer. Charles R. Meloni worked his way up the acting ladder with commercials short-lived TV series and bit parts in a number of films.

He is best known for his television roles as NYPD Detective Elliot Stabler on the NBC police drama Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and as inmate Chris Keller on the HBO prison drama Oz. Christopher Peter Meloni (born April 2 1961) is an American actor.