A few years after Christopher Meloni debuted his iconic role of Elliot Stabler on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, he also took on another important job: dad to his two children, Sophia and Dante Meloni.
The Man of Steel actor married artist Sherman Williams in 1995 and made his first appearance on Law & Order: SVU four years later. As the series increased in popularity, Christopher and Williams started to grow their family. The couple welcomed their first child, daughter Sophia, in 2001, and their son Dante followed in 2004.
The actor, who was nominated for a Primetime Emmy in 2006, has opened up about his family life in interviews and on social media, including how much raising his children has meant to him amidst his successful career.
'I always knew I wanted kids, as did my wife,' he told PEOPLE in October 2022. 'My mother always used to say to me, 'I've learned so much from you kids,' and I didn't get it. Now I get it.'
Christopher also spoke about the differences between Sophia and Dante, including their natural wisdom and lively personalities.
'One is more of an old soul. I never used that term until they came out of the womb and I looked in their eyes. I was like, 'Holy cow, look at you. You're here to teach me,' ' the actor said. 'As well as the other one, who's a young soul. It's ever-evolving and a complete fulfillment of my life.'
Here is everything to know about Christopher Meloni's kids, Sophia and Dante Meloni.
Christopher and Williams welcomed their first child, Sophia Eva Pietra Meloni, on March 23, 2001.
When Sophia turned 18 in 2019, Christopher shared a photo of her as a baby on Instagram and wrote, 'So what's weird is, I know I took this picture yesterday and now I'm celebrating ur 18th B Day. Ur birth introduced me to the emotion of love, ur life gives me life ... so I thank u for that. Keep doing you, and seeking out the adventures that life holds.'
The following year, while attending Wesleyan University, Sophia also spent time on the set of her dad's show, Law & Order: Organized Crime. Christopher documented the heartfelt moment with a selfie of them. 'Get to work with my girl #BestDayEver,' he captioned it on Instagram.
Sophia has another connection to Christopher's on-screen work: Mariska Hargitay is her godmother and it seems they are quite close.
On Hargitay's birthday in 2023, Sophia posted an old video of herself with the actress on Instagram, and wrote in the caption, 'waving my wand to summon all things sparkly, shiny, beautiful and grand for my fairy godmamma today.'
Away from the TV cameras, Sophia has also joined her dad for major Hollywood events, including the 2021 Golden Globe Awards. 'My #plusone for the @goldenglobes getting readied,' Christopher wrote alongside a video of Sophia getting her makeup done.
In another sweet social media moment, he shared that Sophia gave him a present for Father's Day in 2021 that reflected on her and her brother's childhood in a funny way. The gift was a framed post from X (formerly Twitter) that responded to a question about 'best celebrity sightings.'
The post read, 'I saw Chris Meloni, one of the toughest tough guys on television, failing to control two toddlers at a brunch at Columbus Circle circa 2007.' Sophia attached a photo of herself and Dante as toddlers and wrote, 'The toddlers in question?'
Now all grown up, Sophia enjoys having fun with her dad in New York City. In 2023, Christopher posted on Instagram about a night out with Sophia and her friends. 'So…needed a little quality time with the bros- steak and martinis #boynightout,' the actor joked in the caption under photos of himself and the crew of four.
Christopher and Williams welcomed Dante Amadeo Meloni on Jan. 2, 2004.
Over the years, the Happy! star has celebrated their son on his birthday each year. '17 years. Love too big, time too fast #myboy,' Christopher captioned throwback photos on Instagram in 2021.
When he's not playing basketball, Dante accompanies his family to red carpet events, like movie premieres for Snatched and Godzilla.
Though they were raised out of the spotlight, Christopher has always encouraged his children to pursue their passions. 'I want them to engage in athletics or the arts because those are places they get to express themselves,' he told USA Today in 2014.
He also shared his philosophy on being a hands-on dad. 'I think my kids would call me a little crazy,' Christopher told the outlet. 'I'm very physical, very affectionate. I'm also very disciplined and focused on education. That's one thing that was instilled in me, one place in life where there's no compromise.'
In 2024, Christopher posted a tribute on Instagram for Dante's 20th birthday, sharing a throwback snap of himself as a young dad and Dante as a baby.
It's clear that Christopher Meloni cherishes his role as a father to his children, Sophia and Dante Meloni. Through his interviews and social media posts, he has expressed how their presence in his life brings him joy and fulfillment. Sophia and Dante have grown up in the midst of their father's successful career, and they have had opportunities to join him on set and attend prestigious events. It's evident that both of them have inherited their father's lively personalities and have forged strong bonds with him. Whether it's Sophia's close relationship with her godmother Mariska Hargitay or Dante joining his family on red carpets, these moments highlight the deep connections within the Meloni family. As they continue to grow, Sophia and Dante are encouraged to pursue their passions and express themselves fully, just as their father has always emphasized.
